DK40SE won't start cuz no neutral ...

[Boulter]

Hi:

So I was playing with my new (to me) plow, making a mess in the field, when I stopped to load some rocks into the bucket. The tractor wouldn't start again.

As the Neutral light would not come on even though I can feel the F-N-R handle (sorry, can't think of the correct name off hand) mechanically drop into neutral, but no neutral light. I surmise that a mechanical linkage, switch, or wire has failed in the safety feature that only allows starting in neutral.

I don't really need help with anything as the machine is still under warranty and the lad at my dealership is due to come by for the 50 hour service anyhow. I have a tentative appointment for Thursday.

Just reporting in. I'll get back to you all with a report when it is fixed.

Boulter

 

[MotorSeven]

Thursday?? Good god man, it's Saturday, you must fix it before then.
My bet is a loose wire.........
Crawl up underneath and look very closely at all the electricial connections. It is very possible that you knocked one loose if a stick/branch/etc caught on the harness. Also, look around the shitfer housing & linkage itself & see if you can spot the wire to the safety cut-off, it may just need to be squeezed at the connector(some from the factory can be a little loose). If you find it, pulll it apart and check the connection treminals, they could be corroded(yes even if the tractor is new), clean and add dielectric grease before re-connecting.

Stupid things: If the PTO is engaged, the tractor will not start. Mine does not have a seat safety(thank goodness), yours should not, but you never know.
I've managed to knock the hyro line off going to the bucket on several occasions. When something suddenly stops working(elec or hydro), there is usally a simple fix.

The sun is coming up.........go take a look ........good luck.....!

RD

 

[Boulter]

Hi:

Full marks to MotorSeven!

I was walkling the dog on the usual run when I thought, what the h*ll I'll crawl under and have a look as suggested. One wire of rather insubstantial heftiness (say 22 gage or thereabouts) was dangling free of it's companion wire in a plastic connector. Unplugged the connector, pushed the wire back into position in the connector, and plugged the connecter back to its mate.
(this isn't real clear: the plastic pieces are carriers for two pairs of spade connectors).

I'm thinking that 22 gage wires don't belong 18 inches above the action, so at some point I'll try to hack a metal plate under there somehow. There was a much larger wiring harness there too, but it had some protective wrap around it.

Thanks for the tip.

Boulter

 

[MotorSeven]

BadaBing!

 

[IslandTractor]

The exposed wiring harness under the operator station of the DK series is a problem. I had an issue with an unplugged connector that took out my 4wd suddenly and while it did not leave me stranded, it did take a while and a number of diagnostic tests to sort out what the problem was. In my case it happened after clearing some brush so it was undoubtedly a stick or bush that yanked the connector. I have not yet really fixed the root cause which is a lack of brush protection on the underneath of the left side of the operator station but a simple grill or metal plate would do the trick.