My kubota l3300 isn't wanting to start. I've replaced the starter and the batteries good. All it does when the key turns over is make a clicking noise on the right side of the motor and the flashlights comes on but the starter does nothing. Any tips would be highly appreciated
Kubota l3300 starting issues
- Thread starter Awesome Dude34
- Start date
Russell King
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Hopefully you are a little mechanically inclined and can do a bit more troubleshooting.
What you describe above may be due to the battery/starter circuit or the key switch/safety switches/starter solenoid circuit.
Take a set of fairly good (heavy wire) battery jumper cables. Attach the ground side from negative post to one of the starter mounting bolts. Then take the positive from the battery positive post and attach it to the same post as the positive cable attachment on the starter. Basically you are just adding a second set of cables to the starter. Now see if it will crank with the key. If it does crank then clean all battery cable connection points very well (4 points but 8 surfaces to clean). Put just the original cables back on and see if it will crank. If so go on with life. You could probably replace both cables if you don’t mind spending the money and be better off for longer period of time.
If the above doesn’t work then you can verify that the starter can actually spin the engine. You are going to be bypassing all safety switches so it is something you should do carefully and only if you feel comfortable with doing that. You will be providing positive 12 volts directly to the solenoid terminal. You can do it a few different ways but it must be easily removed also. Most people just use a screwdriver to connect the flat spade on the solenoid to the post where the positive battery cable is attached. Engine should crank immediately. Release screwdriver after a second or two regardless of what happens! If engine cranks then starter is good. Probably a safety switch issue.
Report back what you find
What you describe above may be due to the battery/starter circuit or the key switch/safety switches/starter solenoid circuit.
Take a set of fairly good (heavy wire) battery jumper cables. Attach the ground side from negative post to one of the starter mounting bolts. Then take the positive from the battery positive post and attach it to the same post as the positive cable attachment on the starter. Basically you are just adding a second set of cables to the starter. Now see if it will crank with the key. If it does crank then clean all battery cable connection points very well (4 points but 8 surfaces to clean). Put just the original cables back on and see if it will crank. If so go on with life. You could probably replace both cables if you don’t mind spending the money and be better off for longer period of time.
If the above doesn’t work then you can verify that the starter can actually spin the engine. You are going to be bypassing all safety switches so it is something you should do carefully and only if you feel comfortable with doing that. You will be providing positive 12 volts directly to the solenoid terminal. You can do it a few different ways but it must be easily removed also. Most people just use a screwdriver to connect the flat spade on the solenoid to the post where the positive battery cable is attached. Engine should crank immediately. Release screwdriver after a second or two regardless of what happens! If engine cranks then starter is good. Probably a safety switch issue.
Report back what you find
North Idaho Wolfman
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LOL - Russel types faster then I do!
Welcome aboard Dude!! There's been quite a few posts lately about starting problems.
If you can "jump" the starter directly and it works the starter is good. Test the battery with a load tester, you can have 12v at the battery but not enough umph to turn the starter. Harbor Freight has cheap ones that work pretty well.
If you have a volt/ohm meter and know how to use one put one lead on the battery and one on the starter and turn the key to the RUN position, you should get 12V. Then turn the key to the start position, if the voltage drops and your starter does not turn you need a new wire or have a bad connection.
Disconnect each end of the wire from the battery to the starter, check for cracks, weak spots, mice chewing the insulation, clean connectors and the surfaces they attach to, replace the wire if needed, reconnect.
Same as above check, clean, replace any wire going to ground.
I you do all the above and it still won't start it could be a bad switch.
Welcome aboard Dude!! There's been quite a few posts lately about starting problems.
If you can "jump" the starter directly and it works the starter is good. Test the battery with a load tester, you can have 12v at the battery but not enough umph to turn the starter. Harbor Freight has cheap ones that work pretty well.
If you have a volt/ohm meter and know how to use one put one lead on the battery and one on the starter and turn the key to the RUN position, you should get 12V. Then turn the key to the start position, if the voltage drops and your starter does not turn you need a new wire or have a bad connection.
Disconnect each end of the wire from the battery to the starter, check for cracks, weak spots, mice chewing the insulation, clean connectors and the surfaces they attach to, replace the wire if needed, reconnect.
