2013 B2320 - Intermittent Missing, Key (Fuel) Solenoid Stop Relay

[pkloepper]

Anyone ever have an intermittent (every minute or 2) puttering/missing/loss of power for a couple of seconds at a time that turned out to be caused by a faulty key stop solenoid relay in a B2320 (or any similar model)?

This missing has been going on for about 6 months. I bled the fuel lines, but it did not help. Yesterday, the tractor quit suddenly after 2 hours of disking in some heavy weeds and will not restart. I thought the speed control pedal safety switch was jammed, but it appears clear.

Not 100% certain i did all the tests correctly, but the main switch showed resistance on all leads in all key positions (except 'off')...a good switch is supposed to show zero ohms resistance for all leads in all key positions.

The Key Stop Solenoid Relay also showed 1.1 ohms resistance...a good relay is supposed to show zero ohms resistance.

Any thoughts on if this puttering (and stoppage) are probably related to these test results?

Thanks

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Normally when you here of issues like this it's the seat switch that causes the issue, bouncing along and the seat switch will engage and disengage randomly.

My next pick would be a failing solenoid.

Then the next is a failing OPC or yes the stop solenoid.

 

[pkloepper]

The mice took care of my seat switch the first weekend after I bought the tractor...used the wire for their nest I suppose, so it is not an issue.

By solenoid, you mean the starter solenoid? I'm not sure about it...the tractor stopped on a slight incline in moist soil and I don't want to disconnect the disk yet, so I'm not sure if there may be some tension on the 'drivetrain' blocking the solenoid from engaging the flywheel, but when I tested it, it didn't sound as I expected. The starter motor spun fine when tested.

The OPC is a place I'd rather leave for last (since it's snowing out now).

My question is really about the stop solenoid relay. It is supposed to test at zero ohms resistance...do you think the 1.1 ohms that I got is significant or is that too close to zero to even matter?

I have not looked at the stop solenoid yet (I'll blame the weather for that.)

Thanks

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The mice took care of my seat switch the first weekend after I bought the tractor...used the wire for their nest I suppose, so it is not an issue.

Is the jumper you put in making a good solid connection.

By solenoid, you mean the starter solenoid?

No the stop solenoid.

The OPC is a place I'd rather leave for last (since it's snowing out now).

My question is really about the stop solenoid relay. It is supposed to test at zero ohms resistance...do you think the 1.1 ohms that I got is significant or is that too close to zero to even matter?

I have not looked at the stop solenoid yet (I'll blame the weather for that.)

Thanks

1.1 Ohms might mean that it has burnt contacts if that's where you getting your measurement, or it could mean the coil is weak if that where your getting that measurement.

That style of stop solenoid is more what I can a run solenoid, it has to be powered to run and it needs the start signal to pull in.
an easy way to eliminate it is to hot wire it so that the relay and OPC has no effect on it.
You would ONLY hot wire the hold coil not the pull in coil.

 

[pkloepper]

I will recheck the seat switches.

I took the main switch apart, cleaned the contacts and will retry it and the key stop relay when the weather clears.

Perhaps there was not enough current/voltage? getting through the dirty contacts of the main switch to allow the key stop relay and solenoid to do their things properly.

Thanks for the guidance...will let you know what happens.

 

[pkloepper]

The problem was a dirty main switch.

I took the switch apart then cleaned, polished and re-greased (dielectric grease) the contacts.

After re-installing, I had to turn the key 4 or 5 times before it fired up (probably because of the grease).

AND the engine has not puttered once since restarting it. This makes sense if the key stop solenoid needs power to allow the fuel to flow (the lack of current/voltage? through the dirty main switch to the solenoid caused it to barely cut off fuel for months before it finally quit).

I was operating the tractor in thick clouds of dust last summer, which is about when the tractor started to miss, so it may have been the heavy dust load that affected the main switch.

Anyway, thanks for taking your time to give me some help.

Paul

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Good to hear you got to the bottom of it!

 

[Beaudeane]

Is the main switch the key switch u crank it with? Forgive my ignorance on this one but I think that’s what u are talkin about. My favorite uncle used to tell me “there ain’t no dumb questions, just dumb people, when I’d ask a question like this one.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Is the main switch the key switch u crank it with? Forgive my ignorance on this one but I think that’s what u are talkin about. My favorite uncle used to tell me “there ain’t no dumb questions, just dumb people, when I’d ask a question like this one.

Yes the main switch is the key switch.