Rewiring a L345DT

[DocBrown]

Good morning everyone!

I'm rewiring a L345DT (believe it's a 1979 model) because well it's been hacked and taped and chewed all to bits lol. I've got the schematic but I'm unsure what one piece of the harness is. I can't tell if it's a ballast resistor, junction block or just a bus bar of sorts or what? Can anyone help me figure out what this is? The schematic and parts diagrams don't appear to list it and my local dealer has NO clue.

I've got a new voltage regulator, ignition switch, starter switch, fuse box (aftermarket but will work better lol), and wiring/connectors just trying to figure out for sure what this is.

Thanks!

 

[Russell King]

I am totally guessing on this but it may be a 40 amp fuse (green highlight) or something to do with the “safety starter switch” (yellow highlight). See marked schematic.

It looks like the fuse holder and wiring to me. The fuse may be a fusible link (wire across the ceramic body attached to both posts??)

@007kubotaguy might know for sure and comment later on.

 

[biffog]

Where exactly is that part located, in the back of the dashboard?
I rewired an L345 also, I think the safety starter switch is under the seat (seat had been changed on mine)
I think the 40A breaker above is just off the starter and takes a spade fuse. FYI from experience glow plugs are pulling a lot of amps, make sure you have correct gauge wire

 

[DocBrown]

I am totally guessing on this but it may be a 40 amp fuse (green highlight) or something to do with the “safety starter switch” (yellow highlight). See marked schematic.

It looks like the fuse holder and wiring to me. The fuse may be a fusible link (wire across the ceramic body attached to both posts??)

@007kubotaguy might know for sure and comment later on.

That's kinda what I was thinking it might be a fuseable link type deal.

 

[DocBrown]

Where exactly is that part located, in the back of the dashboard?
I rewired an L345 also, I think the safety starter switch is under the seat (seat had been changed on mine)
I think the 40A breaker above is just off the starter and takes a spade fuse. FYI from experience glow plugs are pulling a lot of amps, make sure you have correct gauge wire

It's on the front lower driver side of the firewall, just side of center. I posted pics showing where it is mounted at.

And yes I converted the metric sizes on the schematic to AWG and rounded up or went up one size. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Russell King]

Where exactly is that part located, in the back of the dashboard?
I rewired an L345 also, I think the safety starter switch is under the seat (seat had been changed on mine)
I think the 40A breaker above is just off the starter and takes a spade fuse. FYI from experience glow plugs are pulling a lot of amps, make sure you have correct gauge wire

Not to derail the thread, but what is the “safety starter switch” used for?

(I have a L185F of similar vintage that is similar but doesn’t have that switch, so I am just curious)

 

[DocBrown]

Not to derail the thread, but what is the “safety starter switch” used for?

(I have a L185F of similar vintage that is similar but doesn’t have that switch, so I am just curious)

Basically make sure you're sitting in the seat so it won't start with you "in theory" in harms way. Mine being a 1979 doesn't even have that wiring at all so no worries on it there. They can also be used to make sure it's not in gear or clutch is pushed in so it doesn't lurch forward when it cranks.

 

[DocBrown]

I am totally guessing on this but it may be a 40 amp fuse (green highlight) or something to do with the “safety starter switch” (yellow highlight). See marked schematic.

It looks like the fuse holder and wiring to me. The fuse may be a fusible link (wire across the ceramic body attached to both posts??)

I'm thinking the same looking at the schematic, and think I'm going to replace it with a 40 amp waterproof circuit breaker like shown in attached picture. More modern, same purpose as the wiring schematic.

I'll confirm when I get off work that the wires from it go to the alternator (I believe they do but can't tell in the picture I have of the harness on my phone.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

That's kinda what I was thinking it might be a fuseable link type deal.

Or somebody got creative and bridged the (missing) fuse?

 

[DocBrown]

Or somebody got creative and bridged the (missing) fuse?

ENTIRELY POSSIBLE given the rest of the hack job on this wiring lol.. Especially because there is a jumper wire going across the terminals on it.

At first I was going to just patch it up but the further I looked into it I was like no... no... no... lol I don't want to put all the work into this thing just to have it burn down because of the wiring lol.

 

[Russell King]

That's kinda what I was thinking it might be a fuseable link type deal.

Here is a color chart that may apply. See if that wire is the same color as the chart and if so you would have the answer. But someone may have just replaced it with a regular wire or some fusible wire and that would not help. You can sketch where the wires go at the opposite ends and then locate those on the schematic to see if they are connected to the fuse in the original schematic (so they should connect to the starter positive cable (or directly to the battery positive post?), the opposite side to the alternator and another to the key switch)

 

[Russell King]

You might be able to buy a wiring harness from dealer or from a salvage yard. This person has a salvage yard in CA. and is a member on this forum (@007kubotaguy )

 

[DocBrown]

You might be able to buy a wiring harness from dealer or from a salvage yard. This person has a salvage yard in CA. and is a member on this forum (@007kubotaguy )
View attachment 158549

Na the harnesses are LONG discontinued, and I checked around and couldn't find one. On a tractor this old the harness is VERY basic so won't take me but an hour or two to put together a new one.

