I am looking at a 2012 Kubota SVL 90-2 that had a pretty severe fire. Everything in the engine compartment as well as cab area was burned including motor, pump, electronics wiring. So the question becomes do I part this thing out or try to rebuild it. I would love to have a track machine but I am a little nervous about the cost. I do not use my equipment for hire out so I cannot justify spending 20,000 to 30,000 for my needs. The under carriage and drive motors were not involved. The pump and most likely the motor can be rebuilt. A little it of blast work, prime and paint and the chassis, boom and cab are good as new. The cylinders will need a rebuild and paint as well. I talked to the Kubota dealer briefly and they said the motor's injectors and ECU are matched so it does me no good to rebuild the motor. I am not so sure that I couldn't just change the injectors with the new ECU but I'm unsure. This is a whole new world to me. I am hoping someone who knows about the newer machines can maybe tell me what I would need as far as electronics go that would have to match other parts of the machine. I mean i can search for parts all day long but if the ECU, injectors and other parts have to match then I need to find a line on some used items and buy as a package and have no idea what I need to look for. Any thoughts and advice is appreciated.
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I have an additional question for those who might know. I am kicking around putting a Cummins 4bt older motor in the machine to avoid the heavy cost and problems that seem to come with the V3800-cr-te4 kubota that is in it. While I am in the beginning stages to even know if this is an option my first question would be are the computer/electronic functions that operate the motor separate from the ones that operate the hydraulics on this machine? Ideally if they are that means if I can figure a way to mount the 4bt motor in the engine compartment and power the original pump then I should be able to supply diesel from the tank and power from the battery and even if I have to bypass the start features that are original to the machine with an older style switch to make the motor run after that it should power up the pump and all should operate as original once the pump is running. While it may be wishful thinking I also know that hydraulic system may be dependent on electronics as well as those may be dependent on input from the motor side electronics and if I bypass the original set up of the motor then I may be interfering with information that is supposed to be supplied to the hydraulic side electronics. If anyone knows how those systems work hydraulic electronics vs motor electronics and if they are separate or work together and any means of bypass let me know.
Things can get expensive and fast, the wiring and ECU are te main parts id be worried about. You will need to get a parts diagram and talk to the dealer to see if these parts are available. Any plastic parts that were melted will need replacing too.
I'm working on a 763 that had a small engine bay fire, it wasn't really bad, but it took out all the wiring, fuel and oil tanks, blower and blower housing, radiator plus various hydraulic lines. To buy locally, these parts would have been around 10k
You really need to do your homework first, see if the cost is worth it or not. You may end up spending more than you could have gotten a good used machine.
Almost everyone I know that has repaired a burnt machine wishes the hadn't. With the number or electronics on that machine I think it could be a real pain. Gonna need a good service manual and a patient parts guy. I would imagine the engine could be rebuilt and the ECM reflashed or replaced to match the injectors. That excuse sounds like a guy who either didn't know or care to help which makes repair that much harder
I recognize the risk of getting in too deep. It is why I am trying to do as much homework as I can ahead of time. With that said I have abandoned the idea of rebuilding it as it originally was unless a really good deal on a parts machine happens to come my way. The money I will have out is not something I am afraid to lose and to be honest I believe the undercarriage alone could get my money back plus some. I live in a state where emission laws almost don't exist so therefore I do not have to build a machine that meets Cali standards. What I am considering is using an older motor to repower even if I have to install analog gauges to monitor engine performance. I think I have a motor in mind that will work but will have to check into the hydraulic side of the machine to see if it is a matter or repowering the pump and what is there or making modifications to the hydraulic system as well. Ideally what I would like to have is a track skid steer with decent power and if it happens to be missing all the new fancy electronics I'm good with that. I guess what I am saying is if they can do this with the electronics in these machines then there has to be a way to rebuild it using another system then stock: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsTFRkfB0gI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuSTiUenRRo
My dad and I looked at a 863 i think it was, a deutz machine that had been cooked pretty badly. I was only willing to spend 5k on it, but they didn't want to let it go, oh well.
The amount of stuff that was gone was quite high, for me to get it back to stock would have made it too expensive my a long shot. My plan was to do as you are thinking, do away with all the fancy stuff and just make it basic, a few gauges and an ignition key. As long as it worked, it may be suitable for farm use by someone that didn't care as long as it worked.
Are the controls manual or are they electronic . I agree a older mechanical engine would make things simpler
The price is right on the machine. It has joy sticks. I could kick myself for not learning hydraulics better. It seems someone has to make a universal kit that allows you to replace the control valve and joysticks. It may be jut as easy to power the pump if the hydraulic system is independent.
A few years ago, there was a guy on here that played with converting levers to hand controls, sadly he never did tell us how it ended up. He used servos to push/pull the spools in the control block.
Hydraulics can be learned, i didn't know anything when i started, but the more questions you ask, the more you HOPEFULLY remember
The best thing is, most hydraulic/hydrostatic systems operate the same.When it rains it pours! So A few developments today. I spoke with the dealer service guy and explained what I was trying to do. He said the motor system and hydraulic system are separate for the most part but have some integration that would stop the machine from working correctly. He said if I could get a motor to adapt to the connection to supply the pump with power and hard wire several sensors on the motor system into the hydraulic harness so it reads correct then from what he knows it could work. His concern and warning was it was a lot of cash to put out on parts on a gamble if whether or not it would work. I also had another guy put me in touch with a guy that has the same machine with a motor that ran too hot. Had a hell of a price for a closed cab with A/C. My issue is I would love to keep both but would have to sell the other machine and maybe one of my wheeled loaders to generate the cash for the closed cab and its repairs which I am seriously considering. Anyone have any ideas of what the undercarriage and drive motors should bring?A few years ago, there was a guy on here that played with converting levers to hand controls, sadly he never did tell us how it ended up. He used servos to push/pull the spools in the control block.
Hydraulics can be learned, i didn't know anything when i started, but the more questions you ask, the more you HOPEFULLY remember
The only sensors i can think that would be needed are RPM, temperature and oil pressure. It's stuff the computer likes to have on new machines to try and save the engine if it was to detect it got too hot, low on oil and to know when it's running.
Just how bad is the engine? if it;s not melted, surely you could get it going again?
Adding AC to a machine that didn't come with it can add up quickly i'm afraid. You need to buy all the parts OEM to get them to fit right, unless you know what you are doing and can mix and match parts to work.
I have decided to send the machine to the auction. I will post a link in the for sale section if it is appropriate once I have a link to the sale. They should pick it up later this week.
