Oil & Fuel J Deere 4300 fuel solenoid, gauges, and tires

[wrede]

Thank you for past responses. J Deere 4300, 2001 model, 1100 hours

1. Starting problem. Had no start problem 9-10 years ago, and it resolved itself. Now, have had the issue again, intermittently. Turn the key, cranks like a bandit, no start. Keep trying and eventually fires up and runs normally. After the repeated attempts, it fires up with little or no smoke, and so I assume the fuel solenoid is acting up, not allowing fuel flow. From what I can see the solenoid is located on the injection pump. I see generic replacements are very cheap. Is it an easy install, or am I missing something? I've seen comments about a thermistor, but not sure is my 2001 4300 has one??
2. Gauges. Temperature gauge is all the way over to hot, can get it back by banging on side of cluster surround, but it goes back as soon as I start. Would it be the gauge or sensor?
3.Tires. The front tires are worn out again. This the second set after 1100 hours total. They are the Carlisle Track Chief, as original. I see there are skid steer tires by Yokohama that may be radials. Any recommendations on better tries for the tractor. No problem getting Carlisle again, and will use tubes, just wondering if there is something better, either life or traction.

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

[workinonit]

Sounds like you may be in the early stages of that thermistor going to ground or going bad. On the 5 series of the same vintage as yours this was an issue. Normally it blows the fuse for the fuel shutoff valve. The best I could tell, at least on my 5310, the thermistor got power from a feed through circuit that was terminated on the positive power terminal on the FSO valve. When mine shorted, I removed the wire going to the thermistor and ran mine for a year or so without it. The 4 series may be different but it sure sounds like what you are dealing with. Has your fuse blown yet?

 

[workinonit]

BTW, any issue as I described COULD cause other electrical anomalies.

 

[beenthere]

Maybe the thermistor.
Does this thread help?
https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/john-deere-owning-operating/277564-4300-no-start-issue.html

I should learn this trick, as so far (knock on wood) I have not had that problem with my 4300..

 

[wrede]

Do not have any blown fuses, and when it starts, which is actually most of the time, it runs normally. I've seen YouTube videos showing the thermistor on the back of the fuse block. Thanks for the thread. I'll have to check the thermistor. Need to figure out where it really is, and how to change it. Haven't found thermistor trouble shooting in manual.

 

[Olsen]

I second the thermistor.
Does your front end have the updated configuration?
My original front diff had a solid mounted hyd cylinder with tie rods on each end.
This configuration was hard on turf, I imagine hard on tires also.
The update included the front axle, pump and steering valve.
Great tractors though.

 

[wrede]

My fuel solenoid has two white wires and one black wire. Which white wire do you short out to ground? Is it really to go to ground or to 12v? Just got a new thermistor, and will try to install that without damaging it. It looks like you have to remove the plastic housing around the fuse panel to gain access. Another project.

 

[LouNY]

I'm not familiar with your JD but with a 3 wire fuel solenoid I wouldn't be surprised if one of your white wires was a start and the other white wire a run wire.
Before shorting a white wire or for that matter the black wire to ground, I would check for voltage to ground on all three with the key on and not started,
also while cranking. If you find voltage on one of the white wires with the key in the run position I would expect that you would find it on the other white while cranking.

 

[wrede]

According to the wiring diagram, there is a white wire and black wire (ground) on one side of the solenoid. This "input" white wire comes from the fuel shutoff relay which is the thermistor side of the relay. There is one white wire going out of the solenoid is connected to the engine start and engine run relays, which I think is the 12v side??

 

[TractorGuy]

Good to know about that thermister thing in case I ever run into that problem.

Gauge problem is probably in the cluster. Don't bother trying to order one of those generic clusters. The face plate and gasket won't seal on them and they don't fit in the housing right. I tried one and had to send it back. I even tried to use the gauge assembly and swap it to my housing but the needles sit higher in the generic unit and it wouldn't fit. It DID work electrically when I plugged it in but the plug connection was wonky also. I ended up installing a generic gauge pod on top of my cowl.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums...29514-installed-generic-gauges-4310-long.html