 

[rbargeron]

Sorry I'm late to this thread - my L345 has an enclosed in-line fuse in that location. It protects the starter/solenoid wiring. I found the original burned out one day and all I had were 30A fuses - which work a few times but eventually burn out. Needs a 40A fuse there. Your proposed 40A replacement circuit breaker looks like a fine replacement/upgrade. Take care, Dick B.

 

[DocBrown]

Sorry I'm late to this thread - my L345 has an enclosed in-line fuse in that location. It protects the starter/solenoid wiring. I found the original burned out one day and all I had were 30A fuses - which work a few times but eventually burn out. Needs a 40A fuse there. Your proposed 40A replacement circuit breaker looks like a fine replacement/upgrade. Take care, Dick B.

Awesome thank you! Based on the schematic it looked like it should be a fuse/fusable link but I've never come across one like that so wanted to make sure. The breaker will definitely work, and if it trips (which it shouldn't) it'd be easy enough to reset

 

[rbargeron]

The major load on that circuit is the glow plug circuit that the big black switch turns on when turned to the left. If it opens the new 40A breaker, check the glow plug wiring. On the posted circuit diagram the GP's should be in the upper right corner - (clipped off on my screen).

 

[DocBrown]

The major load on that circuit is the glow plug circuit that the big black switch turn on when turned to the left. If it opens the 40A breaker, check the glow plug wiring. On the posted circuit diagram they should be visible in the upper right corner - (clipped off on my screen).

Yeah I've got the full schematic and shop and parts manuals printed out. I'm rewiring EVERYTHING... new Ignition Switch, Starter Switch, Glow Indicator, Glowplugs, wiring, starter, alternator, voltage regulator, new style 12v fuse box, battery and swapping the OEM oil gauge over to a multi gauge that will read coolant temp, oil pressure, and batt voltage. Oh and I'm a fan of grounding straps so adding a couple as well.

Can't tell you how many problems I've come across thru the years where a ground was the culprit.

 

[rbargeron]

Nice project ! Agreed, grounding enables everything - nothing works without it.

My first Kubota was an L345DT bought new in 1982. I eventually traded it up to an L4150 - but missed the handy size of the L345 - so got another one as a 2nd machine. I have stayed with Kubota since, upgrading to an L5450 with an 11' backhoe, and eventually finding another L5450 with a cab. and finding and restoring an L3250. My L345 has an easy life now, with a sicklebar rear mower, a nice little NOS Kubota loader I adapted. I'm a long-time member at TBN too - where some f these stories have appeared.
A few links: L345 gets a loader , First L5450 with BH , sprucing up the L3250 Take care, Dick B.

 

[DocBrown]

Thank you

I'm a Master ASE Auto and Truck technician, not a lot of experience working on Ag/Ind equipment but the concepts are the same.

I would love to see pics of your 345 if you want to PM them to me.

Mine is rough, but I got it for helping a buddy out so the price was right lol. So far I'm only about $800 into it for all the parts, new fluids, etc. Upgraded the seat from the stock butt bucket seat to a Vevor one with back support (I'm only 43 but been thru ALOT in my years and my back needs the support lol). She's got the L1720 loader on her, tho I've got the arms and bucket off for the time being while I get her running.

I'm excited, tomorrow morning I'm going to roll it out of my shop for the first time in 2 years to give it a good deep pressure washing then winch/roll it back in to start putting all the new stuff on. I'm HOPING to have it running in the next month or so.

I've never heard it run, it pushed a freeze plug/casting plug out of the side of the block behind the pumps in a deep freeze we had here 5 years ago so I went thru and replaced every feeze plug on the entire exterior of the body, pressure tested the water jacket and it's in tact. But I hooked a battery up to it and she has solid compression, the oil was still oil, and hyd fluid was still as expected. The hoses are all dry rotted, so replacing them as well. She's got ALL new fluids in her, new decompression and tach cables (decomp cable was rusted apart, and tach cable left the chat a WHILE ago lol).

I've got 6 acres and desperately need it to cut a drainage ditch that's overgrown and to much to do by hand, and to mow the back 4 acre pasture and a lot of other projects around the house/property.

 

[Russell King]

You have probably already seen it on the schematic but the glow plug wiring is unique.

There is an indicator (resistor) to drop the voltage when in glow position. Then when in crank position the indicator is bypassed so the indicator does not drop the voltage (the starter is dropping the voltage when cranking).

The way Kubota did that was interesting since the wires from the switch are both connected to the indicator but starter wire bypasses the indicator and is connected with the wire that extends to the glow plug rail. (I guess they saved a few cents in wire cost).

And often the schematic shows the glow plugs wired in series BUT most are really wired in parallel. The L345 is shown correctly in the schematic I posted on this forum.

And you should add the horn since it is a good way to get your wife’s attention to bring you something! (And sounds like a very small car)