L3830 Dying.

TR-CLARK

New member

Equipment
L3830 '47 Farmall Cub
Aug 17, 2024
4
1
3
Laurel,MS
Good morning. New member here and I was hoping for some help with my problem. I inherited as far I can tell, a 2012 L3830 two wheel drive with manual transmission. This problem started about a month ago. I can get about 20 min. of bushhogging and the tractor just dies. It will crank right back up and idle all day long but about 60 sec. after I put it in gear it dies. At first I thought it was running out of diesel after I realized the gas gauge is'nt right. So filled 'er up and it seemed like problem solved until this morning and it started all over again. If anyone has an idea I sure would appreciate some help. I'm almost wishing I hadn't sold my old raggedy Massey. At least when it quit I had a pretty good idea what was wrong. Thanks
 

TR-CLARK

New member

Equipment
L3830 '47 Farmall Cub
Aug 17, 2024
4
1
3
Laurel,MS
Yeah. I changed the fuel filter yesterday and now it won't crank at all. The bowl was full if trash so I'm thinking maybe clean out the tank and blow out the lines. Thanks
 

Russell King

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
5,356
1,412
113
Austin, Texas
Yeah. I changed the fuel filter yesterday and now it won't crank at all. The bowl was full if trash so I'm thinking maybe clean out the tank and blow out the lines. Thanks
You have to bleed the air out of the fuel lines on a diesel. Did you do that?
 

TR-CLARK

New member

Equipment
L3830 '47 Farmall Cub
Aug 17, 2024
4
1
3
Laurel,MS
You have to bleed the air out of the fuel lines on a diesel. Did you do that?
Yep bled it according to the manual. A buddy said it almost sounds as if the fuel system unprimed. Not sure yet about the best way reprime it. I 'm not the most knowledgeable about diesel engines. Thanks
 

Russell King

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L185F, Modern Ag Competitor 4’ shredder, Rhino tiller, rear dirt scoop
Jun 17, 2012
5,356
1,412
113
Austin, Texas
I would assume that the fuel system needs to be drained and cleaned out. But since you say it idles that could be something else.

But if the tractor has any safety switches or control modules that could be the problem since it will idle.

Please elaborate on how it dies. Does it stop immediately like you turned off the tractor or does it sort of act like it is out of fuel.

But to get it started again is the first objective. Since you say there was “crud” I think you need to drain and clean the fuel system. I would suggest you start by taking the fuel line off at the injection pump and see if you have good full fuel flow there. Then crank the engine and see if it changes- there may be some mechanical or electrical lift pump if the fuel tank is down low. If you have good flow then bleed it again really well. If you have poor flow then figure out what is causing that.

These threads shows several different problems

 

TR-CLARK

New member

Equipment
L3830 '47 Farmall Cub
Aug 17, 2024
4
1
3
Laurel,MS
Well, my problem was the stupid safety switch under the seat. Somehow there was a bad spot in the rotation of the little arm thingy, that would move, so the times the tractor went dead would be inconsistent and drive me crazy. At least now I have a clean fuel system. Thank you to everyone who posted and tried to help me.
 
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