L3430 Engine stops suddenly, electrical issue?

[MEsat1963]

2003 L3430 GST with 1430 hrs engine stops suddenly without warning and without pattern of activity. 2 warning lights come on after the engine quits: engine oil pressure and battery charging condition. Attempts to start engine is unsuccessful until a click heard near the engine solenoid (?) right side of engine. Engine will then start and run for various amounts of time until it shuts down suddenly without warning lights on the ECP. Have followed the work shop manual to trouble shoot the oil pressure switch for continuity and the oil pressure switch wiring harness with voltmeter and ohm meter. I can start the tractor with the oil pressure lead switch disconnected yet the engine will again shut off. What am I missing here? Considering checking the Main switch for continuity, PTO switch for continuity as well as the shuttle switch and OPC. All appear to have been functioning fine. The battery is new as of April, connections clean as well.
Appreciate any help.

 

[Dave_eng]

The tractors do not use the oil pressure switch to cause am engine shut down unlike some small engines like generators.

The warning lights which come on may be the same as the ones which light when, as you are about to start the engine, the key goes through the ON position. This is done so you are alerted to any warning lights being burned out.

Almost always it is the OPC system, seeing a safety switch signal not correct which causes a shut down.

It seems the seat switch is a common culprit mostly because of the folding up of the seat flexes the wiring. Others with knowledge of your specific tractor will reply.

Check for possible frayed or chewed wiring that opens or grounds intermittently.

If the tractor starts and you just leave it idling without you in the seat will it still shut down at some point.?

This evening when I have some time I will study the WSM unless others have set you on the right path.

Dave

 

[Russell King]

You may have a bad shut down solenoid or run solenoid depending on which one your tractor uses. The click is the sound that is a relay or solenoid changing from off to on

 

[PoTreeBoy]

2003 L3430 GST with 1430 hrs engine stops suddenly without warning and without pattern of activity. 2 warning lights come on after the engine quits: engine oil pressure and battery charging condition. Attempts to start engine is unsuccessful until a click heard near the engine solenoid (?) right side of engine. Engine will then start and run for various amounts of time until it shuts down suddenly without warning lights on the ECP. Have followed the work shop manual to trouble shoot the oil pressure switch for continuity and the oil pressure switch wiring harness with voltmeter and ohm meter. I can start the tractor with the oil pressure lead switch disconnected yet the engine will again shut off. What am I missing here? Considering checking the Main switch for continuity, PTO switch for continuity as well as the shuttle switch and OPC. All appear to have been functioning fine. The battery is new as of April, connections clean as well.
Appreciate any help.

This is a double head scratcher. When you say 'Attempts to start engine is unsuccessful until a click heard near the engine solenoid (?) right side of engine. Engine will then start . . .' , will the engine crank over but not not start, or it won't spin at all?

If it's not too much trouble - with the engine running, pull the connector off the engine stop solenoid. Does it keep running, or immediately die?

What in the WSM leads you to believe the oil pressure has anything to do with the problem? I downloaded the WSM and don't see it, although I've just scanned it.

When I saw your description of it won't start until after a click at the shutdown solenoid, I thought your system would be similar to my L35, which has a key stop timer. But the schematic in the WSM doesn't show a timer, so I'm wondering if the earlier models were different.

I don't see anything, other than turning the key off, that would cause a shutdown after the engine starts, seat switch, PTO, neutral, clutch, etc. Is that correct?

I'm suspecting a loose wire, dirty connector, bad ground.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

The tractors do not use the oil pressure switch to cause am engine shut down unlike some small engines like generators.

The warning lights which come on may be the same as the ones which light when, as you are about to start the engine, the key goes through the ON position. This is done so you are alerted to any warning lights being burned out.

Almost always it is the OPC system, seeing a safety switch signal not correct which causes a shut down.

It seems the seat switch is a common culprit mostly because of the folding up of the seat flexes the wiring. Others with knowledge of your specific tractor will reply.

Check for possible frayed or chewed wiring that opens or grounds intermittently.

If the tractor starts and you just leave it idling without you in the seat will it still shut down at some point.?

This evening when I have some time I will study the WSM unless others have set you on the right path.

Dave

Dave, I don't see an OPC or seat switch. It does have an ECU and electronic instrument panel.

 

[Mark_BX25D]

Attempts to start engine is unsuccessful until a click heard near the engine solenoid (?) right side of engine. Engine will then start and run for various amounts of time until it shuts down suddenly without warning

What Russell King said. Points to the shutdown solenoid. The warning lights coming are are a red herring - just the expect result of the engine shutting down.

