L4400 no Start

[krackerjack9]

ok l4400 ever sense i had it new sense 08 it has this random no start it wont turn over and generally i reach down by the starter and pull on the harness or wiggle it and it turns over and fires up. well today nothing, i have checked pto switch, seat switch, nuteral switch, even changed the plug on the wire that plugs in on the bottom of starter, I really dont think its the key switch i dont know what else to check, im in a bad spot and only way it looks like is either have a backhole come in and pick it up , loader is down and mower deck is down, battery is fine turn key and you hear something but its no the starter click something in the dash i think not sure lost most of my hearing in Iraq so not sure where to look or just have the dealer come out and pick it up that alone is around $1100 any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Tomtint]

My L3700 SU is basically the same tractor as yours and has done the same thing from time to time. I would get a click but no start. ..I have changed the little plunger on the hydrostatic pedal several times and that was not the problem. One time i rocked the pedal and it fired up so that may have been an issue then. But far and away the most common no start was a click..no start and I now tap the back of the starter with a hammer and it fires up every time... I have a new starter but just haven't installed it yet

 

[sea2summit]

Is the ground off the battery secured securely and clean?

Next I'd get out a meter and start checking what is getting/not getting power. Probably start at the starter's wires and work back from there.

 

[tallyho8]

First thing I would do is jump the starter solenoid and see if the starter turns. If so, the starter and solenoid, battery and cables are good so you can backtrack to see where the juice is not coming from. Be sure to have the tractor in neutral when you do this so you don't get run over.

 

[jaxs]

First thing I would do is jump the starter solenoid and see if the starter turns. If so, the starter and solenoid, battery and cables are good so you can backtrack to see where the juice is not coming from. Be sure to have the tractor in neutral when you do this so you don't get run over.

 

[JWR]

ok l4400 ever sense i had it new sense 08 it has this random no start it wont turn over and generally i reach down by the starter and pull on the harness or wiggle it and it turns over and fires up. well today nothing, i have checked pto switch, seat switch, nuteral switch, even changed the plug on the wire that plugs in on the bottom of starter, I really dont think its the key switch i dont know what else to check, im in a bad spot and only way it looks like is either have a backhole come in and pick it up , loader is down and mower deck is down, battery is fine turn key and you hear something but its no the starter click something in the dash i think not sure lost most of my hearing in Iraq so not sure where to look or just have the dealer come out and pick it up that alone is around $1100 any help would be greatly appreciated

Well gawd sake do not pay $1100 for anything at this point! That is absurd. You can probably get someone from the East Coast to pick it up for $1100. So I assume you are exaggerating. Or maybe meant $110? No offense ! I am plain-spoken. I have zero doubt there is a way to get the thing started and NOT be lifting it around with a back hoe.

Now about your tractor: 1) The other guys are right about some things to do yourself. Try those of course. 2) I have 3 B2150's and one of them has a no-start issue exactly as Tomtint described it -- tap the starter with a hammer (or I reach in with a socket extension rod and tap the end of it while it is touching the starter so I do not have to take off the side cover.) HOWEVER, unlike Tomtint my B2150 makes no noise of any kind and does NOT click. It is dead quiet until I tap the starter. 3) I too, like you, have had the "reach in and wiggle the starter harness" disease on the B2150 which sometimes works. If not, then I use the rod or hammer & so far it has always started. [Mine is used, not new.] 4) Smaller Kubotas (BX2200 and similar as well as Deere and other brands) have a "no start issue" where the voltage drop from the battery all the way through several safety interlocks is enough to cause the solenoid to balk and the starter will not crank. I won't go into the LONG story about that and it MAY not apply to your L4400 at all anyway. In case it is related, I suggest you try 2 things: even though the battery is well charged, hook a battery charger to it anyway and try starting with the charger connected. What this does is makes the voltage at the batt terminals 13.8v rather than 12v and many times that will overcome the various serial voltage drops so that the solenoid will kick in. If that doesn't work, then do what Tallyho8 said above and jumper direct to the solenoid trigger wire from the battery while holding the key over into the start position.

Of course good ground connections, battery connections, etc. cleaned & retightened all help. Having a clicking at your dash but not at the starter makes me think you are not getting full voltage to the solenoid (rather than the tap the starter kind of issue.) I know you have tried to check all your safety interlocks but I would try this: Put a voltmeter clip lead on the trigger wire to the solenoid and the other lead to ground. See if you get SOME voltage at the solenoid when you turn the starting key. If NO then you know that you still have an unsatisfied safety interlock somewhere. If YES (some voltage at the solenoid) it is probably just low and not enough to kick it in.

