Kubota l4701 will not crank

[Wull]

I decided to make a video showing how to test the starter and rule that out, at least you’ll know for sure if that’s what’s at fault or not. I hope you understand my Scottish accent.

I’ll write again what tests to do which helps eliminate the starter.

The first test I want you to do is to test whether power is getting to the starter when you turn the key to start. Now to do this you have to have the tractor configured for starting, so if there is safety switches etc have them all set so it would normally allow the tractor to start. If you don’t do this no power will ever get to the starter.

Remove the switched feed to the starter and connect either a test lamp like I have in the video or use a multimeter. If you get power here this means your problem is more than likely the starter, everything before this point is fine.

Next test is to apply voltage directly to the starter motor. You use a jump lead from the constant 12v feed pole on the starter to the switched feed connector on the starter, you can do this with the ignition off, if the starter cranks the engine then you know the starter is good. If it doesn’t crank the engine then the starter is faulty. If you do this test with the ignition on the tractor might start like it does in the video, I did it both ways just to show, I had to preheat the combustion chamber before showing this.

Like I previously said this test is absolutely fine to do and is perfectly safe, you will not damage anything on the tractor.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Your video explains and shows how to do it was a much better than what your explanation was.
One major detail that you didn't explain earlier, was to REMOVE the solenoid activation wire from the starter, doing so will eliminate the spike that can back feed through the system and damage the ECU.
One point is that there have been issues with killing the ECU with bad batteries or bad battery cables.
So any of the newer computer controlled equipment you must be very careful with voltage spikes or voltage losses on any wiring.

 

[Tbaldo]

I decided to make a video showing how to test the starter and rule that out, at least you’ll know for sure if that’s what’s at fault or not. I hope you understand my Scottish accent.

I’ll write again what tests to do which helps eliminate the starter.

The first test I want you to do is to test whether power is getting to the starter when you turn the key to start. Now to do this you have to have the tractor configured for starting, so if there is safety switches etc have them all set so it would normally allow the tractor to start. If you don’t do this no power will ever get to the starter.

Remove the switched feed to the starter and connect either a test lamp like I have in the video or use a multimeter. If you get power here this means your problem is more than likely the starter, everything before this point is fine.

Next test is to apply voltage directly to the starter motor. You use a jump lead from the constant 12v feed pole on the starter to the switched feed connector on the starter, you can do this with the ignition off, if the starter cranks the engine then you know the starter is good. If it doesn’t crank the engine then the starter is faulty. If you do this test with the ignition on the tractor might start like it does in the video, I did it both ways just to show, I had to preheat the combustion chamber before showing this.

Like I previously said this test is absolutely fine to do and is perfectly safe, you will not damage anything on the tractor.

That was extremely informative and greatly appreciated. I am not with the tractor at the moment. Hope to run these tests tomorrow. I will let you know the results. Thank you so much.

 

[Wull]

Apply direct voltage to the starter to see if it cranks.

On the starter you will have the connector that comes from the battery, you should also have either a block connector or similar which is the ignition feed to the starter, remove this and use a jumper cable from the direct 12v feed to this switched feed terminal.

I did mention removing the switched feed connector in my previous message, this is it here. To do this test you have to remove it.

Hence why I kept saying this test was absolutely fine to do and safe, no possible way of causing any problems.

Hopefully this test will help you find the problem, at the very least it will help you rule the starter out.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I did mention removing the switched feed connector in my previous message, this is it here. To do this test you have to remove it.

Hence why I kept saying this test was absolutely fine to do and safe, no possible way of causing any problems.

Hopefully this test will help you find the problem, at the very least it will help you rule the starter out.

You do know the chances of it being a bad starter are about a 10,000 : 1.

These tractors almost always get hung up on a PTO, SEAT, or HST Pedal switch.

 

[Wull]

You do know the chances of it being a bad starter are about a 10,000 : 1.

These tractors almost always get hung up on a PTO, SEAT, or HST Pedal switch.

It’s a 1 minute test that rules it out. I’m not saying it’s none of the above and yes I’m fully aware of that, I’m merely saying here’s a simple test to make sure it’s not the starter and a 10 sec test to see whether voltage is actually getting to the starter.

 

[Tbaldo]

It’s a 1 minute test that rules it out. I’m not saying it’s none of the above and yes I’m fully aware of that, I’m merely saying here’s a simple test to make sure it’s not the starter and a 10 sec test to see whether voltage is actually getting to the starter.

Thank you again for your help. The video helped me to test the starter. The problem wasnt the starter. It actually was a bad PTO switch. What is strange is that i have a backhoe on this tractor and have never used the PTO. So we have a bad switch on a tractor with 200 hours and switch was never used. Thanks again for you help.

 

[Wull]

Thank you again for your help. The video helped me to test the starter. The problem wasnt the starter. It actually was a bad PTO switch. What is strange is that i have a backhoe on this tractor and have never used the PTO. So we have a bad switch on a tractor with 200 hours and switch was never used. Thanks again for you help.

glad you got it fixed. No worries, it helps just to narrow it down so you can finally find what’s causing the problem.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Thank you again for your help. The video helped me to test the starter. The problem wasnt the starter. It actually was a bad PTO switch. What is strange is that i have a backhoe on this tractor and have never used the PTO. So we have a bad switch on a tractor with 200 hours and switch was never used. Thanks again for you help.

The safety interlock micro-switches used on the L01s seem to be ummm "less than robust".

Dan