2016 Kubota SVL 90-2 losing power going uphill. Any suggestions? Thx!

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Hey guys, and gals-
New to the forum and starting an excavation company. I have time on equipment. Just purchased a 2016 SVL 90-2 from auction, 3000 hrs. clean machine. Went thru it and performed 3000hr service. First run today on the mountain and all was well until i traveled up my driveway and another hill and the machine flat out struggled to make it. No bogs, sputters or skips, just lugging. New fuel filters and seperators. Fresh full tank of filtered fuel. Fires up, runs great, just hits a wall with anything with grade 10% roughly. I had rented a TL8 and it motored right up these hills. Cannot figure out the reasoning. Any help, greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time!

 

[Delmer]

So you're sure the engine is slowing down, not the "transmission" "slipping"?

This is too new for my brain, but I'd always start with fuel pressure, find the spec, figure out how to measure it, and see what you got. Or, check for any screens, or garbage in fuel fittings. In the old days the Japanese liked to put a banjo bolt screen in the most hidden fuel fitting on the machine.

 

[heymccall]

Fuel/ water separator inlet elbow clogged. Been there, done that.

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Well, the Rpm’s die down, therefore don’t believe it’s the transmission slipping, but anything’s possible. You mention the fuel/water separator inlet clogged, if this was the case wouldn’t it happen all the time? I’ll look for it and try and clean out. Thank you all for your replies.

 

[Delmer]

...if this was the case wouldn’t it happen all the time?

How else can you put a good load on the engine? Can you push some dirt at high speed to see if it will run strong? how about full speed up a hill backwards? I tend to believe it's power not the inclination of the machine, but you can prove me wrong.

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

It is definitely power. Just cleaned the elbows, they were clean EXCEPT for one side had a real thin piece of metal about 1/2 long by a heavy 1/16th. Pulled it out. Ran it up the hill, still struggled. My 26hp Aries drives me up, no issues. I’m losing power for sure.

 

[heymccall]

For testing's sake, bypass the water separator altogether.

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Y’all seem very knowledgeable and I appreciate you helping me. Have you ever replaced the pins and bushings on the lowest control arm? If so, is it difficult as in special tools for the bushing? Thanks!

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

For testing's sake, bypass the water separator altogether.

I gotcha, just join the two hoses? Any idea what the inside diameter of the fuel line is? Thanks!

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Probably 1/8”

 

[Delmer]

1/8" what? the fuel line is probably 5/16, maybe 1/4" or 3/8".

Sorry, can't help on the bushings, typically you can weld a bead inside them, or heat a line with a torch and shrink them to get them to come out easy, then press the new ones in with a good sized threaded rod and washers. Or hammer them in, it's just a skid steer.

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

1/8" what? the fuel line is probably 5/16, maybe 1/4" or 3/8".

Sorry, can't help on the bushings, typically you can weld a bead inside them, or heat a line with a torch and shrink them to get them to come out easy, then press the new ones in with a good sized threaded rod and washers. Or hammer them in, it's just a skid steer.

Gotcha. Good advice, I’ll go into town and grab a few splices to join the fuel lines together. Worth a shot, I reckon.

 

[heymccall]

5/16" ID fuel line.

Just buy a Napa 3972 inline strainer and put it in place of the separator.
When you find that it is cured, put the strainer inline before the water separator, when you clean it out thoroughly. If no change, it still won't hurt to have the inline strainer.

Like here
https://www.heavyequipmentforums.co...r-revs-up-and-down-bogging.80284/#post-851454

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

10-4, good advice. It looks like there is already a very small strainer up the line. My water seperator looked very clean.

 

[heymccall]

The key is "strainer". A cellulose style inline filter is incompatible with diesel. It must be a strainer (mesh).

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Gotcha, ordered the NAPA filter. Thanks for the part number. We’ll give it a try.

 

[skata]

Either not getting enough air or fuel. Check filters first.

 

[KSSS]

Just throwing this out there. Maybe that is just the way it is. I demoed a 299D a couple years ago, new machine. I was stockpiling dirt which required hauling material up a steep hill. The machine (which was the regular 299 not the higher hp version) struggled taking an 84" bucket full of material up the hill. Ran fine other than its ability to track material up a steep grade.

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Either not getting enough air or fuel. Check filters first.

Just changed every filter on the machine.

 

[Nathaniel P Gutchess]

Just throwing this out there. Maybe that is just the way it is. I demoed a 299D a couple years ago, new machine. I was stockpiling dirt which required hauling material up a steep hill. The machine (which was the regular 299 not the higher hp version) struggled taking an 84" bucket full of material up the hill. Ran fine other than its ability to track material up a steep grade.

Could be, that wouldn’t be good though!!