L3130 engine randomly cuts out

tick magnet

New member
This tractor has about 1900 hours and starts and runs fine. Fuel filter recently replaced and fuel regularly conditioned with Diesel 911. My fuel is pumped into the tractor through a filter and water separator on the fuel barrel. However, the engine randomly cuts out. When I turn the ignition to restart as long as I hearing the 'click' when the switch engages the engine starts fine and purrs like a kitten. If there is no 'click' sound it cranks and won't start. Often when it stalls I will hear the 'clicking' sound. Tractor is not low on fuel when this happens. It seems like an electrical issue that cuts off the fuel supply. Not sure if it's a bad ignition switch or something else.........thoughts??????
 

bczoom

Senior Member
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Sounds like your fuel solenoid (that's the clicking noise you should be hearing). They're about $25 on Amazon or Ebay.
I don't know where it is exactly on your model but it should be easy to find. (Listen for the location of the click).
 

Doc

Admin
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Sounds like your fuel solenoid (that's the clicking noise you should be hearing). They're about $25 on Amazon or Ebay.
I don't know where it is exactly on your model but it should be easy to find. (Listen for the location of the click).
Good thought on this Brian. :tiphat: Especially since it randomly cuts out.
 

tick magnet

New member
Ordered the fuel solenoid on Amazon over a month ago and it finally arrived. Since today was warmer and sunny I swapped it for the original. So far so good..........Kubota wanted $180 or so through a dealer website so I ordered a generic one from Amazon but it was still $100 but I can return it if my problem isn't cured. Repair was easy enough just some gymnastics to reach around other parts and hoses, maybe 30 minutes at most. It only cranked at first, no clicking sound, but this was cured by pushing the modular wiring connector a little harder until it clicked into place. Thanks, men, for the guidance and advice.
 

tick magnet

New member
Ok, fuel solenoid replaced but did not cure problem. Safety switch on seat not working so I replaced that, problem still occurring. Buddy checked some things and we thought it was a bad neutral switch on the transmission..........replaced but problem not cured. Something, somewhere is defective or theirs a short or a bad ground perhaps but I still have the issue of the fuel solenoid clicking on/off intermittently. Tractor purrs like a kitten until this happens.......arghh, any ideas out on the internet......?
 

Fedup

Member
I'm not really surprised that replacing the stop solenoid didn't cure the problem. Maybe I missed it (or maybe you missed mentioning it) in your troubleshooting description. The part where you confirmed that 12 volts were indeed present at the solenoid even when it failed to energize

I ran into a similar situation on an L5450 last summer. Erratic signal to stop solenoid. It would come and go at will for no apparent reason. With nothing unusual happening with warning lights or gauges, I assumed it was an issue related to the operator aggravation circuit, and not with the ignition or accessory circuits. Not having any wiring diagrams to trace all the possibles (and there are many), I started looking at harnesses. The engine harness enters the cab in the area near the clutch pedal. After opening up that and one coming down from the dash area I was able to locate a wire that was "hot" with both key switch "on" and in "start". A little creative splice job, the problem went away, and has not returned.

Safety Sam didn't see it, and I didn't tell him. To those who feel the need to keep all circuits as they came from factory, this probably would not be your preferred solution. I understand that, but hey, we all have to make choices in this world. How much time, effort and expense have you spent so far and yet still have the problem?
 

tick magnet

New member
Ok, since I ran out of skill and options, it was necessary to send the tractor to the dealer where I bought it. Problem turned out to be the operator presence controller, which I have yet to locate on the wiring diagram but am told it's behind the dash. Anyway, labor was twice what the parts cost. But, Mrs. Kubota is home and running well.
 

Doc

Admin
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
I've never heard of an "Operator Presence Controller". Sounds much like the seat safety switch but it in the dash. WTH. Crazy.
Congrats on having your baby back in action. :tiphat:
 
Top