Interminent Starting Issues

[General Lee]

I have a 2010 L4400. I'm experiencing some starting issues where I get nothing but the starter click when turning the key. Battery is good and starter is good, Already tested those. I thought it might be the hydro pedal not settling in neutral but its not that either. Now I'm wondering if its the ignition switch or some wiring. My question is, is there a common starting issue w/ Kubota that I'm not not aware of? Things to check?

 

[Fallon]

Ignition switch clicking or the starter relay? I assume you mean the starter relay. If that is clicking & the starter isnt spinning, you have a bad starter. The starter relay shouldn't get power or click if any of the safety switches are tripped. At least on my L3200, there wouldnt be a click (or start) until you pushed in the clutch. The seat & HST safeties choke the shutoff solenoid for sure, but I think they will prevent the starter solenoid from getting power as well.

You can always use jumper cables to apply voltage to the input of the starter to see if will at least spin. Leave the ignition key off so it wont fire up unexpectedly. That will at least tell you if the starter is good.

 

[Dave M7040]

Another possibility, is that the start relay is bad.

Just because you can hear it clicking does not mean its contacts are sending power to the starter solenoid.

Often on tractors the same relay is present multiple times. By swapping the start relay for another identical one you can rule it in or out as the cause of your problem.

Dave M7040

 

[Billrog]

Clean the battery connections again start simple.

 

[Tx Jim]

Clean the battery connections again start simple.

X2. Clean/tighten all 4 battery cable connections.

 

[07wingnut]

Another cause could be a high resistance path from your battery, thru your key switch, any and all safety switches to your starter relay. Put a meter on the solenoid terminal (small terminal) and see how much voltage is coming thru when the key is in start mode. If its quite a bit under the battery voltage, you probably have a high resistance path. A common solution is to wire in a relay. Do a forum search on this, it is a common problem on older tractors.

 

[General Lee]

All good ideas, I'll dig further into it later this week when I have the time.

Fallon- I did "jump" the starter to rule out the starter.

 

[Peter 315]

Try this I just turned the bracket the switch was good on my l3800 . Kubota Tractor won't start...Try This - YouTube

 

[JasperFrank]

Look at your battery NEG ground to Frame. Its odd how these grounds fail. Sometimes its just the cable, pressed cables are terrible, and sometimes its the ground connection to the frame. I can tell you that coming from a marine engine back ground, intermittent stating is almost always a ground/negative connection fault. Even though its "Only" 12 volts, that 12 can heat up and momentarily re-weld its way to the frame. Then the continuity gets degraded rather quickly and oxidized. Next day it may not start. So maybe the next time it can't find a way to arc and find a good path. This would be my first thing to check. And you can tell just by doing a temperature test after a start by feeling the frame ground point. If its Hot to touch, that is the problem.

 

[PILOON]

Always check and clean grounds as the first step.

Another common area is the starter switch (ignition key) that makes poor contact.
Generally caused by dried lubricant inside the switch itself and more common on open station tractors.
A quirt of WD40 in the key slat cures or eliminates that possibility.

 

[radios1]

if the starter turns the engine when jumped, the negative cable is good!..

 

[CobyRupert]

All good ideas, I'll dig further into it later this week when I have the time.

Fallon- I did "jump" the starter to rule out the starter.

if the starter turns the engine when jumped, the negative cable is good!..

Splitting hairs here...but:
That depends where he connected the negative jumper cable.
If connected on the negative battery post, cable is probably good. If on the frame, neg. battery cable and/or connection to frame is still a possibility.

 

[radios1]

Splitting hairs here...but:
That depends where he connected the negative jumper cable.
If connected on the negative battery post, cable is probably good. If on the frame, neg. battery cable and/or connection to frame is still a possibility.

I would assume he only used the positive cable!. that's the usual way to "jump the starter"..

 

[Tomtint]

I have a L3700 SU, it's the little brother to your tractor. ..if I were a betting man..I would say it's your neutral switch on the HST pedal. They are notorious for failure. Try rocking the HST pedal while turning the key at the same time....

 

[Fallon]

I would assume he only used the positive cable!. that's the usual way to "jump the starter"..

Correct. Generally you only touch the positive cable to the input stud on the starter. There is no negative connection. Starters were designed to use the engine block (then ground strap & frame) as the ground.

 

[Tomtint]

So I was using the tractor yesterday and has the clicking , no start thing going on. Rocked the HST pedal a few times and it fired up. Today I tried to get it off the trailer and the same thing but took about 10 minutes to fire up. A few years ago I condemned the HST safety switch for the same issued and replaced it. Actually bought another switch a few months back but never installed it. So today, I pulled the 1 bolt that holds it in, pushed the plunger that the pedal activates it with my finger and instantly it fires up. So in a nut shell, I just had to drop the threaded lock nut down a bit to push more on the plunger and call it a day. Zero cost. Hopefully this problem is solved for a good long time.

 

[Peter 315]

So I was using the tractor yesterday and has the clicking , no start thing going on. Rocked the HST pedal a few times and it fired up. Today I tried to get it off the trailer and the same thing but took about 10 minutes to fire up. A few years ago I condemned the HST safety switch for the same issued and replaced it. Actually bought another switch a few months back but never installed it. So today, I pulled the 1 bolt that holds it in, pushed the plunger that the pedal activates it with my finger and instantly it fires up. So in a nut shell, I just had to drop the threaded lock nut down a bit to push more on the plunger and call it a day. Zero cost. Hopefully this problem is solved for a good long time.

The one by your right foot I did the same thing a couple of years ago........