B2910 died for 2 hours

[deminin]

Today, I was cutting down some dead trees in the forest, for Winter firewood. I took down a huge Oak tree, and it fell into a heavy growth of underbrush and thorn bushes. I decided to tow it to a more cleared spot to cut it up. I hooked up the tow line, and began moving it....4WD, Low gear, engine at about 1700RPM's. All was going well, as I slowly pulled it to a clearing. Suddenly, the tractor "lurched" and the engine died....and Would Not restart. It acted like the starter motor/solenoid had failed. I tried several times, and finally got the truck, had the wife steer the tractor, and pulled it out of the woods back to the driveway. I had the wife try restarting it a couple of times, enroute back to the house...no luck. We got it back to the workshop, and I put the truck away. I sat for awhile trying to figure out how to get it back in the shop...rather than having to leave it outdoors while trying to fix it. After seeing no way to push or winch it up the slight incline to the shop, without destroying something, I decided to try starting it one more time, And It fired right up! I ran it up and down the driveway, and bravely drove up and down the gravel road, before I parked it in the shop. I then shut if off, and restarted it 3 or 4 more times...and it was as if nothing had happened. About 2 hours had elapsed from when it failed to when it started back up at the shop. IS there some sort of Thermal I could have overheated/overloaded by pulling this huge tree??? I'm at a loss to figure out where to start looking. I bought this jewel new in 2002, have about 800 hours on it, and outside of normal maintenance, and a new set of front tires...sidewalls starting to crack...it has been great. Any and all ideas will be greatly appreciated...we're supposed to have colder rainy weather for the next few days, so I will be either watching TV, or puttering in the shop. Thanks in advance.......

 

[Fallon]

Today, I was cutting down some dead trees in the forest, for Winter firewood. I took down a huge Oak tree, and it fell into a heavy growth of underbrush and thorn bushes. I decided to tow it to a more cleared spot to cut it up. I hooked up the tow line, and began moving it....4WD, Low gear, engine at about 1700RPM's. All was going well, as I slowly pulled it to a clearing. Suddenly, the tractor "lurched" and the engine died....and Would Not restart. It acted like the starter motor/solenoid had failed. I tried several times, and finally got the truck, had the wife steer the tractor, and pulled it out of the woods back to the driveway. I had the wife try restarting it a couple of times, enroute back to the house...no luck. We got it back to the workshop, and I put the truck away. I sat for awhile trying to figure out how to get it back in the shop...rather than having to leave it outdoors while trying to fix it. After seeing no way to push or winch it up the slight incline to the shop, without destroying something, I decided to try starting it one more time, And It fired right up! I ran it up and down the driveway, and bravely drove up and down the gravel road, before I parked it in the shop. I then shut if off, and restarted it 3 or 4 more times...and it was as if nothing had happened. About 2 hours had elapsed from when it failed to when it started back up at the shop. IS there some sort of Thermal I could have overheated/overloaded by pulling this huge tree??? I'm at a loss to figure out where to start looking. I bought this jewel new in 2002, have about 800 hours on it, and outside of normal maintenance, and a new set of front tires...sidewalls starting to crack...it has been great. Any and all ideas will be greatly appreciated...we're supposed to have colder rainy weather for the next few days, so I will be either watching TV, or puttering in the shop. Thanks in advance.......

Was the stall expected (as in to high a gear or not enough throttle)? Or did something break/malfunction causing the stall?

Why do you think it was a bad starter/solenoid failed? No clicking when you turn the key? My guess would be a safety switch of some sort. Usually switches on the seat, clutch & PTO lever, HST pedal as well if that's relevant. All but the seat sensor usually only lock out the starter. Seat sensor will usually kill the machine if the PTO is engaged & you get out of the seat.

It could just be a bad relay or the fuel cutoff solenoid. You'll need a multimeter to diagnose things if it acts up again.

 

[deminin]

Was the stall expected (as in to high a gear or not enough throttle)? Or did something break/malfunction causing the stall?

Why do you think it was a bad starter/solenoid failed? No clicking when you turn the key? My guess would be a safety switch of some sort. Usually switches on the seat, clutch & PTO lever, HST pedal as well if that's relevant. All but the seat sensor usually only lock out the starter. Seat sensor will usually kill the machine if the PTO is engaged & you get out of the seat.

It could just be a bad relay or the fuel cutoff solenoid. You'll need a multimeter to diagnose things if it acts up again.

1.Nothing appears to have broken...I was in low gear, and moving slowly....mild day and no indication of the engine overheating.

2.When it failed, and I tried to restart it, I got NO click or indication of the starter motor engaging.

3.I was firmly planted on the seat...just looking over my shoulder as I was easing this huge tree out of the jungle.

What I probably need is a good wiring diagram of this B2910, then start metering everything...looking for any loose connections, etc. The way it acted, I almost suspect something overheated as I was pulling this very heavy load....after 2 hours of shutdown, it started right up and seems to be normal.

