L3901 hard to start after PTO safety switch flipped

[SuperiorLakeEffect]

So sometimes when snowblowing, I forget about that switch under the seat, and stand up or shift my weight enough to cause the PTO safety switch under the seat to kill the tractor.

But here's the weird part, after doing so- it can be difficult to get the tractor restarted. I don't think it's the safety switch, as the tractor will crank, but acts like it has a low battery- cranking really slowly and the solenoid clicking if I try to much.

If I go get the truck and jump it, it'll start no problem.

This doesn't happen all the time, and if I let the tractor sit for a bit, sometimes the problem will go away (sometimes I think it isn't actually the jump that fixes it, it's just the time it takes to do so).

I can turn it off immediately after that and it will restart on it's own no problem.

I've made sure the HST is in neutral, clutch in, PTO disengaged, and relieved the pressure in the loader lines to no effect.

Sometimes I think I should just zip tie that switch, but I do this often enough that it's probably a good idea to leave it as is.

Any ideas?

 

[JWR]

Maybe the PTO is still engaged? Even though you think you shut it off, if it is an electric activated solenoid control of the mechanical PTO shifting, it might still be engaged and thus hard to turn for the battery. Waiting some time or hooking up the jumper battery might either overcome the extra load or cause the 'real' disengagement to occur ?

 

[grsthegreat]

Have you load tested battery? My old JD870 had this stupid seat switch. If i sat down fast enough, it would go back to full throttle, but drove me nuts. Luckily my cab tractor doesnt have seat switch.
i dont like bypassing them, as they are a good safety device, just impractical at times.

 

[mike0000]

That is odd, maybe worth testing the battery. I won’t recommend it to anyone but I may have zip tied my seat switch. I use my PTO to drive a pump for my log splitter, after a few times of it shutting down as I get up to start splitting was enough for me.
Mike

 

[SuperiorLakeEffect]

I have not properly load tested the battery, but it seems to have no problem starting the tractor at -5F without any sort of block heater, so it would seem like it's fairly strong.

I think I've verified that the PTO shaft is not trying to turn when this issue is occurring (one of my first thoughts as well), but I can't remember specifically doing so. Will double check that he next time this happens.

 

[old and tired]

Not sure about your model... but previous models of Standard L's have enough wire to hold down said safety switch. Run the wire over the lever instead of under it...

 

[zzvyb6]

Maybe the PTO is still engaged? Even though you think you shut it off, if it is an electric activated solenoid control of the mechanical PTO shifting, it might still be engaged and thus hard to turn for the battery. Waiting some time or hooking up the jumper battery might either overcome the extra load or cause the 'real' disengagement to occur ?

This is a great thought. Sounds like a time-out circuit is counting down. By the time you go get the truck & jumpers, it's already returned to start station.

 

[SuperiorLakeEffect]

Good day for some midwinter tractor maintenance here, so decided to see if I could reproduce this at all.

No luck.

I can kill it by either getting out of the seat while the pto is running or pressing on the HST pedal and after that clutch in, it'll restart happily every time.

I have a theory that this is somehow related to the snowblower specifically. Like when I kill it, maybe there's enough snow in the snowblower to bind something sufficiently such that even depressing the clutch pedal won't alleviate it?

Supposed to get 4-6" of snow in the next 24 hours, will see if I can reproduce it with that.

 

[mdhughes]

Do you have a DT or HST tractor?

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I have a L3301 and the yellow handled pto lever at your right hip has a safety switch that is really fussy. Sometime I have to "jiggle" the yellow lever a little to get the safety switch to be right. I have tried adjusting the safety switch but their is too much "slop" in the lever to get it right in all circumstances.