Kubota BX23S not starting

[gutster13]

Hello,

I have a Kubota BX23S that I used a couple days ago to remove snow. It was working properly with no issues. I went to try and start it today and it would not start. It doesn’t even make an attempt to turn over.

When I turned the key on the battery and Engine Oil Pressure lights turned on but the glow plug and hour meter do not. Also the headlights, turn signals and hazard lights do not work.

I double checked all the fuses multiple times with no luck. I also tested the battery and it had approximately 12.6 volts. When I do try and turn on the lights the voltage does dip a little bit.

Does anyone have any idea what it may be? I tried to check all the connectors and they all seem to be connected and snug. As I mentioned it was working fine two days ago so I can’t imagine mice or another rodent got to it.

Thank you in advance!

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yeesh, a real head scratcher ! It's NOT the primary slow blow fuse...as oil and batt light up.
lights are on a separate fuse from glow plugs......sigh

honestly, pull each fuse, check with ohmmeter,one at a time
I have a fuzzy wiring diagram and there's no logic as to the combination of what doesn't work.
you have +12 to dash as oil /batt work but..

...No hours /gauges sound like it might be a bad ground on the cluster ?

I assume when you turn key on, the gauges don't go up and back to zero ?
I really wish I had a crystal clear diagram I could zoom up.
I gotta think more about this.....

 

[gutster13]

yeesh, a real head scratcher ! It's NOT the primary slow blow fuse...as oil and batt light up.
lights are on a separate fuse from glow plugs......sigh

honestly, pull each fuse, check with ohmmeter,one at a time
I have a fuzzy wiring diagram and there's no logic as to the combination of what doesn't work.
you have +12 to dash as oil /batt work but..

...No hours /gauges sound like it might be a bad ground on the cluster ?

I assume when you turn key on, the gauges don't go up and back to zero ?
I really wish I had a crystal clear diagram I could zoom up.
I gotta think more about this.....

Although I checked each fuse and they looked fine I was just going to go ahead and replace them one by one tomorrow and see if that worked.

When I turn the key the gauges do not go up and back down like they usually do. It’s funny because when I turn the key very slowly to the off position from start the glow plug light will flash on for a millisecond. No clicking or anything else when trying to turn it on.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

My problem is I can't 'see' how nearly everything has failed as they're fed from several fuses.
I know +12 is on the panel but loss of ground would explain no hour meter/gauges.
+12 from panel feed oil pres light then sensor grounds the light.
Any chance water got into it ? But heck I've droned my BX23S for 5 years....
I'd carefully pull the dash connector ( 20 pinner) out,reseat 2-3 times.
dang, process of elimination. I'm still thinking.....

 

[gutster13]

Also

yeesh, a real head scratcher ! It's NOT the primary slow blow fuse...as oil and batt light up.
lights are on a separate fuse from glow plugs......sigh

honestly, pull each fuse, check with ohmmeter,one at a time
I have a fuzzy wiring diagram and there's no logic as to the combination of what doesn't work.
you have +12 to dash as oil /batt work but..

...No hours /gauges sound like it might be a bad ground on the cluster ?

I assume when you turn key on, the gauges don't go up and back to zero ?
I really wish I had a crystal clear diagram I could zoom up.
I gotta think more about this.....

Not sure if this diagram helps too, found it on another post.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

thanks, sadly at 600% can't read the names IN the panel connector.
Normally I can zoom a PDF up and up and up and it's still crystal clear.

 

[DustyRusty]

Behind the battery, you will find another fuse, and that is the one that has blown. It is a larger fuse, and I think it is a 20 or 30-amp fuse. I had the same problem and went crazy looking for it to no avail. It was the dealer service department that told me where to look and sure enough there it was. I have a cab on mine, but I don't believe that there is anything different without the cab.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

Hmm.. if Dusty's referring to the main 'slow blow' fuse, it's a 50 amp. Maybe it's not in properly ? it can't be blown though as 'batt and oil' lights work. If it blows , NO power to anything..except starter mower
I can't tear my tractor apart, currently missing left rear but ASAP I'll look into it.
Still a head scratcher.

