Kubota Fuel Shutoff Solenoid Design Problem

[Suburban Plowboy]

I am wondering if anyone else has had problems with fuel shutoff solenoids on Kubota tractors.

A few weeks back, my Kubota L3710 decided to quit shutting off when the key was turned to the OFF position. I figured I had a dead solenoid. I had a hard time getting into the tractor to look at it, so I posted a noob question about removing the side covers. When I finally got access, I saw that the solenoid had a pin on it. The pin is pulled or pushed when the key is turned off ( don't recall which). The pin fits into a sort of hook. The fit is very loose, so the pin can turn 180 degrees if it really wants to. When it does that, it's out of the hook, so the solenoid isn't triggered when the key turns.

The pin on my solenoid was 180 degrees out of position. I turned it and fit it back into the hook. I had a twist tie lying around, so I used that to restrain the pin so it could not rotate out of position again.

My question: am I missing something? It's hard to believe Kubota would create a design this stupid. Is there another part that fell out?

 

[CalG]

Heat shrink works to keep such linkages in place.

 

[s219]

Does the hook thread onto the solenoid rod? If so, there should also be a nut to tighten up against the hook.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

First, sorry I posted this in the wrong area.

The hook is not part of the solenoid assembly. If you check the photo, you will see the hook to the left of the solenoid. It's a whitish piece of plastic. Maybe there is some way to tighten it.

 

[leonz]

I am wondering if anyone else has had problems with fuel shutoff solenoids on Kubota tractors.

A few weeks back, my Kubota L3710 decided to quit shutting off when the key was turned to the OFF position. I figured I had a dead solenoid. I had a hard time getting into the tractor to look at it, so I posted a noob question about removing the side covers. When I finally got access, I saw that the solenoid had a pin on it. The pin is pulled or pushed when the key is turned off ( don't recall which). The pin fits into a sort of hook. The fit is very loose, so the pin can turn 180 degrees if it really wants to. When it does that, it's out of the hook, so the solenoid isn't triggered when the key turns.

The pin on my solenoid was 180 degrees out of position. I turned it and fit it back into the hook. I had a twist tie lying around, so I used that to restrain the pin so it could not rotate out of position again.

My question: am I missing something? It's hard to believe Kubota would create a design this stupid. Is there another part that fell out?

View attachment 572731

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The shut down solenoids dust boot is ripped and you probably have a lot of dirt and debris under the boot.
It may be worth your while to ask the dealer if they have replacement boots and remove the pin and replace it provided the solenoid works correctly after you clean the rod that controls the shut down set up.

The old Kubota steel pull rods they used were much, much, much simpler as nothing went wrong with them.

 

[leonz]

I am wondering if anyone else has had problems with fuel shutoff solenoids on Kubota tractors.

A few weeks back, my Kubota L3710 decided to quit shutting off when the key was turned to the OFF position. I figured I had a dead solenoid. I had a hard time getting into the tractor to look at it, so I posted a noob question about removing the side covers. When I finally got access, I saw that the solenoid had a pin on it. The pin is pulled or pushed when the key is turned off ( don't recall which). The pin fits into a sort of hook. The fit is very loose, so the pin can turn 180 degrees if it really wants to. When it does that, it's out of the hook, so the solenoid isn't triggered when the key turns.

The pin on my solenoid was 180 degrees out of position. I turned it and fit it back into the hook. I had a twist tie lying around, so I used that to restrain the pin so it could not rotate out of position again.

My question: am I missing something? It's hard to believe Kubota would create a design this stupid. Is there another part that fell out?

View attachment 572731

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The cast plastic piece looks very worn. Can you remove it and take pictures of both sides of it and take another picture of the area behind the plastic casting so we have a better idea of the control linkages?

The shut down solenoids dust boot is ripped and you probably have a lot of dirt and debris under the boot.
It may be worth your while to ask the dealer if they have replacement boots and remove the pin and replace it provided the solenoid works correctly after you clean the rod that controls the shut down set up.

The old Kubota steel pull rods they used were much, much, much simpler as nothing went wrong with them.

 

[Suburban Plowboy]

I don't know how hard it would be to get a new boot. The solenoid appears to be about $34, so I have to wonder if Kubota would bother selling a boot for it. There is always duct tape. The soil here can't really form mud, and the tractor is always on grass, pavement, or dead leaves, so there is never a lot of dirt on it.

I don't even know where the dealer is. I have always been cheated at vehicle dealerships, so I try to avoid them when possible. My instincts make me suspect that tractor dealers are cut from the same cloth, but I may be wrong.

The plastic piece may look worn in the photo, but it looks fine from here. The tractor only has 11xx hours.