Tractor (L2501) not starting. Safety tripped?

anstosa

New member

Equipment
L2501HST
Apr 10, 2024
3
1
3
Seattle, WA
I did a stupid and when shutting off the tractor with the brush cutter on it, I let off the clutch before the PTO was fully stopped. Tractor jerked forward a bit and stalled. After that it won't start again. When I try to start it makes no noise at all, can't hear it trying to crank.

Lights with ignition on
PXL_20240410_174544722.jpg


Lights while "starting"
PXL_20240410_174546964.MP.jpg


PTO is in off position, parking break is engaged, clutch pedal fully depressed, fuses are intact, battery is reading over 12.2V

Thanks for the help y'all!
 

TheOldHokie

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Lifetime Member

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L3901/LA525, B7200DT/B1630, G2160/RCK60, G2460/RCK60
Apr 6, 2021
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Myersville, MD
windyridgefarm.us
I did a stupid and when shutting off the tractor with the brush cutter on it, I let off the clutch before the PTO was fully stopped. Tractor jerked forward a bit and stalled. After that it won't start again. When I try to start it makes no noise at all, can't hear it trying to crank.

Lights with ignition on
View attachment 126086

Lights while "starting"
View attachment 126087

PTO is in off position, parking break is engaged, clutch pedal fully depressed, fuses are intact, battery is reading over 12.2V

Thanks for the help y'all!
I have done that. One of the safety interlock switches would be my first thought.

Dan
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
Jun 9, 2013
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Sandpoint, ID
PTO switch is still engaged, HST pedal switch is engaged, or seat switch is engaged or disengaged.
 

Lug66

Active member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
LX2610HSDC, Z422KWT
Jun 7, 2023
116
67
28
SW Michigan
No engine crank safety switches are PTO still engaged or clutch pedal switch engaged (Same as HST pedal not in neutral). Have you tried tapping on the start relay while someone you else tries to start it? Seat switch doesn’t prevent the engine from cranking, it will prevent it from running.
 

Mak65

Active member

Equipment
L2501 HST
Apr 25, 2019
122
90
28
TX
i have the same tractor. This happened to me once, well, not the tractor jerking and stalling. Shut it down after mowing and wouldn’t start. Moved the PTO lever back and forth - nothing. Took can of lube spray w/straw, sprayed some into jacket around cable at PTO lever. Crawled under where cable comes out of jacket and sprayed. Let it sit about 5 minutes. Moved lever several times back and forth and set to disengaged. Fired right up.

Hope it’s this easy of a fix.
 
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lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,203
1,887
113
Mid, South, USA
oftentimes on the HST models, we tend to just move the PTO lever toward the operator expecting the lever to return to "off" on it's own. Sometimes it doesn't and you have to manually move the lever all the way to the rear. It has to be ALL the way back to make contact with the switch. If it won't return on it's own, it's possible that the spring/lever on the side of the transmission is sticking a little-if that's the case just hit it with the penetrating oil and work the PTO lever back and forth a time or two with the engine OFF.

On DT models (gear drive), it's not uncommon to have kicked the pto lever getting off or onto the operator's station which will throw you for a loop as well. Just make sure it's all the way to the off position.

Also on HST models, I have seen/heard a bunch of times where the neutral switch is a little too sensitive and will not fully "sense" neutral. "Usually" wiggling the pedal back and forth slowly while holding the clutch pedal down and holding the key to start will reveal a "sweet spot" where it'll start/run. If that's the case you may be able to adjust the switch just a gnat's hair so that it's not "as" sensitive-although it still needs to work.

Lastly, if all that stuff fails, look at the wiring underneath--ain't unheard of to find wires pulled out of a connector by "trail debris". Sticks, logs, trees, grass, etc.
 
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anstosa

New member

Equipment
L2501HST
Apr 10, 2024
3
1
3
Seattle, WA
Thanks for the insight everyone! Turns out the PTO lever was in the right position, but not tightly enough to push the safety switched. If I manually push the level against the switches, it starts.

After some digging around under the seat, the root cause seems to be the mechanism that engages the PTO does not fully disengage by itself (and therefore doesn't put the necessary tension on the PTO lever to hit the switches)

I can push the mechanism the last half inch by hand to get everything in the right place, but if I engage and disengage the PTO, I'd have to do it again.

Hopefully lube is all it needs!
 
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