Lister Engine Forum
Slow Speed Diesel Engines => Other Slow Speed Diesels => Topic started by: Tanman on October 23, 2019, 02:40:15 PM
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There are three of these Kubota EA300s I have found for sale in my area for around $300-$500. Seems like a good deal, does anyone have any experience with them?
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http://www.microcogen.info/index.php?topic=542.0
Info and manuals.
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Thank you.
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Just updated the links for the service and parts manuals.
http://www.microcogen.info/index.php?topic=542.0
The original links would not open.
They should open up now.
Henry
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The EA300 and EA330 engines are some of my favorites. Had one of each and they loved running between 2600 -2800 rpm. My opinion is both engines had more fuel knock below 2600 than I liked.
The EL300 is another one. They look almost the same.
The maximum rated rpm is 2000. I do know they are timed 22deg. BTDC. Probably to help with less fuel knock at lower RPM’s.
There might be some internal differences. Never saw the inside of one.
The EL300 would be the one to find if someone is planning to build a small slow running genset.
The EA300 might be able to run at lower speeds like the EL300 by Setting back the timing 3-1/2 degrees. And setting the governor speed to 2000.
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I picked up a EA300 for $300, tore into it today and found that one of the valves wiggles a fair amount and the valve seat has worn a little. I have the manuals and part numbers. It seems like parts are a little tough to find, is my best shot my local Kubota dealer hunting some valves and valve guides for me?
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That might be your best bet. Kubota should be able to get them. While you have it apart it would be a good time to check the cylinder bore and if it’s within spec hone the cylinder and re-ring the engine.
Just in case the bore is out of spec. There is an oversized piston and rings available.
Which guide is worn?
Do you have any idea of the hours on the engine?
Henry
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Tanman, Just received a call from a friend in Jacksonville Florida that runs a shop that makes compact diesel generators for sailboats. They use Kubota engines only.
He knows the EA300 and EA330 very well. The company made Hundreds of units with those engines.
We talked about your situation and he explained to me that it’s normally the exhaust valve guide that will get some wear over time. The intake valve guide normally don’t give any problems but since the engine does not have valve guide seals there is a possibility of having oil sucked around the intake guide if it’s very worn. This situation can be made worse with oil getting past the piston rings and if the air cleaner is restricted. He said there has been a few known cases of runaway engines but very rare.
He mentioned to replace valve guides, check valve stems and seats for wear, check cylinder and re-ring it and make sure the breather is functioning properly.
He mentioned that a good machine shop should clean up the seats. However the heads are known for rusting through on salt water applications so if it was a salt water engine check out the head thoroughly. If the head is bad a new one is available but it’s around $500.00.
When I was visiting him years ago I saw a whole bunch of EA300 heads on a table that were just rebuilt. I ask him about those and his response was the market pretty much dried up. At times they good ones on eBay for rebuilding.
Henry
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Thank you very much Henry, I have just ordered the parts you suggested! I will need to have the valve seats cleaned up for sure. No salt water damage but some damage from the loose valve. Thank you for the information, it helped me out a lot!
Question for folks with more experience, I’ve only replaced piston rings once on a 2-stroke four wheeler and haven’t de-glazed a cylinder before. Should I give it a go or have a shop do it?
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Thank you very much Henry, I have just ordered the parts you suggested! I will need to have the valve seats cleaned up for sure. No salt water damage but some damage from the loose valve. Thank you for the information, it helped me out a lot!
Question for folks with more experience, I’ve only replaced piston rings once on a 2-stroke four wheeler and haven’t de-glazed a cylinder before. Should I give it a go or have a shop do it?
if you have chrome moly rings I would let the shop do the work.
Read the full article, https://www.hastingspistonrings.com/tech-tips-faqs/cylinder-bore-refinishing (https://www.hastingspistonrings.com/tech-tips-faqs/cylinder-bore-refinishing)
Cylinder bore refinishing is extremely important in the engine rebuild process. There are some basic rules and facts that will prevent common problems incurred when deglazing or refinishing cylinders.
Cross Hatch Angles
The correct angle for cross hatch lines to intersect is approximately 45 degrees. Too steep an angle promotes oil migration down the cylinder resulting in a thin oil film, which can cause ring and cylinder scuffling.
Too flat a cross hatch angle can hold excess oil which conversely causes thicker oil films, which the piston rings will ride up on or hydroplane. Excessive oil consumption will result.
The diagrams will illustrate cross hatch angles.
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Very well said snowman18, it would take an engine rebuild shop to do it right.
Henry
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Ended up dropping it off at the shop to have the valve seat repair, new valves and valve guides installed and lapped, cylinder honed and new rings, as well as a new rod bearing. Now while that is getting built, I need to figure out what generator head to slap on the things. I wish I could find an 1800rpm 3kw 1ph 115v brushless head, any thoughts?
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So the engine is back from shop, and I have it all back together. When I try to start it I get some white smoke but no fire. Any thoughts? I'm thinking about warming up the injector with a small propane torch and maybe applying some heat down the intake to see if that will get it to fire.
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Hi tanman
I would suggest prior a wood fire by the intake manifold, or by the fuel fill cap!
Are you insane? the injector is a nanometer clearance piece of fine engineering. DO NOT MESS WITH INJECTOR! IT MUST BE PRISTINE!
ABC of Rudolf Christian Karl Diesel: diesel will ignite with pressurized amount of air, and a spray more pressurized than that air!
hammers, torches, mallets and other stuff will ruin it.
Be patient! look at it as a very fine piece of art, that you can give two turns with a handle and the magic happens.
Stay safe
VP
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Thanks, I ended up shooting a little hot air down the intake and it fired right up, just a little cold blooded.
