SOLVED: Kommander ZT Fuel Problems, sputtering, stalling, etc.

Ragnar4841

Ragnar4841

Member
Everyone,

Sharing this public service announcement for what it's worth as my local dealer says they've seen it on a number of the Kommander ZT's.

I have a 2013 ZG124E with a 48" deck. Last fall for no apparent reason I could think of, it started stalling & running rough. Like it couldn't get enough fuel. It would run okay for 5-10 under PTO load after I started and would stall. After that, I couldn't keep it going for more than several seconds. When I came back to it the next weekend, same thing.

I tried:
  • Cleaning the carb
  • Adding Dry Gas
  • Replacing the fuel filter
  • Replacing the air filter
  • Checking the plugs

All with no luck. After a conversation with the service guy at my Kubota dealer, he said it was likely tube mechanism going into the gas tank. There is a 90 degree bend which apparently allows debris (grass) to get stuck, limiting fuel flow. After it sits for 10 minutes or an hour or a day, gravity pulls the debris back into the tank where the cycle can start all over. How debris is getting in there is a mystery.

The fix is a new tube to insert into the gas tank which has a mesh screen on it. Cost me $18.

Took literally 2 minutes to install and the first time I started it, it ran as strong as ever.

Hope this saves some of you some time, money and headache!
 
Thanks for the heads up.
In order for fuel to get out, air has to get in.
That air is behind the deck so is full of dust and grass clippings.
Other than that it falls in when you add fuel.
Grass clippings do not degrade in petrol, they go translucient and thin but do not break up.
A plugged tank is fairly common on very old tractors and relatively new ZTR's
 
Thanks for making time, to post this info, I'm sure there are thankful folks here, that also are appreciative for your posting. ..:thumbsup:
 
Ragnar4841 said:
Everyone,

Sharing this public service announcement for what it's worth as my local dealer says they've seen it on a number of the Kommander ZT's.

I have a 2013 ZG124E with a 48" deck. Last fall for no apparent reason I could think of, it started stalling & running rough. Like it couldn't get enough fuel. It would run okay for 5-10 under PTO load after I started and would stall. After that, I couldn't keep it going for more than several seconds. When I came back to it the next weekend, same thing.

I tried:
  • Cleaning the carb
  • Adding Dry Gas
  • Replacing the fuel filter
  • Replacing the air filter
  • Checking the plugs

All with no luck. After a conversation with the service guy at my Kubota dealer, he said it was likely tube mechanism going into the gas tank. There is a 90 degree bend which apparently allows debris (grass) to get stuck, limiting fuel flow. After it sits for 10 minutes or an hour or a day, gravity pulls the debris back into the tank where the cycle can start all over. How debris is getting in there is a mystery.

The fix is a new tube to insert into the gas tank which has a mesh screen on it. Cost me $18.

Took literally 2 minutes to install and the first time I started it, it ran as strong as ever.

Hope this saves some of you some time, money and headache!
Click to expand...

Hello I just ran across this and very helpful. Where does the hose run from and to? Can fill to gas tank? Also where did you purchase your hose and screen?
My ZTR is doing this exact same thing and only started this year. Not bad after 5 years of owning but maybe since this goes into the shop yearly for service, this is something that they check for. Not sure.
Thank you for any infomation that you can provide.
All the best!
 
Hose runs from the inside of the gas tank, out the top (via a rubber plug) to the fuel filter and into the carb.

I bought it at my local Kubota dealer.
 
Here is an example of that problem. Customer had it to 2 shops before me. They replaced an expensive Kohler fuel pump and an expensive Kohler carb and both shops didn't realize it had a blown head gasket too. 1588163813516.jpg
 
very common on the early Z100 series and all of the ZG100 series. Kubota issued a "recall" (well kinda) about it and a bunch of other stuff that they deemed "kubota Kommander confidence". In other words there were a few known issues that they've resolved with the their campaign. The campaign is now expired however there is speculation that if your mower is still in warranty, they'll honor the campaign until the end of the warranty. Keep in mind that I don't know this for 100% certainty--but I'm about 75% sure. Sure would be worth a call to dealer and asking them about it.
 
Mine has been acting somewhat like this. Only I can cut the whole front yard and then most of the back yard before it starts acting up. It will sort feel like it is dying for a second, then surge back up in RPMs, then do it again. Happens 4 or 5 times and then usually goes away. I wonder if this is the cause? I might try to pull the tube out and take a look - thanks for the tip.
 
I guess I lucked out, sorta.

I was having the same problem on my recently purchased Z121S. So I called service about it and he said bring it back since it was still under warranty. When I went to pick it up, they said that they had performed that campaign on it and that I shouldn't have that problem again.

Since it affected so many ZTR's Kubota tried to keep the campaign quiet to save money and only did it when forced to like I did.
 
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