Go BottomKubota Tractor Fuel gauge malfunction
 | cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York 
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2002-10-03 43308
I was mowing last weekend with my 2910 and just as I reduced the RPM before parking it, I happened to glance at the fuel gauge and noticed it move from 1/4 tank reading (which was accurate) to above full.
I switched it off after parking and then turned the key back to "on" and the gauge remained on full. I restarted and it returned to the correct reading.
Tonight it read correctly until I moved the throtle to operating speed at which point it went to "full" again. I dropped the RPM after completing the mowing and the gauge returned to the correct reading. I increased the speed and it again went to a reading of full and stuck there.
I am wondering what might cause this to happen, I have never had a fuel gauge problem but am leaning towards a bad sending unit. The machine is just a year old with 66 hours so the warranty might cover it, I am not sure. I will call the dealer tommorrow but if it is out of warranty, I will probably try to locate the problem myself. I am not sure how to get at the thing, but I assume there is an access port on the tank somewhere.
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 | DK35vince
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 689 Western,Pa. 
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2002-10-03 43310
It could be just a loose wire to the gauge or bad ground. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2002-10-04 43336
I'll have to stick to approaches rather than specifics. Generally, disconnecting cleaning all connections seems like a good idea. It worked for me with my Ford temp gauge that read full-hot a couple of times while the tractor was warming up. I cleaned everything including the fuse holder contacts and the problem hasn't repeated in several years.
My temp gauge reads full when the tractor is off, so a full reading when the engine isn't hot suggests a voltage drop or ground drop. My fuel gauge reads low when the tractor is off. A full reading when the tank isn't would suggest abnormally high voltages in the system.
Sending units work by using a float to vary a resister. Full tank is minimum resistance to produce max current, which registers full on the gauge. Gauges are just specially calibrated ammeters. A short of the sending unit's resister or lead could cause a full reading. However, jostling the equipment often can reproduce intermittent shorts. You'd sort of expect it to happen when the tractor is bumping around. You might try banging around on the tank to see if the gauge goes haywire.
An alternative explanation is the gauge itself. I believe that most gauges have internal ballast to set about a 9V-reference. Without a constant reference voltage, the gauges would swing along with changes in the battery/alternator voltage. So it is possible that an open ballast in a gauge could produce abnormally high voltage. I don't know how likely that is though, but I'd probably try banging a bit on the gauge to see if it goes to full. Banging on the various components and jostling connections actually isn’t a bad approach to finding intermittent problems.
I'll note that the battery voltage feed for the temp and fuel gauges often are from the same circuit. If the temp gauge works normally, a fair bit of the common circuit can be eliminated from the banging and jostling.
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2002-10-04 43375
If I can figure out how to take the dash apart on it, I will go for the connections first.
Thanks ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2002-10-05 43397
I hear you. I'm not sure that the backs of all my gauges are accessible without removing the fuel tank either.
Hope this gets solved easily, and of course it's easiest if the thing fails completely. I tecked for four years in the Air Force and intermittent problems that couldn't be recreated for testing were nightmares. We called some solutions either 'brogan maintenance' or 'black-box maintenance.
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2002-10-05 43399
I have enough experience to fix the problem eventually, it is just MUCH easier if someone has had the same thing happen and knows just what to go for. As you stated, electrical problems and especially the intermitten ones are the worst. The tank has to come out to get to the sender, but it appears the dash will be the puzzle. I called the dealer to see if the warranty will cover it and they are checking for me, it was one year old when the trouble started. I can spend the time trouble shooting when the snow flies and purchase the part from them to fix it, but paying for hours of shop labor to fix a fuel gauge malfunction is not something I am willing to do. They seem to be a very good dealer and Kubota is geared towards customer satisfaction, so we shall see what transpires. ....
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 | DRankin
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 5116 Northern Nevada
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2002-10-05 43406
Cutter, Here is one out of the blue. It sounds like your fuel gauge is acting like a voltmeter; high RPM's drive it up and low RPM’s let it drift down. Maybe your voltage regulator is the problem. Check and see if the headlights brighten at the same time the fuel gauge is going up.
Also, I have seen transient static electricity do strange and seasonal things; try grounding the frame to terra firma.
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2002-10-05 43407
Interesting, I'll try that today. One note, it doesn't always drift back down. Sometimes it will stay on the full mark until it feels like dropping down. ....
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 | Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2002-10-05 43411
Cutter, most all fuel gauges work as a ground. Another words you could remove the wire to the sending unit and touch it to a ground and it should show full tank if it is working. I think you might check the wire but you also might have a sending unit going bad if all else is right. Just a thought, on the rpms is that the fan might be blowing the wire to a ground. ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2002-10-05 43416
Thanks Art, I just tried the wiggle test, not much to wiggle in those tiny pin connectors used inside the gauge housing. I mowed for about an hour and the gauge seemed to go as it pleased, sometimes up and sometimes down, but mostly up. I put more fuel in the tank, about two gallons or so shy of full and it seems to be reading about right. I will mow some tomorrow and see what happens, but at this point I can't get to the sending unit or the wire attached to it without what appears to be a major teardown, so I will wait to hear from the dealer on the warranty issue. ....
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| Anonymous
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2003-11-03 67928
It should be covered under a Kubota re-call.. It is a recognized problem and sis repaired free of charge. ....
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| cutter
Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 1307 The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York
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2003-11-04 68003
As a Kubota dealer are you aware of this recall Art? What I found was a connection/location problem but all I did was slightly move the plug away from the contact. Still works but perhaps there is a better fix? ....
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| ponds
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 10 Northern Va.
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2003-11-06 68156
Just had the same problem with my b2910. Tried to take the dash off, but it was more of a hassle than I was interested in. I have 100 hrs and its still under warranty, so I took it to the dealer to fix it. The wire was grounding out as Art describes. Luckily, my buddy has a trailor so I could avoid the pick up and delivery fee.
ponds ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-11-06 68166
We have not had any problems there but I can check to see what there is in the area for bullitins on it. ....
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| rettuc
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2003-11-07 68204
Thanks Art, Cutter ....
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| JayBarbour
Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 1 Virginia
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2003-11-10 68383
I just took delivery of my new 2230 last week. The dealer noticed the fuel gauge was not working and consulted the factory who admitted that many have been bent during installtion. My dealer reinstalled a new one and sent me on my way. BTW this tractor is even better than I expected. ....
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| Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000 Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2003-11-10 68402
That's the way Kubota's are! Better then expected!! Enjoy it as once it gets broken in it gets better yet! ....
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| rao
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2003-11-13 68673
when i got my b2910 delivered the tack,fuil gage and hourmeterwas not hooked up,i called the deleir they told me that they have been haveing a problem with kubota not hooking the gages up,so i poped the panel off sure enough none of it was hooked up ....
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