 

[MEsat1963]

The tractors do not use the oil pressure switch to cause am engine shut down unlike some small engines like generators.

The warning lights which come on may be the same as the ones which light when, as you are about to start the engine, the key goes through the ON position. This is done so you are alerted to any warning lights being burned out.

Almost always it is the OPC system, seeing a safety switch signal not correct which causes a shut down.

It seems the seat switch is a common culprit mostly because of the folding up of the seat flexes the wiring. Others with knowledge of your specific tractor will reply.

Check for possible frayed or chewed wiring that opens or grounds intermittently.

If the tractor starts and you just leave it idling without you in the seat will it still shut down at some point.?

This evening when I have some time I will study the WSM unless others have set you on the right path.

Dave

When the tractor starts again it can idle without me in the seat and will then shut down unexpectedly.
I can then wait for it to "reset" and then start the tractor and have it idle with the seat up to again shut down unexpectedly

 

[MEsat1963]

I can restart the tractor after it "resets" and let it idle without me in the seat only to have it shut down. I can restart the tractor again with the seat up after it "resets" only again have it shut down unexpectedly.

 

[MEsat1963]

This is a double head scratcher. When you say 'Attempts to start engine is unsuccessful until a click heard near the engine solenoid (?) right side of engine. Engine will then start . . .' , will the engine crank over but not not start, or it won't spin at all?

If it's not too much trouble - with the engine running, pull the connector off the engine stop solenoid. Does it keep running, or immediately die?

What in the WSM leads you to believe the oil pressure has anything to do with the problem? I downloaded the WSM and don't see it, although I've just scanned it.

When I saw your description of it won't start until after a click at the shutdown solenoid, I thought your system would be similar to my L35, which has a key stop timer. But the schematic in the WSM doesn't show a timer, so I'm wondering if the earlier models were different.

I don't see anything, other than turning the key off, that would cause a shutdown after the engine starts, seat switch, PTO, neutral, clutch, etc. Is that correct?

I'm suspecting a loose wire, dirty connector, bad ground.

 

[MEsat1963]

The Engine will crank without difficulty just not start. The engine oil pressure warning light is probably the red herring as stated in a post. I will trouble shoot the OPC switch and wire harness.
The page reference in the WSM for the engine oil switch troubleshooting is the Electrical System chapter p.9-S53 and S54.

 

[MEsat1963]

I appreciate Mr. King's post and will investigate the two solenoid considerations that were mentioned: shut down or run type.
Thank you all for giving me your sage advice.

 

[MEsat1963]

I appreciate Mr. King's post and will investigate the two solenoid considerations that were mentioned: shut down or run type.
Thank you all for giving me your sage advice.

The tractors do not use the oil pressure switch to cause am engine shut down unlike some small engines like generators.

The warning lights which come on may be the same as the ones which light when, as you are about to start the engine, the key goes through the ON position. This is done so you are alerted to any warning lights being burned out.

Almost always it is the OPC system, seeing a safety switch signal not correct which causes a shut down.

It seems the seat switch is a common culprit mostly because of the folding up of the seat flexes the wiring. Others with knowledge of your specific tractor will reply.

Check for possible frayed or chewed wiring that opens or grounds intermittently.

If the tractor starts and you just leave it idling without you in the seat will it still shut down at some point.?

This evening when I have some time I will study the WSM unless others have set you on the right path.

Dave

 

[MEsat1963]

2003 L3430 GST with 1430 hrs engine stops suddenly without warning and without pattern of activity. 2 warning lights come on after the engine quits: engine oil pressure and battery charging condition. Attempts to start engine is unsuccessful until a click heard near the engine solenoid (?) right side of engine. Engine will then start and run for various amounts of time until it shuts down suddenly without warning lights on the ECP. Have followed the work shop manual to trouble shoot the oil pressure switch for continuity and the oil pressure switch wiring harness with voltmeter and ohm meter. I can start the tractor with the oil pressure lead switch disconnected yet the engine will again shut off. What am I missing here? Considering checking the Main switch for continuity, PTO switch for continuity as well as the shuttle switch and OPC. All appear to have been functioning fine. The battery is new as of April, connections clean as well.
Appreciate any help.

To provide closure to this issue. And I do so with appreciation from all the input that has been provided.
The cause of the problem was a broken/dysfunctional OPC timer switch Part # 060-TD060-3050-0 page 87 in the Parts Manual.
The problem was investigated by running a jumper wire from the switch to the fuel solenoid and tapping the timer switch to reproduce the problem of shutting off and on while exhibiting the clicking sound that was coming from the fuel solenoid shut off. A friend of the family who is a diesel mechanic was able to troubleshoot and repair the problem.