Time required to achieve high idle on a diesel

[NMWelding]

I have a Lincoln Vantage 300 with the Kubota engine. I really like the welder,but I wish it would rev up like the old SA-200's I used to run. They would almost instantly be at high idle when striking an arc,thus having the necessary heat/amperage right now. My diesel engine driven welder is not like that,it takes maybe about a second to be at high idle,thus a cold arc for that short time,sometimes resulting in porosity. Are all diesel engine driven welders like this? Thanks for any input.

[sturugged]

Something sounds wonky...

The vantage 400 perkins i had experience with didn't have any control of idle speeds that could be set by the welder. I think most of them run at 1800 rpm , then will grunt and snort and increase if necessary to maintain the set amperage. This was all done automatically by the machine itself. I have run lots of rental machine and company ones with the perkins engines , and they are as bulletproof as you can get. This is not to say the kubotas are not just as good, i ran a red-d-arc (lincoln classic 300 with the kubota and i couldnt tell any real difference. the pipeliner 200s with the kubota had some idle adjustment deal on them , but i never seen one, most were the perkins.

[J hall]

I haven't noticed any lag in mine. Has yours always done this?

[dan-gerous]

I'm not familiar with your exact machine. But isnt there a switch to keep it on high?! Run - idle/run off!! Sometimes what I do when I'm welding pipe is... tap the electrode on the pipe next to the joint just enough to get my machine To rev. Then strike an arc and weld the joint. Or the grinder is usually right there I'll just flick it on n off too.

[oldtimer]

my classic 3d with the continental has no lag it goes to high idle immediately. I would think if your machine is slow to rev to high idle that you have a fuel problem. I would start by replacing the fuel filters. You may also have a problem with a lack of fuel delivery. This could be a plugged screen in the sediment bowl { if it has one** plugged lines or a weak transfer pump. It is also possible that you have an injection pump problem. Water is the worst enemy of injection pumps.

[NMWelding]

I haven't noticed any lag in mine. Has yours always done this?

I always noticed since I bought it new. Thought maybe after it broke in it would change. I have gasoline engine welders and they all idle up quick. I really like the Vantage,just wish it would idle up quicker. I changed fuel filters when recommended and always am particular about clean fuel for a diesel. I grew up around diesel engines and realize this extreme importance. In all my diesels I also use Stanadyne fuel conditioner.

[NMWelding]

Talked to a Kubota rep today about this and he mentioned that the Kubota was only a 22 horse engine powering the welder,and this could be the reason. I didn't think of it at the time but one of the engines available in Miller's Big Blue 300 Pro is only a 20.2 horse Kubota. It is also available with a 21.7 Cat or the 24.4 horse Mitsubishi.

[crabber]

Any difference with the air filter removed? Were the rings seated under load (like a load bank)? Have you pulled the injectors?

I don't have any solid knowledge of the electric side of that welder (where the potential problem could be), but way too much with the diesel itself.

-Ian

[J hall]

What size of electrode/ wire are you lighting up when this happens?

[Kpack]

Can you get someone to video it and put it on YouTube and post the URL here.

[walker]

Ditto the video. Also, I had an issue with my TB a while back, that the idle up/idle down was erratic. Turns out that the bushing that the linkage turned on (whick is hidden from view) was sticking. Disassembled and cleaned/lubed it and it works fine. You might try operating whatever makes it change by hand and see how easily it moves.

[NMWelding]

What size of electrode/ wire are you lighting up when this happens?

Maybe I found the cause. Not sure of the correct terminology,but here goes. The arm that comes out from the solenoid and connects to the arm on the injector pump,had a loose nut on the bolt that connects them together. I did not run the welder yet to see what change it might make,cause I tightened this at 11:00 pm. But I did work the solenoid arm back and forth with the engine off,and there was a fair amount of slop in the solenoid arm before it moved the arm on the injector pump. Seems this would be like loosing some of my adjustment. Now when moving the solenoid arm manually with the engine off,the arm on the pump moves immediately. The nut was almost off the bolt that holds this together. It is one of these special bolts/connectors that when tight allow free movement of the solenoid arm. Thanks for any and all input guys.

[walker]

Be sure to post back after you run it.

[NMWelding]

Made a huge difference when I tightened the nut on the linkage where the solenoid arm connects to the arm on my injector pump. I think it must have been missed being tightened right from the factory. It always seemed to idle up slow,not now though. The way it was it also never achieved its top rated speed also. I can tell now it runs faster. Before with the solenoid fully extended,and with the loose nut,it allowed a lot of slop in the linkeage. I used to run 3/16 low hydrogen and it made the welder snort. I need to run some more of this to see the difference. But now its like a whole different machine. Thanks for all the input though guys.

[Kpack]

Man that's great news