 

[Fallon]

A tractor is designed to run at max HP all day long. Overheating while pulling something, especially if it wasn't for more than 15 minutes or so is unlikely.

My money would be on a flakey safety switch, relay or solenoid.

 

[Gary Fowler]

A tractor is designed to run at max HP all day long. Overheating while pulling something, especially if it wasn't for more than 15 minutes or so is unlikely.

My money would be on a flakey safety switch, relay or solenoid.

I agree. You may have got some debris between one of the safety switches. Really no way to tell what the problem was now that it self corrected. If it happens again, I would start with the seat switch and by-pass it to see if it starts, if not then put it back together and go to the next switch doing the same thing. IF HST, then next would be the HST pedal in neutral safety or clutch safety if it is gear drive which may just be your problem. Those two safety switches are the most troublesome.

 

[deminin]

I agree. You may have got some debris between one of the safety switches. Really no way to tell what the problem was now that it self corrected. If it happens again, I would start with the seat switch and by-pass it to see if it starts, if not then put it back together and go to the next switch doing the same thing. IF HST, then next would be the HST pedal in neutral safety or clutch safety if it is gear drive which may just be your problem. Those two safety switches are the most troublesome.

I may have found the trouble...I crawled around underneath it today, and found a fair amount of brush debris...probably when I was driving through the heavy brush lining up to pull the tree. It was in the area of the HST pedals and may have prevented the HST from being in neutral...enough of this stuff may have fallen off when being towed back to the shop, to allow it to finally restart. I started it a couple of times this morning with no trouble. I think I found a wiring diagram, so I will get under it in the next couple of days and check out the HST safety switch, etc., more closely.

 

[ovrszd]

Glad you figured it out. I was reading to the bottom intending to suggest brush. I operate in the timber a lot. I try real hard to avoid brush under the tractor but it's hard to do. If I had any type of failure while in that condition I would immediately start looking for some external interference.

I had a B2910. Lost it in a shop fire. I loved that tractor. Had a MMM for it. Best mowing little tractor I've ever owned. Exceeds my current JD2210 in that regard dramatically!!!!

I've lost track of how many times I did some "heavy" work with that little tractor and after dismounting would look back at it and be amazed that it did that!!!!! Tremendous production potential in such a small package!!!! I tried hard to find a used one as a replacement but had no luck. I'd trade my JD2210 for a good one without hesitation.

The list of features on that little tractor is extensive!!!!! If buying a new JD you have to move into the 3 series to get tilt steering wheel. The little Kubota not only tilts, it extends.

 

[deminin]

Glad you figured it out. I was reading to the bottom intending to suggest brush. I operate in the timber a lot. I try real hard to avoid brush under the tractor but it's hard to do. If I had any type of failure while in that condition I would immediately start looking for some external interference.

I had a B2910. Lost it in a shop fire. I loved that tractor. Had a MMM for it. Best mowing little tractor I've ever owned. Exceeds my current JD2210 in that regard dramatically!!!!

I've lost track of how many times I did some "heavy" work with that little tractor and after dismounting would look back at it and be amazed that it did that!!!!! Tremendous production potential in such a small package!!!! I tried hard to find a used one as a replacement but had no luck. I'd trade my JD2210 for a good one without hesitation.

The list of features on that little tractor is extensive!!!!! If buying a new JD you have to move into the 3 series to get tilt steering wheel. The little Kubota not only tilts, it extends.

Yup, this B2910 is some of the best money I ever spent. I bought it new in 2002, and got it plus the FEL, a brush hog, landscape rake, and rear blade for about the same money JD wanted just for the basic tractor. I maintain it beyond what the manual calls for...oil and filter every year, New Super UDT and filters every 3 or 4 years....only have about 800 hours on it. About the only trouble I've had was a bad bearing in the front axle...using Super UDT...after I replaced that I switched to 80/90w, and that was 7 or 8 years ago. I did have to replace the front tires a couple of years ago...plenty of tread, but starting to weather check...didn't want to get stuck with a flat tire while I'm out in my forest. This rascal may well outlive me.

 

[ovrszd]

Yup, this B2910 is some of the best money I ever spent. I bought it new in 2002, and got it plus the FEL, a brush hog, landscape rake, and rear blade for about the same money JD wanted just for the basic tractor. I maintain it beyond what the manual calls for...oil and filter every year, New Super UDT and filters every 3 or 4 years....only have about 800 hours on it. About the only trouble I've had was a bad bearing in the front axle...using Super UDT...after I replaced that I switched to 80/90w, and that was 7 or 8 years ago. I did have to replace the front tires a couple of years ago...plenty of tread, but starting to weather check...didn't want to get stuck with a flat tire while I'm out in my forest. This rascal may well outlive me.

Very possibly. With regular maintenance and non-abusive use it's lifespan is unpredictable. Very good machine!!!!