Of course there is always a chance the solenoid itself has crapped out but I doubt it.

I think some of these things mentioned will get it started for you. Speak up again if not ! Good luck.

 

[krackerjack9]

ended up having a flatbed wrecker come out drag it up and take it in bet final bill going to well over $3000 forsure, it was about 110 miles for a flatbed wrecker to come out and get it no body else would come out. Its so remote out here there is a sign that says no services for the next 87 miles, no stores, no fuel, no food, ect just to get a deleievery out here on the ranch its $900 from the gate to the main house is 14 miles.

 

[krackerjack9]

Well gawd sake do not pay $1100 for anything at this point! That is absurd. You can probably get someone from the East Coast to pick it up for $1100. So I assume you are exaggerating. Or maybe meant $110? No offense ! I am plain-spoken. I have zero doubt there is a way to get the thing started and NOT be lifting it around with a back hoe.

Now about your tractor: 1) The other guys are right about some things to do yourself. Try those of course. 2) I have 3 B2150's and one of them has a no-start issue exactly as Tomtint described it -- tap the starter with a hammer (or I reach in with a socket extension rod and tap the end of it while it is touching the starter so I do not have to take off the side cover.) HOWEVER, unlike Tomtint my B2150 makes no noise of any kind and does NOT click. It is dead quiet until I tap the starter. 3) I too, like you, have had the "reach in and wiggle the starter harness" disease on the B2150 which sometimes works. If not, then I use the rod or hammer & so far it has always started. [Mine is used, not new.] 4) Smaller Kubotas (BX2200 and similar as well as Deere and other brands) have a "no start issue" where the voltage drop from the battery all the way through several safety interlocks is enough to cause the solenoid to balk and the starter will not crank. I won't go into the LONG story about that and it MAY not apply to your L4400 at all anyway. In case it is related, I suggest you try 2 things: even though the battery is well charged, hook a battery charger to it anyway and try starting with the charger connected. What this does is makes the voltage at the batt terminals 13.8v rather than 12v and many times that will overcome the various serial voltage drops so that the solenoid will kick in. If that doesn't work, then do what Tallyho8 said above and jumper direct to the solenoid trigger wire from the battery while holding the key over into the start position.

Of course good ground connections, battery connections, etc. cleaned & retightened all help. Having a clicking at your dash but not at the starter makes me think you are not getting full voltage to the solenoid (rather than the tap the starter kind of issue.) I know you have tried to check all your safety interlocks but I would try this: Put a voltmeter clip lead on the trigger wire to the solenoid and the other lead to ground. See if you get SOME voltage at the solenoid when you turn the starting key. If NO then you know that you still have an unsatisfied safety interlock somewhere. If YES (some voltage at the solenoid) it is probably just low and not enough to kick it in.

Of course there is always a chance the solenoid itself has crapped out but I doubt it.

I think some of these things mentioned will get it started for you. Speak up again if not ! Good luck.

with a frontend loader on the L4400 the subframe pretty much blocks your acces to those starter terminals, and im pretty sure to get the starter off i would have had to take the subframe off the tractor to due so ,,, and the way the tractor was positioned i dont think i could have ever done it, did have a backhoe come in and pick up tractor and move it so wrecker could drag it on the flatbed

 

[JWR]

with a frontend loader on the L4400 the subframe pretty much blocks your acces to those starter terminals, and im pretty sure to get the starter off i would have had to take the subframe off the tractor to due so ,,, and the way the tractor was positioned i dont think i could have ever done it, did have a backhoe come in and pick up tractor and move it so wrecker could drag it on the flatbed

OMG ! I realize each of us has a "different row to hoe" and you have tough challenges most of us do not. Please let us know what the problem turned out to be.