 

[jaxs]

Troubleshooting without a meter while using online instructions is the quintessential example of shooting in the dark. The most experienced and best of mechanics rely on meters far more than their eyes for electrical testing. The symptoms described strongly indicate poor contact/connection somewhere between battery posts and main fuse and/or engine block. You can continue to closely look for the bad contact cleaning and tightening as you go or put a volt meter across suspected places starting with post to cable clamp on both battery posts ending at main fuse for positive and engine block for negative. With all light switches and key on there will be a voltage drop across offending connection.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

here's 2 pictures of my BX23S fuses area. The main 50amp fuse is labelled and EASY to get to !!!

 

[Henro]

thanks, sadly at 600% can't read the names IN the panel connector.
Normally I can zoom a PDF up and up and up and it's still crystal clear.

I’m a bit confused by that drawing.

While the lower left notation does say BX23S, the diagram itself shows engine stop solenoids for Bx2680 & BX2380, with no mention of the BX23S.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

that's the same, yet less 'fuzzy' (still BAD ) diagram I've seen for 3-4 years....
BX23s is same family as BX2380 and x26xx uses a different stop solenoid, same wiring...
at least that's my theory....

 

[6869704x4]

Although I checked each fuse and they looked fine I was just going to go ahead and replace them one by one tomorrow and see if that worked.

When I turn the key the gauges do not go up and back down like they usually do. It’s funny because when I turn the key very slowly to the off position from start the glow plug light will flash on for a millisecond. No clicking or anything else when trying to turn it on.

Switch wet? Or is that normal

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yeah, maybe flood the switch with WD40 ? It can't hurt. Spray into key slot, key key several times.
Maybe use hair dryer or compressed air 'under the dash' ????
crazy situation as I've power washed my machine and never had 'oddball' electrical problems.

I sure hope we here ' It's alive' pretty soon and WHAT fixed it !!

 

[gutster13]

yeah, maybe flood the switch with WD40 ? It can't hurt. Spray into key slot, key key several times.
Maybe use hair dryer or compressed air 'under the dash' ????
crazy situation as I've power washed my machine and never had 'oddball' electrical problems.

I sure hope we here ' It's alive' pretty soon and WHAT fixed it !!

Yeah I’m going to try and pull it into the garage tomorrow somehow. Hopefully it can sit overnight and defrost. It’s been in the 20° here so maybe there’s something frozen on it is what I’m hoping.

Bought all new fuses and I’ll test them out and recharge the battery and check all the connections. I checked all the grounds and spoke with Kubota service today. They gave me a few suggestions (center the HST pedal, check ground connections on battery, etc). None worked but I’ll figure it out eventually.

It’s just much easier to do inside vs outside in freezing temps, in the dark with wind whipping in my face.

 

[DustyRusty]

The cold is supposed to break on Thursday of next week, and it is "reported" that it will be in the high 40s. It might be worth the wait. Unless you have another tractor to give the BX a push into the garage, you run the risk of damaging the tractor and whatever you are pushing with. They don't move very easily when they are not running. Now, if you can get a half dozen football players, I'll be that they could move it with ease.

 

[whitetiger]

diagram itself shows engine stop solenoids for Bx2680 & BX2380, with no mention of the BX23S.

The BX23S is a BX2380 with industrial loader-backhoe brackets.

 

[skeets]

Were you pushing snow or blowing snow? Either way check your PTO lever sometimes a little bump will open it and not let it start

 

[GreensvilleJay]

There's more wrong than just 'won't start'. The dash doesn't 'light up' as it should ! Hour meter ,dead, gauges, dead, headlight, blinkers, all dead.
There is something 'weird' going on as the fuses all seem to be good.
I suspect maybe a bad ignition switch.
IF it was 'easy' to remove,(usually unscrew trim ring on top, push switch through hole,disconnect wires ?) I suggest remove it, bring into nice warm house,use hair dryer or leave on register,spray WD40 in the key slot,cycle key a zillion times, test on bench.
BTW... The WSM does show/tell how to test it

new switch is $120 Canadian...
Hay !!! there's a cover for it #070, $11

 

[Henro]

The BX23S is a BX2380 with industrial loader-backhoe brackets.

I found a high resolution diagram at Kubotabooks For the BX2380: