L3800 Wont Start

UnionMan

New member

Equipment
M5-111HDC12, L3800 HST , RTV-X1100C, SCAG TigerCat 61" Kawi FX Motor
Aug 21, 2013
104
0
0
Warrenton, VA
Well this morning didn't go as planned.

Started up the tractor fine this morning. Used the FEL to push over some small scrub trees. Nothing much maybe 1" - 1.5" max. Made my way over to my barn to move a pile of #57s and made about 3 trips before I lost all pressure in my front tire. I had a full bucket of gravel, I immediately dropped the FEL arms down to lift the front tires off the ground. Removed the front rim and tire and fixed the same. fast forward to trying to get the gravel moved and the tractor will not not start. Remember I shut the tractor off on my own after operating it a couple hours. There is no noise at the starter but shows 12V on the hot lead. I check the clutch sensor and also the seat sensor. Everything looks normal (HST model by the way). I notice a a piece of wood up against the starter and engine block. I remove the wood chip and see that what appears to be the lead that possibly connects to the solenoid is hanging there. I connect it back to the starter but still nothing. I remove the wire and try the ole screw driver trick. Motor turns over but wont start. Since it is diesel and I know I had it running before hand and have fuel it leads me to think its a sensor somewhere or maybe something was knocked off the starter by the wood piece. Does anyone have a picture of their L3800 starter mounted on their tractor I could take a look at to see if the wood perhaps ripped off a electrical connector off the solenoid or starter. Also any other sensors I could be missing???

UnionMan
 
Last edited:

UnionMan

New member

Equipment
M5-111HDC12, L3800 HST , RTV-X1100C, SCAG TigerCat 61" Kawi FX Motor
Aug 21, 2013
104
0
0
Warrenton, VA
Well the tractor has been sitting most of the day and I was reluctant to leave it outside since I leave for work tomorrow morning and wont be back for a few days but I had no choice. Just went out after typing up the thread saying let me give it one more try. Well Went out in my RTV and shined the headlights and messed with all the sensors again and then wouldn't you know tractor starts up. So shes parked back in the barn tonight. Gotta love OSHA and every other Safety police out there. Looks like I will be hot wiring some of my safety switches so I wont be left in the dark again.

UnionMan
 

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,179
1,864
113
Mid, South, USA
Usually the HST pedal switch, aka neutral switch. Located under the steering column. So easy to fix it. It makes no sense to me to bypass them, and actually the way the system is designed, you really can't bypass all of them because they all work together. One has to be off, the other on, etc.

Just fix the offending switch. Do it the right way or trade it for an old Ford that didn't have a safety feature one.