430 (garden tractor) question....won't run now.

[Richard]

Saw some water dripping....so needed a new water pump. Decided to drain/replace the hydraulic fluid at same time. Tore into it today, got it done.

Oh, I might add that to warm up the hydraulic fluid, I went out to cut a couple swaths of grass.....so it WAS working and working fine.

Get done and now, jump on to start and when the lever is released such that the "little clicker" that it pushes against when you start it is released.....the engine stops.

The fuel shutoff solenoid is getting 12 volts but now that I'm typing this, I don't recall if that is when the forward/reverse lever is in the 'start' position or when it's released.

Connection under the seat is intact.


I DID notice a relay next to the fuel shutoff solenoid. I have a relay tester that was given to me so I don't know if it actually works. I put the relay into it and it DID show a fail.... then I saw some wisps of light smoke coming from inside the relay. So if it wasn't toast, it probably is now. I'm getting a new one.

If the relay DID die on me today, does that 5-blade relay control/effect the fuel shutoff solenoid?

Other than the wire under the seat, I didn't touch any wires today so I'm dumbfounded..... also.... the machine starts fine and roars as it should after I got done.....HOWEVER, it will ONLY run when I hold the forward/reverse lever in the 'start' position. Once I let it go, the engine dies. Both blade pto switches are also off.

Any thoughts??

 

[BravoXray]

What year 430 are you working on?
My '91 430 doesn't have a relay anywhere in the shutoff solenoid circuit.
The wires to the seat switch have given me grief in the past, so I eliminated the switch and made a jumper and put it on the connector for the switch.
I attached the wiring diagram, maybe that will help.

 

[Richard]

I don't know the year and don't have the serial number handy.

I'm not well versed in schematics....I can trace a wire but I don't see the relay in the diagram (or don't recognize it if it is there)

So let me approach it this way..... any thoughts on what might be making it cut out when I release the handle from the start position? (the forward/reverse lever)

What's perplexing to me is it has been working 100% fine. I've owned it for two years. Mowed with it this morning to warm things up....then this.

I'm scratching my head, especially since I didn't touch any wiring except for the seat switch. (that and disconnected the battery)

 

[BravoXray]

Did you check the fuses?
One time the wires to the seat switch on my 430 got pinched by the seat suspension and shorted to the seat pan which blew the fuse, which killed the engine. Took me a little while to fugure that one out.

 

[Richard]

Did you check the fuses?

Funny you should ask....

The rest of the story: To answer the question, yes....I had checked the fuses. I was pretty sure this was electrical in nature so pulled out my DMM and checked for continuity to the seat switch, power on the fuel shutoff.... then I thought I'd look closer at the fuses and actually test them rather than visual.

Indeed, the 10 amp fuse was blown. Looked fine but now that it failed the test and you looked closely through the dust layer that was on it you could barely see a brown spot inside.

My industrial backhoe uses similar fuses...so went to its tool box. I had to rummage through probably 20 fuses before I finally found a 10 amp fuse. Put it in and it didn't work. Hmmmm.... tested it and it tested OK. Tried again and didn't work. Probably oxidized contacts..... pulled out wire brush and brushed them off and presto, working fine now.

Went out to cut the field I cut.... and "OMG" this thing is different (recall that I put new hydraulic fluid in, new blades, new coolant.... had to wait for oil so it's next)

Anyway, cutting the field I'm thinking wow, this thing is twitchy on the steering wheel..... maybe I had more air in it before and that was making it spongy (feeling more loose).... I can normally keep a pretty straight line in the field but this was visually a bit wiggly.... also, this thing is FAST.... wow. I don't recall it ripping down the field like this. I almost have to back off the speed a bit lest I go too fast (and the grass was thick so needed to slow down so blades could deal with it)

Then it hit me.... I had to take the range lever off to get the deck off and at one time had fiddled with the range.....BUT, didn't put the lever back on because I was taking the cover off several times and it got annoying having to take the lever off and put back on.

Seems someone (ahem) had left it in high range verses low range which explains why I was scooting along my way.

I gotta say.....this thing really does do a nice job on the grass, especially when you put freshly sharpened blades on it!

 

[BravoXray]

Glad you got it fixed. The fuses aren't in a very easy place to get to, they could have vome up with a better place than they did.
The 430s are great tractors, I bought mine in '93 and have used it for mowing, snow removal and some dirt work with the front blade. It still has only a little over 1000 hours on it, so it's hardly broken in. The 430's do suffer from a poor steering system. Mine has always wandered more than it should, The ends of the steering cylinder were worn some, so I replaced it, which helped some. Adjusting the bolts on the back of the front axle where they move up and down in the guide helped some too, and it's better than it was.
I finally got tired of swapping out the mower deck with the cab, snow blower, chains and weights every spring and fall, and bought a Kubota BX2230 for mowing and dirt work. The 430 is on permanent snow removal duty now. Last fall I pulled the seat pan, side panels and grill off and got them blasted and powder coated and a friend repainted the hood for me. I put on all new decals too, and it looks like brand new now. Pictures of the project and building a new snow blower mount are in this topic under the "Naked 430" thread.
Naked 430

Keep the green side up!

 

[Richard]

Just now went to the thread. Very nice job!

 

[BravoXray]

Just now went to the thread. Very nice job!

Thanks.