Rain, Freeze, E-Brake switch kills circuit.

[Tractorganic]

Big rain on TC40D outside last weekend followed by fast freeze. Tractor on engine heater, starts right up, but releasing E-Brake handle kills/stalls it. Tried holding E-brake handle up while easing pedals out, OK, but releasing that handle kills it. Also tried holding up E-brake, releasing pedals and moving gear lever (with other hand) that kills it too. Sent assistant home for the day.
Went back out after temp hit 35: no problems. Next morning, 20 degrees, assistant came back in SAME PROBLEM. Guess it re-froze.
Manual says there's a piston switch for the E-Brake but what would that have to do with gear lever?
Hair dryer or heat gun or nice wood fire underneath, what u think?
Man, I gotta move some wood to the house this week!
Holiday greetings;
Chris

 

[RickB]

Your E-brake switch is working; it is changing state and killing the engine.
You have a frozen seat switch, most likely.

 

[jinman]

+1 on seat switch. I'd direct that hair dryer on the seat switch for a few minutes and try again. The switch plunger must be freezing in the open position or there is actually water inside the switch. As RickB pointed out, your symptoms are that everything is working perfectly except the seat switch. E-brake works, neutral sensing works, above 35 all works - gotta be the seat switch.

 

[Tractorganic]

And the answer is.........SEAT SWITCH!! 2 w/ right answer=200%.
I went down w/ a hair dryer and came back w/ a TC40D already with a load of firewood! Now if I knew how to use these Smilies you'd really see some gratitude. By the way; you'd think my big but would have thawed that switch. Seriously; having taken a good look at the switch, why wouldn't they have drilled drainage holes in a thing so vulnerable and that is facing the sky. Water must have rolled down the seat back flooded the switch and frozen.
Option #2 would be to unplug the little critter, bring 'er in, and hang it over the wood stove. They have woodstoves in Texas Jim? Heh Heh.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[RickB]

And the answer is.........SEAT SWITCH!! 2 w/ right answer=200%.
I went down w/ a hair dryer and came back w/ a TC40D already with a load of firewood! Now if I knew how to use these Smilies you'd really see some gratitude. By the way; you'd think my big but would have thawed that switch. Seriously; having taken a good look at the switch, why wouldn't they have drilled drainage holes in a thing so vulnerable and that is facing the sky. Water must have rolled down the seat back flooded the switch and frozen.
Option #2 would be to unplug the little critter, bring 'er in, and hang it over the wood stove. They have woodstoves in Texas Jim? Heh Heh.
Thanks,
Chris

The switch is supposed to have a full rubber boot covering the button and entire top of the switch.

 

[Tractorganic]

Thanks; but, no full rubber boot, just the plastic switch. Maybe I can order the part thats missing or maybe a condom would suffice. I bought this tractor new and never noticed a part fall off.
Chris

 

[jinman]

If your frustration level builds high enough Chris, this solution will work. I've had mine bypassed since the first week I owned it.:thumbsup:

 

[BeeferMan]

If your frustration level builds high enough Chris, this solution will work. I've had mine bypassed since the first week I owned it.:thumbsup:

Yeah, 10-4 to that... not to piss off the safety gods, but I got so sick of my TT75A not starting, cutting off, not to mention getting after dark calls from the neighbors telling me "my barn was beeping" that I bypassed the seat switch for good...