Kubota Oil Leak

Welding man · Dec 29, 2017

Friend of mine called last night in a splutter saying his Kubota M 8540 had developed a strange engine oil leak while feeding round bales. It was dark when he called and he couldn't tell much about where it was coming from, but would call back this morning. Well he did. He went out where the tractor is parked in the shed and he found a plastic plug laying on the ground.He started the tractor and sure enough oil was coming out of the hole where the plug came from. No threads, just a straight hole in the block near the oil filter. I said I don't have a clue. So I get on the internet and did a little research and guess what, apparently this happens quiet often in really cold weather. Some called it a pin plug. Would some of the Kubota experts please explain what this hole if for and why a plastic plug with no threads. He called the local dealer and they said , Yes it happens from time to time but,no explanation as to why, or the fix for it, except, put the plug back and don't worry about it. Thanks in advance.

Russ from MN · Dec 29, 2017

It sounds to me like he should either thin the oil or keep the tractor in a warm building! John Deere Skidders used to blow the oil filter right off the winch in real cold weather if the oil wasn't thinned. They were used out in the woods far from any building when it was -30F!

MSM · Dec 29, 2017

Probably cold,thick, dirty oil in the crankcase. If the tractor normally carries say 50# of oil pressure when warmed up and running,starting it cold, and bringing the rpm up results in 90-100# oil pressure,util it warms up and thins out, but the first few minutes running at very high oil pressure is forcing oil past a seal or gasket. Try changing the oil and filter to a thinner grade,or full synthetic for wintertime use and see if this cures the leak

Dean · Dec 29, 2017

Back in my hot rodding days in the late 60s, we went through a spell where oil pressure constituted bragging rights.

We would install HP (high capacity oil pumps with heavy duty and or stretched springs, 40W oil, etc. to have higher oil pressure than the other guys.

Friend of mine did such things to his 409/425 that he had in a 57 Bel Aire but he went too far. He had simply removed the relief spring and replaced it with a nail. I believe he was using straight 30W oil.

One winter morning when the temperature was around 0, hew went out to start the engine before school to let it warm up. The oil pressure gage mounted beneath the dash, as was common at the time, blew out, as did the glass, spraying thick, gooey oil inside the car. Before he could shut it down, the oil filter bolt that he had welded to allow the use of a deeper 409 truck oil filter canister broke and the canister blew down through the snow pack embedding itself a quarter inch or so into the asphalt.

Those were the days.

Dean

jm. · Dec 29, 2017

That engine is used in several applications and that port is used for different things. The plug is just that a plug and on very rare occasions they will blow out. As others have said I can just about bet he has the wrong engine oil in the tractor. If he wants to prevent it 3M cement like you put a windshield or molding in a car will glue it back bout my advice is not to do so. It is really it is better it blows this plug than blow an engine front or rear seal. Top back flat place on the rear transmission cover also has the same kind of blow out plug in case the vent stops up.

Welding man · Dec 29, 2017

Thanks jm.I will call him tomorrow. I really don't know for sure but I would bet it has 15w-40 Rotella in it.He uses it in his other trucks and equipment. He did tell me the oil change had 25 hours on it and was still clean.

David Snipes · Dec 31, 2017

I have a 1977 Kubota L245DT and it has lost three or four plugs that way - each time when the weather was hot. The plugs were metal so I center punched each one enough to give it a tight fit. For the past 20 years I have not lost a plug. One I couldn't reach with the punch, so I covered it with epoxy.

Kubota Oil Leak

Welding man

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Russ from MN

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MSM

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Dean

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jm.

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Welding man

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David Snipes

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