Same as above check, clean, replace any wire going to ground.
I you do all the above and it still won't start it could be a bad switch.
Russell King
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See post #3 first
But use the positive post on battery and the post with the positive cable attached to it on the starter is the answer to the question in post #6
But use the positive post on battery and the post with the positive cable attached to it on the starter is the answer to the question in post #6
Runs With Scissors
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Although it has been eluded to,
Be damn sure that NO PERSON is “in the way” when you jump that starter.
Bad things can happen if the tractor starts to move unexpectedly.
Just sayin….
Be damn sure that NO PERSON is “in the way” when you jump that starter.
Bad things can happen if the tractor starts to move unexpectedly.
Just sayin….
Oh absolutely. Safety always comes first. Thank you for being cautious and reminding me though man!Although it has been eluded to,
Be damn sure that NO PERSON is “in the way” when you jump that starter.
Bad things can happen if the tractor starts to move unexpectedly.
Just sayin….
Just so I'm clear there's only one main post connecting the starter to the battery and then a smaller plug in wire correct? When I replaced it that kind of threw me off so I wanted to be sure
Russell King
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Did you read post #3 and test out the position of the switches by moving those levers to the off position? You might want to hold them firmly in the off position and try to hold key in start position then jiggle the levers around a little to see if anything happens. Telling us what you have done and the results will help us with troubleshooting your problem.
Well there is a bit of technical jargon complicating the question and answer…
But I will say YES is the answer to your question.
Read below if you want to understand it more (or search the internet for better information).
There are normally two parts involved with what people generally call a “starter”. There is the actual starter motor and then a solenoid attached to the starter motor.
The solenoid is generally a smaller round part and has a mechanical and electrical connection to the starter motor. There is usually one electrical connection between the tractor and the solenoid. Kubota has generally used a flat spade connector wi a black wire which has a white stripe on it. That black/white wire is activated by turning the key switch and having all safety switches properly activated (some might be open and others might be closed).
The starter motor is larger diameter and is really an electric motor that can spin the engine. There is usually one large post that the positive cable from the battery connects to. There may be other smaller wires connected that then power the fuses/dash/lights and such. There is also an electrical connection between the solenoid and the starter.
When power is applied to the small spade solenoid terminal it avtivates the solenoid to throw the bendix out and the gear engages the engine flywheel. It also closes the heavier electrical path to provide power to the starter motor, which then turns the bendix gear and drives the engine flywheel.
The directions I provided above just bypass the key/safety switch circuit (black wire with white stripe) and activates the solenoid directly from the battery 12 volt positive terminal. The starter mounting/frame/negative cable is the ground path back to the negative battery post.
Well there is a bit of technical jargon complicating the question and answer…
But I will say YES is the answer to your question.
Read below if you want to understand it more (or search the internet for better information).
There are normally two parts involved with what people generally call a “starter”. There is the actual starter motor and then a solenoid attached to the starter motor.
The solenoid is generally a smaller round part and has a mechanical and electrical connection to the starter motor. There is usually one electrical connection between the tractor and the solenoid. Kubota has generally used a flat spade connector wi a black wire which has a white stripe on it. That black/white wire is activated by turning the key switch and having all safety switches properly activated (some might be open and others might be closed).
The starter motor is larger diameter and is really an electric motor that can spin the engine. There is usually one large post that the positive cable from the battery connects to. There may be other smaller wires connected that then power the fuses/dash/lights and such. There is also an electrical connection between the solenoid and the starter.
When power is applied to the small spade solenoid terminal it avtivates the solenoid to throw the bendix out and the gear engages the engine flywheel. It also closes the heavier electrical path to provide power to the starter motor, which then turns the bendix gear and drives the engine flywheel.
The directions I provided above just bypass the key/safety switch circuit (black wire with white stripe) and activates the solenoid directly from the battery 12 volt positive terminal. The starter mounting/frame/negative cable is the ground path back to the negative battery post.
Russell King
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Lifetime Member
Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Read this about doing a voltage drop test on any wire. You want to see if the positive cable has a voltage drop from the battery to the starter connection.