L2501DT Clicking but won't start

[Jason P.]

I have a Kubota L2501DT. About 3 months ago it randomly wouldn't turn over. Whenever turning the key from off to run, it clicked and all of the dash lights came on but the engine wouldn't turn over. I checked the battery connections, jumped the starter to see if it would spin, made sure it was in neutral with PTO lever off but after messing with it for about 2 hours, i gave up. The next morning, i went out and it cranked on the first try. It's done this same thing on 10-15 occasions since then but usually cranks after fooling with it for 2-3 minutes. Sometimes, if i just hold the key in the start position, it'll turn over and crank after about 30 seconds. Yesterday, after using it for 3-4 hours , i parked it and went to load it on trailer about 20 minutes later and it wouldn't turn over. Messed with it for 45 minutes and never could get it, so i had to leave it at deer lease. I've read multiple forums with some people saying the seat switch and others saying the PTO switch.

Notes:
- I changed the battery 3 months ago and never had this issue prior to that point, but i used it 2-3 days after changing the battery and it never had any issues. I think it's just a coincidence but wanted to bring it up just in case someone see's something i don't.
-Sometimes, the tractor can be running and in neutral, but the second i get off of the seat it dies. I know it's designed to do that whenever in gear or using a PTO driven implement but it's doing it even without. Every time I have this no crank issue, I pick the seat up and work the switch lever. Mechanically, it seems to be working fine. I zip tied the lever down to keep it from dying whenever i get off at deer lease just in case it decides it doesn't want to crank back up and leaves me stranded in the woods. About a month ago it wouldn't turn over so i decided to cut the zip tie from seat lever and it started up. At that point i thought i found my problem in the seat switch but it does it regardless if i have it tied down or not so i don't know.
-In addition to the seat switch, sometimes (not often) whenever i try cranking the tractor before getting on it, the engine turns over but won't crank. I have to get up and sit on the seat and it will instantly start.

Sorry for the long winded post, i'm just trying to avoid changing parts out without knowing for certain it's the issue not to mention it's currently 3 hours away from me so i can't exactly do much troubleshooting. I'm pretty mechanically inclined but this electrical stuff isn't my strong suit.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Roadworthy]

While you''re checking safety switches don't overlook the HST treadle (if you have HST). It must be centered in the neutral position for the tractor to start. My personal favorite is when I forget to depress the clutch!!

 

[85Hokie]

Turn the key .....
as you turn it ......... bounce in the seat a bit ...
grab the pto handle and move it while key is being turned
move the hst pedal (is it hst?) while turning the key.....

my bet it is the seat switch

 

[Chanceywd]

You say it is a L2501DT, so no HST treadle, I wonder if it might be in the range selector switch. If that isn't right it would not turn over over and would shut down if you got off the seat. Maybe a jiggle on that when you try cranking?

Bill

 

[Fordtech86]

Im thinking the range switch as well. Mine did that once, had a bunch of dirt and grass packed in around the switch. You can see it looking through the slots in the range lever plate

edit: can’t remember if it was packed around the switch or the range lever (not letting lever go all the way over)

 

[Pawnee]

I think it would be worth having an 'interlocks Ok' green light considering the number of dodgy interlocks on the machine.
That way, you could know the tractor is ready to go or not and stop looking at the high current stuff when it's just a dirty microswitch.

Sorry, I guess this didn't help.

 

[Jason P.]

chanceywd you’re correct, not an HST. Yesterday while working on it I had a buddy messing with the range switch while I had the key held, but no go. If the tractor isn’t in neutral, you won’t hear that click whenever turning key from off-run, so that makes me doubt that being the issue. I’ve also tried working the seat switch with the key held. I guess I could use an ohm meter to check continuity through the switch. If I’m interpreting the circuit manual right, the starter relay picks up it’s ground through those switches so I should see that they’re in the closed position when disengaged and in neutral. The only thing I haven’t really tried is working the PTO lever.

 

[Chanceywd]

chanceywd you’re correct, not an HST. Yesterday while working on it I had a buddy messing with the range switch while I had the key held, but no go. If the tractor isn’t in neutral, you won’t hear that click whenever turning key from off-run, so that makes me doubt that being the issue. I’ve also tried working the seat switch with the key held. I guess I could use an ohm meter to check continuity through the switch. If I’m interpreting the circuit manual right, the starter relay picks up it’s ground through those switches so I should see that they’re in the closed position when disengaged and in neutral. The only thing I haven’t really tried is working the PTO lever.

Well if you can use a meter then that is a good way to start. Have you checked the battery terminals since you did the replacement? Maybe a poor connection there?
I know I can start mine standing next to it if the range lever is in neutral and I think the brake set. Don't know if I have done it with it off as it has me wondering if a switch on that could come into play. i will have to see on mine.
Sorry not much else to offer as mine is less than a year old here.

Bill

 

[Chanceywd]

Well if you can use a meter then that is a good way to start. Have you checked the battery terminals since you did the replacement? Maybe a poor connection there?
I know I can start mine standing next to it if the range lever is in neutral and I think the brake set. Don't know if I have done it with it off as it has me wondering if a switch on that could come into play. i will have to see on mine.
Sorry not much else to offer as mine is less than a year old here.

Bill

Hey I checked mine as a known good and here is what I see. I can start mine standing next to it with brake on or off, the gear shift in gear and range in neutral. If I have the pto in there is no clicking at all, put it down and it starts. I held my range selector out and no start or click but there is 2 switches side by side on mine so maybe one isn't changing state on yours? My first look at them and they seem like awfully light duty switches to be out in the weather. Maybe check them both with a meter? Isn't there some timing relay that comes into play with the seat when you flip it over with pto running and want to get off? I haven't used my pto that way yet.
Hope you find the problem soon.

Bill

 

[07wingnut]

Common problem on older and some not so old tractors. Check out this thread for possible solution. This fix stopped the problem on my bx23, no more clicks for the last 5 years.

B2400 starting problem finally solved

I just bought a B2400 that had the starter issue, after a quick search I found this thread. Just ran over to the JD dealer and picked the AM107421 relay- - -she's starting like a champ now. Thanks All ! ! ! Congrats on finding this great tractor forum and finding the post you needed to fix...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[Jason P.]

That's one of the threads i read through before making my own. It sounds like on all of those low voltage issues, there starters and solenoids were at least trying to work. I used a jumper wire from the solenoid to the starter just to check it and the starter spun fine, but it doesn't spin whenever turning key without jumper. The only "action" is that one click whenever turning the key from off - run. you can put the gear lever on any position except neutral and it won't click, but as soon as you move it into neutral it clicks (if keys in run position). That's the only thing that makes me doubt the selector switch because it seems like if it were that, it wouldn't click at all (as if it weren't making it into neutral position). I'm going to drive back up Friday and try checking it out with multimeter. I'll give update.

*I've checked battery connections multiple times, they're good.

 

[Chanceywd]

Common problem on older and some not so old tractors. Check out this thread for possible solution. This fix stopped the problem on my bx23, no more clicks for the last 5 years.

B2400 starting problem finally solved

I just bought a B2400 that had the starter issue, after a quick search I found this thread. Just ran over to the JD dealer and picked the AM107421 relay- - -she's starting like a champ now. Thanks All ! ! ! Congrats on finding this great tractor forum and finding the post you needed to fix...

www.tractorbynet.com

I just read some of that, It sounds like a low voltage going thru all the switches due to some resistance not being able to pull in the oem relay. But by re-feeding that relay from the bat terminal thru a small relay that is able to pull in despite low voltage and it works. So still a switch problem but by adding the relay it feeds current to the start relay from the battery cable at the starter rather than the long way around and safety is still in place. Now I wonder if this is what happens to my husqvarna garden tractor sometimes.

Thanks for posting this,
Bill

 

[Derby]

I’ve had the click and not start problem (off and on) for quite a while on my L2850DT.

About three years ago I had the starter replaced after a mechanic advised that was likely the problem. Three months later they replaced it again under warranty (I still had to pay for labor).

It was not long after that the problem came back and it has been an off and on problem ever since.

I will check with John Deere to see if the AM107421 relay is still available. If it is, would it install on my Kubota and would it likely fix the problem?

I believe my L2850DT was manufactured in the mid to late 70s.

 

[07wingnut]

It can be done quite easily with any 12v relay that will handle 30 to 40 amps. Take the wire that activates the starter solenoid and connect it to the relay coil terminal, ground the other coil terminal. Run a wire from the battery, thru a 30amp fuse to one contact of the normally open relay terminal. Connect the other terminal to the same point on the starter solenoid that you initially removed the wire from. Now, when you activate the starter with the key, it sends 12v to the solenoid, which closes the contacts and sends 12v directly from the battery to the solenoid. Bye bye clicks.

 

[Derby]

07wingnut, Thanks for the info. I'm not good at all identifying engine parts so I went ahead and got the JD AM107421 kit. It cost me more but it was easier for me to install. I used a picture from the TractorByNet forum mentioned by a couple of posters above. That made everything clear. Nothing wrong with your post, the problem is my lack of knowledge.
The relay kit is installed and so far as I can tell, it is working fine. Of course, since the problem has been intermittent, I won't really know it is working for a few months.