New L4701 HST, RPM's drop then pick back while plowing snow

[TD Tractor]

Morning forum members. New here to the site. I was plowing snow yesterday it was a light powered type snow about 3 inches. I hooked up my new front land pride STB 1584 blade and started plowing. Driveway is 900 foot gravel. Plowing was going good, RPM's at 2000. All of a sudden engine started to die, let off the HST pedel and RPM'S picked back up. It did this about every 100 foot. Engine quit at one point but started right back up. Brought it back to the house and parked it. It was 19 degrees and I have been using Howes fuel conitioner. Going to try it again today as soon as the temp gets to the double digits. Any suggestions?

 

[Bob Yocum]

What range were you plowing in?

 

[D2Cat]

Sounds like your fuel is beginning to jell, even though you are using Howes fuel conditioner.

 

[TD Tractor]

What range were you plowing in?

I started off in low then switched mid range.

 

[85Hokie]

My first thought was range also - you CAN stall a diesel out if you place it balls to the wall. 'specially in high range -

But I would not think you could do this with 3" of snow - unless you gathered up a large scoop of it. - and or you picked up gravel in the snow.

first quick test I would do - is if in a higher range, drop a range, from H to M or M to L.

THEN I would increase the RPMS - your machine has a max of 2600 RPM's - I think you will find a lot more usable power at 2300-2600 - those few 100's make a hell of a difference.

- you could have a gelling problem too as D2Cat said - and this may be the problem in itself.

I have almost stalled my machine when asking it to do too much in warm weather. I would check the filters and see if you can "see" any problems there and get some "new" fuel and treat that also.

 

[TD Tractor]

Sounds like your fuel is beginning to jell, even though you are using Howes fuel conditioner.

Higher dose of Howes or something else?

 

[TD Tractor]

My first thought was range also - you CAN stall a diesel out if you place it balls to the wall. 'specially in high range -

But I would not think you could do this with 3" of snow - unless you gathered up a large scoop of it. - and or you picked up gravel in the snow.

first quick test I would do - is if in a higher range, drop a range, from H to M or M to L.

THEN I would increase the RPMS - your machine has a max of 2600 RPM's - I think you will find a lot more usable power at 2300-2600 - those few 100's make a hell of a difference.

- you could have a gelling problem too as D2Cat said - and this may be the problem in itself.

I have almost stalled my machine when asking it to do too much in warm weather. I would check the filters and see if you can "see" any problems there and get some "new" fuel and treat that also.

Roger that. Thanks!

 

[Thorny]

I have the same plow on my L2501 which I'm using for the first time this winter. My first thought regarding stalling was, was the engine warmed up enough for their to be adequate heat in the hydraulic fluid of the HST? Did you have the blade set at the appropriate angle so that it wasn't plowing gravel? (I adjusted the feet on mine to raise the blade a few more spacers versus how it was delivered to me).

Lastly, I was reading about #2 diesel, and how it's changed over the last few years and how some of the older "anti-gel" agents do not work in the new formulation of diesel. I'm not familiar with the agent you added to yours, but maybe it's not effective?

 

[Greenhead]

I think Hokie has it right. You are snubbing out the motor. Listen to the motor when plowing and when you hear it start to work or bog down ease off on the HST (go slower) and/or as said go down a range and raise the RPMs.
She's telling you something you just have to listen.

 

[Yukon Wild]

Hi all, I am a newly registered member but I just thought I would chip in. I bought a L4400HST last year and have been doing different jobs with it at different temperatures. I typically plow in cold weather as I live in Yukon.

Last week I was plowing snow drifts down the driveway at -30C and used my usual settings at mid-range around 2000 RPM and everything was just as normal other than cold hands after a while... I typically plow 6-8 inches or more and never had the motor skip a beat or slow down, it is much lighter snow then down south but still.

I assume that they put additives in the fuel at the plant because I didn't do anything special to the fuel, I just plugged the block heater for an hour (in my non-heated garage) and went at it.

Cheers

 

[Treckerzeug]

Higher dose of Howes or something else?

Hello,

Maybe you should check on two more topics:
1. Does the tank vent let air into the diesel tank to replace the consumed diesel?
I ll half open the tank opening fo a test.
2. is the air filter /air inlet clogged from snow drift or whatever other stuff?

If diesel paraffines it won't get in liquid state again without putting your tractor for a couple of hours in a warm suuroundi g

Regards

Rober

 

[mdhughes]

TD Tractor, I'm only going to ask this question because it happen to me a lot when I first got my L3901DT, are you by chance leaning to the right to check clearances when the tractor dies? On the L3901 the safety switch is on the left side of the seat and if you lean to far to the left it will cause the switch to act like you have gotten off the seat. The first couple of times it happen to me I thought that there was something wrong with my new tractor. It happen twice the first day I got the tractor. Just something to look/think about.

 

[Cumminstech]

I too, would also say you have full gelln up. I myself prefer power service, the white bottle. I use that an have no fuel issues. I use about a 1/4 a bottle to 10 gals of diesel. A little over treatment won't hurt.

 

[Cumminstech]

True to the seat safety switch. Good one, Forgot about that one, can stump you for a little.

 

[TD Tractor]

TD Tractor, I'm only going to ask this question because it happen to me a lot when I first got my L3901DT, are you by chance leaning to the right to check clearances when the tractor dies? On the L3901 the safety switch is on the left side of the seat and if you lean to far to the left it will cause the switch to act like you have gotten off the seat. The first couple of times it happen to me I thought that there was something wrong with my new tractor. It happen twice the first day I got the tractor. Just something to look/think about.

Thank you all for your help! It was the safety switch in the seat. Yesterday I moved the snow blade back to the field to remove it and put the bucket back on. As I was leaning to the right engine sputered and cut off, tested this a couple of times just like when I was plowing. I'm going to blame it on the 57 years of technology difference between my 1959 Ford 871 and the new L4701. Lol!

Thanks again!

 

[D2Cat]

TD, what's nice is you come to a forum with a specific question. You get several ideas which give you a more positive attitude to finding a solution. As you go through the ideas you find one that solves your problem.

So not only do you have a solution, but because you came back to the thread to tell the results you will help many others in the future.

Every adversity is the seed to an opportunity.