L3400 HST stops running when releasing the clutch

TobiasMartin83

New member

Equipment
L3400
May 31, 2020
7
0
1
Greenville SC
Hi everyone.
I’ve been using my neighbors l3400 to clear some land and ran into and issue.
I was bush hogging and I hit a stump and the tractor shut off. It had happened to me several times before, but this time I couldn’t get the tractor to move anymore. At first. I usually disengage the PTO turn down the rpm and press the clutch and restart the tractor. I did all of that, but when I released the clutch, very carefully, the tractor would choke and the engine stopped. As if something would be stuck in the bush Hogg, but pto was not engaged. I tried several times and finally by releasing the clutch pedal I could get going without the tractor being shut off. I returned the tractor to him and he had the same thing happen to him several times as well.
Any recommendations on what this might be?
I did change the engine oil, fuel filter, front axle gear oil and hydraulic oil and filters just hours before that. Not sure if it’s relevant.
 

Dave_eng

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
M7040, Nuffield 465
Oct 6, 2012
5,108
926
113
Williamstown Ontario Canada
You are on the reverse side of situations forum members usually have strong opinions on...... lending equipment and the answer is generally a strong NO.

Does the cutter have a slip clutch or shear bolt and if so, why did they not prevent the engine from being stalled when stumps were hit?

Now that you are in this situation, I would suggest the pto be disconnected so you know nothing is going on internally with it. Broken internal parts......

It is possible a safety switch has gotten hit and its adjustment altered. Now, as the clutch is released, the Operator Presence Controller (OPC) is sensing an unsafe condition and is stopping the engine.

Dave
 

old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
...I hit a stump and the tractor shut off...
How did it shut off?? Need more information... Did the tractor hit the stump stopping it quickly and stall out or did mower hit a stump and did it stall very quickly via. PTO or slowly stalling the engine. Quick (sudden) stops is where things get bent.

Or were you thrown out of the seat which would make the tractor shut down...

I'm hoping the safety switch for the seat or PTO got knocked out of place.

When you do get the tractor running, does it run fine (sound-wise)??

Also, I use the FEL to "find" stumps, keep it low and angled so it rides over stumps...
 
Last edited:

SidecarFlip

Banned

Equipment
M9000HDCC3, M9000HD, Kubota GS850 Sidekick
Oct 28, 2018
7,197
546
83
USA
If a neighbor want something done, I do it withe me in the operators seat. My M's are way too big and expensive to let anyone use.

Watched the guy across the road use a JD a couple years ago, a mid sized FWA with a power shift doing some FEL work. He was running it in way too high a gear and really abusing it. Finally I went over and instructed him on the proper technique and gear to be in...

If I owned that tractor, I sure as hell would be very unhappy.

I would NEVER load any piece of my equipment to ANYONE. period. Things happen and they usually happen from ill instructed operators.
 

TobiasMartin83

New member

Equipment
L3400
May 31, 2020
7
0
1
Greenville SC
How did it shut off?? Need more information... Did the tractor hit the stump stopping it quickly and stall out or did mower hit a stump and did it stall very quickly via. PTO or slowly stalling the engine. Quick (sudden) stops is where things get bent.

Or were you thrown out of the seat which would make the tractor shut down...

I'm hoping the safety switch for the seat or PTO got knocked out of place.

When you do get the tractor running, does it run fine (sound-wise)??

Also, I use the FEL to "find" stumps, keep it low and angled so it rides over stumps...
It hit the stump and stopped quickly. Basically to much to handle and it stalled the engine. I disconnected the PTO, press the clutch and restart the engine. Lift up the implement and start over.
Only this time when I let off the clutch it would choke the engine as if something would be stuck somewhere.
After trying it several time it worked fine. No weird sounds or anything.

Any other ideas?
 

old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
...I disconnected the PTO, press the clutch and restart the engine.
So this was earlier stumps that you hit and Restarting was fine...

Only this time when I let off the clutch it would choke the engine as if something would be stuck somewhere....
Is this is with the PTO engaged or not? You could have had one of the blades of the mower jammed up with wood from part of the stump? The other thing is the cable can kink and you think it's out of gear but it's not.

Actually, after re-reading your first post, you said the tractor stalls without the PTO on? :confused: :confused: :confused:

Sorry some clarification of "stalls": Was it like, Choking the engine, meaning to me that the engine sounds like it under a heavy load until the engine stops. A safety switch just sounds like the fuel pump was turned off and the tractor's engine just dies/quits running (not under a load). What best describes the "stall"?
 

TobiasMartin83

New member

Equipment
L3400
May 31, 2020
7
0
1
Greenville SC
Like you described it.

Was it like, Choking the engine, meaning to me that the engine sounds like it under a heavy load until the engine stops.

The more I let off the clutch the more it would choke or stall and if let off the clutch entirely it would quit.

There is no attachment on it right now and it still happens sometimes.
So, it has to be something internally.
 

TobiasMartin83

New member

Equipment
L3400
May 31, 2020
7
0
1
Greenville SC
So with the engine off, can you freely spin the PTO shaft by hand? You should be able to....
So. I just checked. The PTO shaft spins freely when the tractor is off and the PRO is not engaged.
I noticed a rattling sound when the PTO is engaged and the tractor is running vs no rattling sound when the tractor is running With the PTO not engaged or clutch pressed in.
Any other recommendations on how to proceed? I’ll post a sound file if it’s possible.
 

old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
Seems to me that something internally is broken, most likely the PTO cam? but I'm not a Kubota mechanic... If the engine is fine other than letting out the clutch. I would be glad that the camshaft did not twist on you from stalling the engine.

Can you turn wenches? or is this going to have to go to the dealer? I've been watching thread about PTO CAM replacements and it's about $2k. IF it's a gear tooth or something else, I have no idea...

Let us know how it turns out...
 

TobiasMartin83

New member

Equipment
L3400
May 31, 2020
7
0
1
Greenville SC
Seems to me that something internally is broken, most likely the PTO cam? but I'm not a Kubota mechanic... If the engine is fine other than letting out the clutch. I would be glad that the camshaft did not twist on you from stalling the engine.

Can you turn wenches? or is this going to have to go to the dealer? I've been watching thread about PTO CAM replacements and it's about $2k. IF it's a gear tooth or something else, I have no idea...

Let us know how it turns out...
I just found another post. They said it might be the PTO cable and it would need to be greased and adjusted. I’ll try that first and see if it fixes it.
tractor was running without issue all weekend without the PTO in use.
I’ll let you know if the cable adjustment works.
 

old and tired

Well-known member

Equipment
L2800 HST; 2005; R4
Broke my cable, installed new one, adjusted it... never did it try to stall the engine. It would engage the tiller with the PTO off when I started my tractor... but it never bogged down the engine. Hope it works...

Now, most likely what bound up the PTO might have dropped to the bottom of the case. Hopefully, it will stay there... I don't think you are done with the problem but you might not have to deal with it for a while. (just my guess)
 

TobiasMartin83

New member

Equipment
L3400
May 31, 2020
7
0
1
Greenville SC
Seems to me that something internally is broken, most likely the PTO cam? but I'm not a Kubota mechanic... If the engine is fine other than letting out the clutch. I would be glad that the camshaft did not twist on you from stalling the engine.

Can you turn wenches? or is this going to have to go to the dealer? I've been watching thread about PTO CAM replacements and it's about $2k. IF it's a gear tooth or something else, I have no idea...

Let us know how it turns out...
I’ve found another post and they are talking about the PTO engagement cable adjustments and greasing it. I’ll try that first.