B3200 Won't Crank - HST safety switch not engaging

[Shennie Orange]

Hello all - first post after lurking for quite a while. Thought I'd dip my toe with something that is hopefully straightforward.

My son was mowing the yard while I was away for a few months on work assignment. I got a call that, after parking it, the tractor wouldn't start. Summer was hot and grass wasn't growing so I figured it could wait until I got home. When I did, no amount of jiggering of HST pedals, PTO, seat switch would get it to run. So I sat on it amid a heavy work load through the winter. Now, back at it, I have been able to get the starter to turn when I short the starter but it doesn't seem like it's getting fuel. Possibly been sitting too long and maybe I need to bleed the injectors (not the first time, twice had kids get water in the tank).

While checking all the safety switches I could find (seat, mid-PTO, rear-PTO, HST pedal) I found that the HST pedal safety switch does not seem to be making contact with the rod that extends when the pedal is in neutral. Like many others it's been having a tough time finding neutral with increasing frequency over the last year. Here are my two questions?

1. Is the HST pedal safety switch supposed to be at an angle (slightly offset) to the actuating pin that extends when the HST pedal is in neutral?
2. Do I need to bleed the injector and the lines after it's been sitting for 6 months? I don't see any smoke when I turn it over and it sounds dry as it's turning.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

1. If the switch is not being engaged by the linkage then something is out of adjustment, bent, or broken.
A picture of it might help solve the delemia.

2. If you were just jump starting the solenoid on the starter, was the key in the run position? But then again the OPC system would be seeing open safety switches so it would not let the Fuel Stop solenoid open.
So no very unlikely you need to bleed it, you just need to fix the safety switches.

 

[Shennie Orange]

1. If the switch is not being engaged by the linkage then something is out of adjustment, bent, or broken.
A picture of it might help solve the delemia.

2. If you were just jump starting the solenoid on the starter, was the key in the run position? But then again the OPC system would be seeing open safety switches so it would not let the Fuel Stop solenoid open.
So no very unlikely you need to bleed it, you just need to fix the safety switches.

I will upload pics in the morning - any help knowing what it is supposed to look like will help me figure out what to bend back. It's a tight fit under there with the mower deck mounted but I can start disassembling covers to get to it as needed.

As for the OPC, that's kind of what I thought. Back to the safety switches then - it's at least a relief that the starter works

 

[Shennie Orange]

I will upload pics in the morning - any help knowing what it is supposed to look like will help me figure out what to bend back. It's a tight fit under there with the mower deck mounted but I can start disassembling covers to get to it as needed.

As for the OPC, that's kind of what I thought. Back to the safety switches then - it's at least a relief that the starter works

As you can see, hopefully, the actuator pin and housing are now behind the safety switch so that when the actuator pin is extended when the HST pedal is in the neutral position, it hits nothing but air. I'm not sure which element is bent or how to bend it back until they two meet again.

 

[Shennie Orange]

Here's another shot a bit wider.

Seeing the photo where my head wouldn't fit, it appears the bracket that holds the switch has bent. I'd love to know what part that is, if it can be fixed or if I should order a new one, and how to bypass this switch such that I can get the tractor running in the meantime.

 

[Jim L.]

Referring to the last picture, the two nuts allow the switch to be positioned forward or backward. That would be the quickest before bending or replacing the bracket.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Loosen the one of the nuts to remove the switch from the slot, then bend the outside of the bracket towards the pin this will align it and bring it closer to engage the switch, it's not supposed to be at a 90degree angle, it should still be a little off from square.
Reinstall the switch and adjust nuts to engage the switch.

The bypass would be to disconnect the connector and on the tractor side short the two wires together.

 

[Shennie Orange]

Thank you all very much. I will give these a try in the morning and will report back what happens.

 

[Fastball714]

I have a B3300 and here's what mine looks like.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have a B3300 and here's what mine looks like. View attachment 100612

Thanks for that pic!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

So based on Fastball714 pic, your switch and bracket are fine.
It looks like this linkage (#150) is missing?
Or maybe the return spring (#120) is broken or off of lever (#20)

 

[Shennie Orange]

That could be the case, Wolfman. I will crawl under there later today as I've got a cracked windshield on my primary driver that needs attention. When it rains it pours...

Also, thanks Fastball714 for the pic. That helps a lot. I'm still not sure how I have a 3/8" offset where yours meets dead on, tip to tip. My guess is that the HST pedal began to stick and the answer became jamming one's foot on it to loosen it back up. Maybe that had enough force to bend the bracket a bit?

 

[Dunslandloy]

That could be the case, Wolfman. I will crawl under there later today as I've got a cracked windshield on my primary driver that needs attention. When it rains it pours...

Also, thanks Fastball714 for the pic. That helps a lot. I'm still not sure how I have a 3/8" offset where yours meets dead on, tip to tip. My guess is that the HST pedal began to stick and the answer became jamming one's foot on it to loosen it back up. Maybe that had enough force to bend the bracket a bit?

There's a grease fitting underneath the step platform on the HST pedal pivot, close to tractor, sometimes hard to see. If you have a sticky pedal, pump grease into it while rocking the pedal forward/backward. Engine off of course!

 

[Shennie Orange]

So I finally got it up and running and now it starts like a champ. The safety switch for the neutral position on the HST was definitely the culprit and wedging two thin flat rocks allows the switch to be pushed by the rod as it extends. After we relocate the tractor for the summer, we will attempt to fix the bent safety switch assembly and realign it with the actuator from the HST. Thank you for all your help - I now have a running tractor again.