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Now it's time to acquire a suitable generator head, I'm thinking the northern tool 5kw model https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_9040_9040 but am open to suggestions.
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With as many corners being cut and trimmed in manufacturing nowdays, a slightly oversized generator head is not a bad idea. you get better phase imbalance performance and cooler running of the generator gear.
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I'll probably spring for the slightly bigger one then, sometimes they have a sale on them. I'm also picking up a flux welder this week and plan to put together a frame for the engine and head. I recall seeing a picture on the forum somewhere of some Changfa type generator frames that people had built, one had the alternator either directly above the engine or at a 45 degree angle above. I remember a few different examples, does anyone know where those pics might be hiding?
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Here is one,
http://www.nextgenerationpower.com/Info/Support/3-5Specs.pdf
http://www.nextgenerationpower.com/Info/Support/UCM1-35.pdf
They would be the ones to talk on where to get the parts. Been knowing them for years. Good people to work with.
You might be able to get used parts from a worn out unit. And possibly a matching generator head that fits on the bracket.
http://www.nextgenerationpower.com/
Here is the portable unit that’s sold at Hardy Diesel.
https://www.hardydiesel.com/product/kubota-3-5-kw-micro-diesel-generator/
This info should give you some ideas.
Henry
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With as many corners being cut and trimmed in manufacturing nowdays, a slightly oversized generator head is not a bad idea. you get better phase imbalance performance and cooler running of the generator gear.
Exactly, and you would probably pick up some efficiency going slightly larger.
For example:
The Markon BL105E generator head was rated at 4992 watts. It was used on the Next-Gen generators with the Kubota EA300 engine. This engine was able to run this generator head to put out 3500 watts.
Henry
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A 5000 watt head would be a good fit for the Kubota.
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Thanks Henry, I didn't think anybody still used these but I was wrong. They will have a ton of knowledge on that platform.
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Here is the EA after the shop and painted.
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Now I need to buy a welder, get some steel, design a frame, and get a generator head, make a wiring harness and It’ll be great. Piece of cake, or if your like me Lefse!
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Engine looks great! Is that a Centrifugal Clutch on the output shaft?
If you can, please take a picture of the crank case access cover. Their were a few different ones used and I’m curious which one you have.
Henry
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Ended up dropping it off at the shop to have the valve seat repair, new valves and valve guides installed and lapped, cylinder honed and new rings, as well as a new rod bearing. Now while that is getting built, I need to figure out what generator head to slap on the things. I wish I could find an 1800rpm 3kw 1ph 115v brushless head, any thoughts?
In your situation, I believe your thinking of using 120 volts I would buy a generator head that you can wire the field windings parallel for 120 only. This will allow you to run the generator at full output at 120 volts. And in your case, running the generator to 3500 watt limit should reduce heat and in turn lengthen the life of a generator head. If you can, try to get a head and fuse it to 30 amps at 120 volts. This setup should protect the engine from bogging down and in turn should prevent loss in frequency.
Here is a good option: If your interested, and can’t find one, PM me and I’ll make a call.
Brushless/Capacitor regulated: https://www.meccalte.com/downloads/S16W_HD.pdf
S16W-105 would be a good size. (Slightly oversized)
At a power factor of .8 the head should be capable of putting out 3.92 Kw at 60 hertz.
Henry
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Well I'm a little torn because my transfer switch for my house has a 240v input socket; however, we are thinking about moving soon and I think this generator will be used as part of a backup power system that would include a battery bank and charge controller. So I need to figure out if the AC input for the charge controller (for the battery bank) takes 110v or 220v. I believe its 110, in which case the head you suggested should work well.
And yes it came with a 2 belt centrifugal clutch pulley.
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A Carrier spec’d EA300. First time I’ve seen one. Very interesting. The cover plate has two lines on the bottom. Did the engine have an auxiliary oil tank, oil cooler or oil filter? I like what I see.
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Yes it has an auxiliary oil filter and an oil drain line. I don't have it installed yet but have it. It also had a pretty robust fuel filter setup, but I probably won't be running a fuel pump so will probably just setup a gravity feed and inline filter.
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Yes it has an auxiliary oil filter and an oil drain line. I don't have it installed yet but have it. It also had a pretty robust fuel filter setup, but I probably won't be running a fuel pump so will probably just setup a gravity feed and inline filter.
Do you have any info/ pictures of the auxiliary oil filter set up? Looking into something the same myself.
Thanks,
Dan
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Not sure what a 'flux welder' s but if it is an arc welder always look at the inverter models. Same goes for a MIG.TIG,ARC welder. We live on the mid north coast of NSW and often get black outs for no apparent reason and only in half of our small village. This made me go out and buy a genset off fleabay and is a 5kw model. Big enough to keep our fridge and separate large freezer running in Summer.
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Hello,
Have a Kubota EA 300 from an 18 wheeler APU. It started and ran fine. Changed the fuel filters and fuel pump now have problems getting it to start. Seems as if starving for fuel.
Maybe air in line??? Should I crack the line at the injector and see if any air comes out???
Currently starts and runs a minute before shutting down.
Thoughts. Thanks
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If bleeding the air out start from the tank first and work your way along at each joint. If you have a hand pump use it to bleed the system. Dont skip any part do the filters as well if any finishing at the top of the injectors. Then have another go at it
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About those Kubota EA300s you found for $300-$500, that sounds like an excellent price, especially if they're in good condition. Kubota tractors (https://wickhamtractor.com/kubota/) usually lasts a long time and works well.
I got myself a 2007 KUBOTA L3940HSTC tractor for around $29,500, a good deal. I needed a new engine and found a Kubota V2403 engine on this website. It cost me about $2,500, which was reasonable. This site has lots of different Kubota parts and tractors. You can check it.