L3400HST engine dies

[Bill Hammo]

Hi, I have a model L3400HST-1F tractor, purchased in 2011. Never had any problems. Recently tried to start after it had been sitting for approximately 1 month. Started find. When I tried to move forward or back, and step on the gas it stalls. When I try to engage the PTO it stalls. I hear a click when the engine cuts out. The loader and 3-point work fine. Any help about where to start to fix is greatly appreciated. I do not have any manuals and have not fixed anything in about 10 years
Thanks
Bill

 

[bmblank]

The parking brake isn't on, is it? I know some tractors will power through it, but mine will kill the engine every time.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[85Hokie]

Hi, I have a model L3400HST-1F tractor, purchased in 2011. Never had any problems. Recently tried to start after it had been sitting for approximately 1 month. Started find. When I tried to move forward or back, and step on the gas it stalls. When I try to engage the PTO it stalls. I hear a click when the engine cuts out. The loader and 3-point work fine. Any help about where to start to fix is greatly appreciated. I do not have any manuals and have not fixed anything in about 10 years
Thanks
Bill

Bill,

sounds like a safety switch is out of whack - look carefully under your seat and check to see that ALL the switches are engaged when you put pressure on the seat. Sitting there for that month, several things could have happened, mice could have cut some wires - or the switch has moved slightly when you got on it.

 

[Bill Hammo]

Thanks,
I will try as soon as I get home from work. Hoping it is just a switch, I have lots of work to do with this tractor (don't we all) I'll let you know what I find out

 

[Bill Hammo]

I can power through the parking brake, in fact I don't think I have any park brake left

 

[ShaunRH]

I can power through the parking brake, in fact I don't think I have any park brake left

LOL! Ouch! A few threads on that topic...

Are you able to bring the engine RPM's up? If you get them up and it still stalls out, that's an interesting issue. Sounds like something might be up with the HST. I am not an expert on those critters at all but if it stalls out under power, some kind of serious binding might be going on there.

You also might try to shift it in and out of 4WD.

 

[Bill Hammo]

Thanks ShaunRH, I can get the RPM up and it still stalls. I tried to take it out of 4WD but could not, the knob under the seat turns but I can't seem to pull or push it in or out. I can get the tractor to go about 6 inches before it stalls, so I aimed it down hill and it rolled about 10 feet before it stopped on a level spot.
Still not home so can't work on it, this is what I did yesterday
Thanks

 

[CaveCreekRay]

Bill,

I think you are a victim of "safety." If it saves just one of the "chidren!" (Sniff)

I'd bet a box of donuts something went goofy with your seat safety switch, as Hokie has mentioned. The fact that you can start OK is telling me the HST pedal switches are not out of whack. (They are dorked if you just get starter "clatter" and no tunrover.) The safety logic is simple: You can start up and rev the motor but, once you push the HST pedal and engage the safety switch there at the pedal, it also runs at that point through the seat switch. Some seats have two switches and some have one with a double contact inside the switch. By not sensing weight on the seat correctly, it attempts to "save the chidren" by turning off your fuel solenoid.

Check the switches, their continuity, and the wiring as far down as you can follow it. For giggles, you might want to try bypassing the switch (shorting the wires to simulate a closed switch) and see if that solves the problem.

Good luck and for God's sake, be safe out there!!!

 

[ShaunRH]

That would be a definitional difference between stall and cut off. If it acts like it tries to power on then bogs, that's probably something up with the transmission. If it suddenly cuts off, then I'm all on board with the safety switch issue. I guess the click sound is the tattle tale there (fuel solenoid cut off).

 

[Bill Hammo]

Thank You Gentlemen, I am pretty sure its the switch, it does not bog before cutting out. I get off work here in a few minutes and will go right home to see if I can fix the problem.
Safety? I thought that was what the park brake was for, that's why I always drive with it on, to be safe. I'll let you know how it turns out
Thanks again

 

[Bill Hammo]

Thanks you all for guiding me to the solution. Ultimately I'm pretty sure it was the safety switch, although I can not take any credit for fixing anything. When I got home I immediately lifted the seat to check things out. I could not find anything so I put the seat back down and started it up. Just for kicks I sat down and tried to move. Voila, the tractor worked fine, no engine cut-out.
Thanks again
Bill