L4400 wont move cold weather
- Thread starter cmbb
- Start date
Do you feel the transmission engaging? Is it HST or Gear?
Are there any implements on it? I am wondering if they are frozen to the ground.
Are there any implements on it? I am wondering if they are frozen to the ground.
North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
With a geared tractor If you don't get any movement in any gear it's probably a clutch problem.
If it has a wet clutch it's possible that the hydraulic fluid is not getting to where it needs to get to, possibly a dirty filter or water in filter that's frozen.
If it's a dry clutch it might be out of adjustment or burnt and slipping.
If it has a wet clutch it's possible that the hydraulic fluid is not getting to where it needs to get to, possibly a dirty filter or water in filter that's frozen.
If it's a dry clutch it might be out of adjustment or burnt and slipping.
my guess would be clutch problem and perhaps water got into the clutch housing and the clutch is frozen or sticking preventing it from engaging. my kubota manual tells under the service as required section to check for water by pushing on split pin and if water is present to remove the plug and drain the water. of course this can't be checked below freezing. the 30F condition you describe implies water to me.... my 2 cents worth 
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I am having a similar problem with my L3400 HST. The tractor runs perfectly when the temp is above freezing. When below 30 degrees, the tractor starts easily, but stalls when try to move forward or in reverse. (It will slowly inch forward, but if try to give it the gas, it stalls.) Have changed the fuel filter, added winter blend disel and power service (red bottle) with no effect as thought the problem was disel gelling. Any ideas?
Welcome to the forum!
If the fuel were gelling, you wouldn't get it to start. Does it do it only when cold, or even when warmed up? Are you setting the brake? Maybe it's freezing at night.
Wont be a filter problem.
Clutch might be sticking, or the Hi/Lo isn't in gear?
Very strange for a gear drive to act like this?
The tractor runs great when the temp is above 32 degrees. When its 30 degrees or below, warming up the tractor makes no difference, it won't move enough to say so without stalling. Thanks.
Does it just die, as if the cold is affecting a safety switch, or is it laboring and dieing?
How many hours are on it? Has it always done this, or started recently?
The tractor ran great last winter. It has 110 or so hrs on it. Even in cold weather, it starts right up, it just won't move; When I start the tractor, I let it idle to warm up, then step on the forward pedal, and the tractor moves about a few inches, then stalls. If I take my foot off the forward pedal, it does not stall. This is a new problem since the weather has turned cold and I've wanted to use it to plow my driveway. On a warm day, it runs fine. There is no sign of laboring. How would the cold affect a safety switch?
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Northern,
Seat safety switch might be your problem, cold seat won't move easy enough to depress the switch and stay engaged.
Seat safety switch might be your problem, cold seat won't move easy enough to depress the switch and stay engaged.
North Idaho Wolfman
Moderator
Staff member
Lifetime Member
Equipment
L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Regarding the tractor starts but keeps stalling. Michigan. Heavy snow and freezing rain. 2/17/2022.
Yes, it is the safety switch below the seat. Like most people, I tilt the seat up to the steering wheel when stored outside so the seat stays dry. Problem is that it rains and snows on the area below the seat. Would start perfectly. It would move slowly but when the pedal was pushed it stalled. It was sensing that the operator was not sitting on the seat. I thought the fuel was gelling and I put the tractor in the barn overnight with anti-gel and it worked perfectly the next day. Then I stored it outside. A bit more anti-gel. Still no luck. After reading the above posts I cleared the snow from under the seat and put a 100 watt bulb with a trouble lamp over the safety switch and bingo...everything operates fine. Hot tip: Put a garbage bag over the seat and leave the seat down then everything stays dry.
Yes, it is the safety switch below the seat. Like most people, I tilt the seat up to the steering wheel when stored outside so the seat stays dry. Problem is that it rains and snows on the area below the seat. Would start perfectly. It would move slowly but when the pedal was pushed it stalled. It was sensing that the operator was not sitting on the seat. I thought the fuel was gelling and I put the tractor in the barn overnight with anti-gel and it worked perfectly the next day. Then I stored it outside. A bit more anti-gel. Still no luck. After reading the above posts I cleared the snow from under the seat and put a 100 watt bulb with a trouble lamp over the safety switch and bingo...everything operates fine. Hot tip: Put a garbage bag over the seat and leave the seat down then everything stays dry.