03 S150 Hydraulic Issue? Stalling?

I've got an 03 S150 with about 16xx hours on it. Pretty sure its a Kubota V2203? The machine is used very infrequently and last time I noticed it made a whirling noise when turning and just didn't seem 100%. I used it this weekend to move some firewood and it started to stall out on me after 45 mins or so I hurried to get it back in the shop, it stalled, fired right back up. While it was in the shop I started it up and the "Hydros Charge 24" light came on steady. I shut it down. Looked around for obvious leaks/issues/etc. On the next start up it beeped a few times. No codes are being shown. So it starts and runs fine, at idle I can move around no problem - didnt put any real load on it. Once I put it at half throttle it starts to bog down and want to die out. I adjusted the pulley as mentioned on here - and I suspect that pulley/tensioner is bad. I pulled the dust cap and it was still greased up from when the belt was changed 1-2 years ago. It sounds.... not great? No luck on finding where this "Bronze" hydraulic bushing may be -- any pictures? If anyone could give me some pointers I'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks, Drew

nothing...?

I'm sure someone will come along but binding up and stalling under load sounds pretty severe!

I don't think it's too severe. I mean, possibly a hydraulic pump/motor? Tensioner pulley?

Just some other ideas would be nice

When it bogs/stalls out, is it smoking or sputtering?

I'm a one trick pony, so it's fuel first, then look deeper.

The engine doesn't smoke or sputter... it just slowly dies out. Then I can restart the machine just .fine. Really hoping its just a filter or something.

Hent said:

The engine doesn't smoke or sputter... it just slowly dies out. Then I can restart the machine just .fine. Really hoping its just a filter or something.

Click to expand...

If there's no smoke, the engine is stalling, not being stalled by too much load. That sounds like fuel starvation to me, probably something plugged, intake, filter, banjo bolt, etc. Or possibly an air leak, or weak pump, but the fact that it restarts easily would point to a restriction, not an air leak or weak transfer pump.

Does this have a transfer pump? if not I'd either tee into the line and put a vacuum/pressure gauge in the cab, or hook up a temporary tank, to see if you can get it to run right, then isolate the problem.

I would start by draining the fuel filter. Catch the fuel in a clean pan and look at the fuel. I'm thinking you have water in the fuel. As for your hydraulic problem, little hard to say based on the info.

Hey Dan

I did drain the fuel filter and it wasn't any worse than usual. a few black specs. changed the fuel and hydraulic filter. after that it seemed to be working fine? I'll give it a workout this weekend and see what happens...

i never did find where that bronze hydraulic filter goes....


Thanks for the help guys!

Most of the time, running problems are plugged fuel filters or crappy fuels. Overall kubotas are very reliable. As for your case drain filters, there are two, one for each drive motor. Take the side plates between the wheels off. The left one is mounted to the bottom of the tank, easy to get at. The right side is mounted to the motor, a little buried.