What to do When a Tractor Won't Start

If you've been out using your tractor and all of a sudden it dies and won't restart, or, if you parked the tractor and left it for awhile and now you're back and it won't start, this video is for you. In many cases the fix is real simple. If you call your local dealer and describe the problem he'll say, "it sounds like a problem with a safety switch." That's all very well and good if you know what a safety switch is, what it does, and what it looks like. But, if you've never been around tractors the problem might as well be a piston through a block, you wouldn't begin to know where to look for it or how to fix it. Well, this video, and the ones that I plan to follow it, will try to take the mystery out of safety switches.

On most late model tractors you have at least four safety switches, and this video looks at all of them. You have one under the seat, one on the PTO, one on the transmission shifting mechanism and one on the brake.

Usually, the culprit is the one under the seat (or made into the seat as some of the later model tractors are). If you're storing something behind the seat and it shifts, it may keep the seat from coming down on the switch and the tractor thinks you've fallen off and it won't start. Or, you could have the weight springs set too light, that'll be the subject of a future video.

The other three are under the tractor and to find them you'll need the help of a buddy. First, put a chock block under the tires and remove the keys. He'll set in the seat and move the controls and you'll follow the linkages until you find the safety switches. There could be a limb or rock wedged in there somewhere and that may be keeping the tractor from running.

The first is the PTO. When the power take off is engaged and you get off the seat, the tractor dies. You never want to be off the tractor with the PTO running. Have your buddy move the PTO lever on and off and you should be able to find it. If there's something wedged in there the tractor won't start.

The next safety switch is the one that let's the tractor know when it's in gear so you can't get off the tractor and have it drive over you. On gear drive tractor, the switch could be in the shuttle shift, it could be in the range shift or it could be in the main gear shift. At least one of those has to be in neutral for you to start the tractor. On a hydro there's usually only one shifter for the ranges. This one may take some time to find and it could be mounted internally, in the transmission. If it is inside there'll be two wires running away from it and if one is off then the tractor won't start.

Finally, we have a brake safety switch. It makes sure you don't get off the tractor with it running and the brake not set. Have your friend press down on the brake pedal and engage the emergency brake and watch the linkages. You should be able to find the safety switch.

Learning where these four safety switches are located should help you get back going if there's ever a problem starting your tractor. Many times there's something caught in one of them, but sometimes they just plain fail over time. They're usually to blame when a tractor won't start.

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Видео What to do When a Tractor Won't Start канала Tractor Mike