4300 PTO Light staying on

[lgjhn]

Hi.
I did a search to no avail on this.
I have a JD4300 (1999-2000 vintage) gear shift type. It won't start and the PTO Light on the dash shows that it's engaged when the key is in the "on" position. The PTO lever id pulled all the way back to "disengage position" and the mid-PTO knob is all the way down, but the light stays on showing "engaged".
It was running fine. I stopped to take a break from box blading a road, got off the seat and it immediately died. Turn the key and nothing....not even a click. Fully charged battery, terminals are tight, lights work, dash works, etc. have voltage at the main connection on the starter.
I don't have a tech manual, but I'm thinking with that PTO dash light showing "engaged", that I have a bad PTO switch somewhere but I can't find it on this machine. I looked but I could only find the switch on the mid-PTO.
I also know one of the relays in the fuse box is the interlock relay but which one is it? IF I got it neutral, I'm thinking I could pull that relay out and maybe jumper it to get it to start/run to get it back up to the shop where I could work on it. Right now, it's out in a field and tough to work on.
Any assistance and/or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[jthibodeau89]

I have a 4300 HST, and you are correct that the interlock is preventing the tractor from starting. There is a switch or wire that has gone bad. I'll check my manual for the switch location when i get back to the house. You should be able to disable it once the location and condition (NO/NC) are known.

 

[sixdogs]

You can search for an exploded parts schematic for the 4300 at Deere and locate and price parts.

 

[Zebrafive]

I would unplug the PTO switch and see if that will let you start it and get it to your shop.

 

[gimmodog]

cannot guarantee it but I would assume that the switch on the mid PTO is the only switch. I say this because I have the seat off mine I went out to look and I do not see a switch anywhere around the lever movement area. Is the PTO still running?

to get it back to the shop you can jump the starter solenoid, just pull the female spade terminal off the starter then with the key on momentarily connect the male terminal of the starter to the pos of the batt

 

[jthibodeau89]

There is definitely mid and rear PTO switches. S5 is the rear PTO switch. If the harness had become dislodged from the switch, the tractor will not crank. If it is plugged in, pull the plug and jumper it and see if the light goes out.

 

[lgjhn]

Thanks guys.
I've been perusing thru the parts fiche on Deere. I did discover that it is actually a 2001 sync shift.
Looks like there is a switch on the other end of the PTO lever shaft....on the left side.
I'll get out there tomorrow and see if I can find it and maybe rig a jumper up so I can get it back to the shop.

 

[jthibodeau89]

Switch is on the left side, below the rockshaft control valve. See photos below. Not that the left side plastic cover is removed in these photos.

Close up with wire bundles lifted out out of the way.
You can barely see the switch under and right of the loose wires that are exiting the loom jacket.

 

[lgjhn]

Switch is on the left side, below the rockshaft control valve. See photos below. Not that the left side plastic cover is removed in these photos.

There's an old saying that "a picture is worth a 1000 words".....I certainly believe it in this situation. I'd probably never have found it without these!
I really appreciate those pics!!! From the Deere site, it stated that this switch is NC...we shall see. I need to find a way to rig up a jumper for this thing....I'll figure something out.
It will be Monday before I can get back down there to where it's sitting, but I'll let the thread know what I find.
Again, thanks!!!!

 

[gimmodog]

it was hid well enough that I didn't see it even with the seat off and clean tractor maybe I should have worn my glasses

 

[lgjhn]

It's been raining here the last couple of days so I didn't go back down there until today to try to work on it.
Today, it had stopped raining and so off I go.
Pulled the plastic cover off and STILL couldn't see it. Came back up here to the shop and looked at the pics again.
Drove back down there and, sure enough, there it was: live and in person, buried in dead grass and debris. I felt like an idiot.
I pulled the cable connector off and made a wire jumper to stick in it, PTO light went out and she cranked right up like she always does!!!!
The PTO seems to be working fine so I guess it's just a bad switch. Looks like it's gonna take about 7/8" wrench, but man, getting a wrench/socket in there is gonna be tough.
Looking at the parts catalog...almost $40 for that switch and o-ring.....geez. Part# M132725 on the switch and R26448 on the o-ring. I may just leave it permanently jumpered out.
Anyway, a BIG thank you to every one of ya'll for the help, especially to jthibodeau89 for the pics.

 

[sixdogs]

Good to hear.
Small point but when I have to work on something covered in dirt, grass or whatever, I hit it with my leafblower. It's enough air to clean things out but not so much like a compressor to damage anything.

 

[beenthere]

Good to hear, but it likely takes a metric wrench/socket.. not SAE.

I use compressor air with a 2' blow gun to blow off debris. Blows dust off the electronics boards very well, and the radiator fins.
Never experienced any damage. Just sayin...

 

[lgjhn]

Good to hear.
Small point but when I have to work on something covered in dirt, grass or whatever, I hit it with my leafblower. It's enough air to clean things out but not so much like a compressor to damage anything.

Yes...very true.
I got it up out of the field, got the box blade off and headed to the shop where I have access to tools, electricity, compressed air, etc. I "gently" blew out all the debris from all over the tractor and barely got it inside the shop before the bottom of the sky fell out....a heavy downpour.
I removed the left side rock shaft lift bar to gain access, then took some brake cleaner and cleaned around the switch to get all the grime off the case and the switch as best I could before attempting removal. Getting a long 6-point socket on it is a challenge. There's lots of stuff in the way, primarily the wiring harness. I went ahead and unhooked the harness ends (seat switch, mid-PTO switch, ROP lights) and gently pulled it back far enough to get some clearance for a thin ratchet wrench head to fit over that long socket. Once I broke it loose with the long 6-point socket, I used a stubby 12-point box hand wrench to easily get it out out the rest of the way. Checked it with my ohmmeter and sure enough; it's stone cold Louisiana dead. New one should be here in a couple of days. In the meantime, I stuck a clean rag in the hole till it gets here. Thank the Lord the PTO is ok. I had visions of having to pull that case down and replacing the clutch. Fortunately, it's just this switch.

 

[lgjhn]

Good to hear, but it likely takes a metric wrench/socket.. not SAE.

I use compressor air with a 2' blow gun to blow off debris. Blows dust off the electronics boards very well, and the radiator fins.
Never experienced any damage. Just sayin...

I basically do the same, but I try to be careful around the the dash. FWIW, I used a 6-point 7/8" wrench to get it out. I tried several metrics, including an M22, but the 7/8" seem to give me the best fit.

 

[larboc]

I gave up on all the starter interlocks on my 4300 and just pulled the interlock relay and jumpered the contacts with a piece of 2" piece of wire with two 1/4" male spade terminals crimped on the end.