 

[krackerjack9]

ok got to kubota a few days latter they ran down a list of parts i needed wiring harness, starter, relays, blah blah blah going to cost a small fortune so told them forget it i just come back and pick it up if they get it on my trailer. so get it home, didnt mess with it for a few days finally went and got the starter off and took it in guy said it was fine nothing wrong with it ok hooked it back up no small feat, crank still nothing, so called starter guy back told me to just jump it the small plug hook line there and turn on key and other end of jumper hit it on batter bam fires right up ok great. So been doing this for a week or so go out to day to start tractor this time nothing, i hear this buzzing in the dash, if i put the end on fuse panel easier there then going to battery as soon as i get power on the jumper the buzzing stops but still no start, checked all fuses all are good, not sure what to due now guess take off dash cover and see what is buzzing,

 

[alexpops]

Do you get power to the solenoid when you turn the key to start? Check the wire from key switch to solenoid for abraded insulation/short. I had a similar intermittent no start on a perkins 4-108 that was a shorted wire to exhaust manifold. If you get no shorts/no power to solenoid, are you getting power out of the key switch? you said it used to start after jiggling wires near starter. I'd start there & trace back for breaks/shorts/mouse sign.

 

[krackerjack9]

nothing can be easy, dang remote for front end loader in the way of that bottom philips on the dash cowl, see if i got a stubby philips and work it in there

 

[krackerjack9]

So was going to go back out and start tinkering around trying to get into the dash and what happens lighting and pouring pouring rain now for the last 45 minutes,, check the radar and yep big ole thunderstorm sitting right on top of my area, well all that means is its nap time

 

[JWR]

I do not think digging in to your dash to find where the buzz comes from accomplishes anything. Have you tried all the things I suggested in post #8? Your sentences run together in post #10 enough that I honestly cannot tell what you did.

 

[big bubba]

all the best on this difficulty. btw on this day, thank you for your service overseas. regards,

 

[krackerjack9]

I do not think digging in to your dash to find where the buzz comes from accomplishes anything. Have you tried all the things I suggested in post #8? Your sentences run together in post #10 enough that I honestly cannot tell what you did.

not getting any power to the solinoid and not getting any power to the fuse box only light that is coming on the dash is one on the top left the one of the right is no working and below to the left nothing coming on at all
so thinking it might be the switch

 

[JWR]

not getting any power to the solinoid and not getting any power to the fuse box only light that is coming on the dash is one on the top left the one of the right is no working and below to the left nothing coming on at all
so thinking it might be the switch

Well it could be, but I thought you hear a buzz or clicking when you turn the switch(?) If so it is not the switch. I'd still guess one of the safety interlocks is preventing the 12v getting to the solenoid. I know you said it was difficult to reach the starter but there must be some way to reach that solenoid trigger wire (which is the thin one , I think brown vinyl insulation on it.) If you can clean the insulation off for just a short bare spot and clip a wire lead to it. Then while holding the switch to the start position touch that temporary wire to the positive term of the battery thus guaranteeing 12v gets there. If that cranks the engine then you know some of the safety interlocks are not satisfied.

 

[krackerjack9]

Well it could be, but I thought you hear a buzz or clicking when you turn the switch(?) If so it is not the switch. I'd still guess one of the safety interlocks is preventing the 12v getting to the solenoid. I know you said it was difficult to reach the starter but there must be some way to reach that solenoid trigger wire (which is the thin one , I think brown vinyl insulation on it.) If you can clean the insulation off for just a short bare spot and clip a wire lead to it. Then while holding the switch to the start position touch that temporary wire to the positive term of the battery thus guaranteeing 12v gets there. If that cranks the engine then you know some of the safety interlocks are not satisfied.

Tried jumping starter nothing at all, so I guess guy who said it was ok was wrong, finally got switch out that was a 2hr ordeal, that one center bolt that holds the cowl on top there is just no way of getting to it with taking a die grinder and cutting away the metal on the hood, have checked all fuses still getting no power to dash so thats why i figure it has to be the switch so got one ordered hopefully that will be in tomarrow ,,, but pulling that starter off i just dredge doing that if that loader wasnt on then i bet it take 3 minutes to pull off.

 

[krackerjack9]

is there any other fuses on the machine other at the battery there are 3 there a 40 and and 2 30 amp fuses then the fuse box above the cluth pedal, all those fuses are good as well.

 

[krackerjack9]

is there any other fuses on the machine other at the battery there are 3 there a 40 and and 2 30 amp fuses then the fuse box above the cluth pedal, all those fuses are good as well.

if the switch is bad would this cause now power to get to fuse panel?? Getting the starter you can only turn bolt about 1/16th of turn then you have repostion rachet so it will catch and turn but not enough room to keep turning its huge PAIN