TL2300 Questions

[Oss]

I have a dumb question. My dad recently bought a TL2300 Iseki at a great price. It came with several implements and a front end loader, and overall I have to say it seems to be a great little tractor.

First question is the dumb one : How do you engage the 4wd? I figured out how to change from high to low, and from low to an apparent superlow range, but when scraping our drive nothing I have tried engages the front wheels. The lack of any documentation or identifying features does not help matters. My only tractor experience is with an old Ford 3000. Good tractor, and a lot simpler lol.

My other question has to do with starting the tractor. Once started, it runs like a champ. However it is extremely hard to start. I hold the glow plug button for a minute to a minute and a half, but when I flip the switch it grinds for another minute or more before it actually starts. Are the glow plugs bad? If so, are they hard to replace? Expensive?

Well thats alot more than the original dumb question Any help y'all can give is much appreciated though.

 

[case685]

Hi Oss First off, I guess I get to to be first in saying welcome to TBN. This is a great site full of great information. I have both a TL2900 and a TL2100. On both of them the 4wd engage lever is below the gear change levers on the left side closest to the transmission tunnel. Up is 2wd and down is 4wd. To the left of it is the pto speed lever.
The glow plugs from your description probably are not working. On both of my tractors the glow plugs are activated by turning the key to the left and holding it there until the glow plug indicator( this is a resistor coil which sits behind small round window on the dash ) turns bright red. Then the key is turned to the right to start the tractor. On both my tractors the indicator is located on the right side of the dash directly above the ignition. On the TL2100 the glow plugs were shot when I bought the tractor and I had trouble finding replacements. Rainbow Distributors in Hawaii were able to get them for me but they were expensive. Once I got them installed though I was amazed at how well she started. 10 seconds of glow and she starts as soon as I turn her over. My TL2900 takes about 30 seconds to get her started which seems long especially in warm weather. I haven't tested the plugs on it to make sure they are all working. If you want to test yours there are a number of threads dealing with that on this site. Also, 2 of the glowplugs on my engine are behind the injector pump. Not sure if your TL2300 is same setup but I saw a post by an Aussie fella that stated that you can remove these plugs without removing the pump. He was right but it was tight work( still better than messing with the pump though.) Gerry

 

[Oss]

Thanks for the reply, Gerry! Thanks for the welcome also. I was afraid that was the 4wd lever. I'm afraid my Dad may have gotten burned. Any position I put that lever in, the tractor still spins the rear tires and doesn't pull with the fronts. I am afraid to ask how much it would cost to repair the 4wd.
If you don't mind my asking, can you give me a ballpark price for the glow plugs?
If we can get it starting reliably, at least we can use it as a 2wd :s

Thanks again for the help

 

[case685]

Hey Oss My glowplugs ran me $200.00 and change!!!. That doesn't mean yours necessarily will be that much though. Mine were an odd size and were 9 volt, yours hopefuuly are a more commonly used size. You should check them first anyway, that might not be the problem.
As to your 4wd situation one thing you could check if you haven't already is the linkage under the tractor. Maybe its bent or broken. I will have a look inthe manuals I have to see if I can give you an idea how involved it is to get at the internal parts for a closer inspection. Gerry

 

[Kernopelli]

I'm afraid my Dad may have gotten burned. Any position I put that lever in, the tractor still spins the rear tires and doesn't pull with the fronts. I am afraid to ask how much it would cost to repair the 4wd.QUOTE]

I wouldn't get too worried just yet. The problem could be as simple as a missing or broken pin on the front drive shaft ends ( not certain your tractor is set up this way but it's common) or something wrong with the gear selector linkage or shift fork.

 

[yomax4]

Howdi.. I read all this Glow Plug info and am glad I did. My dumb question is, Do I have to heat up the glow plugs every time I start my TA247.? Often even in temps in the teens, I just hit the key and she starts right up. I hope I am not wrecking something in not using the glow plugs.

Thanks.
MM.

 

[leonz]

Howdi.. I read all this Glow Plug info and am glad I did. My dumb question is, Do I have to heat up the glow plugs every time I start my TA247.? Often even in temps in the teens, I just hit the key and she starts right up. I hope I am not wrecking something in not using the glow plugs.

Thanks.
MM.

The glow plugs are cold starting aid for a diesel engine so not to worry, but if the temps are very very low I would engage them until your indicator is hot and then start or in my case simply fire up the salamander and act like a 747-400 is taking off in my driveway and heat up the tractor-works everytime
I have gotten so lazy I bought a generator to run the salamander to avoid tripping the garage circuit breaker, works very well too.

 

[corelokt308win]

Hope I can help here.
I also had glow plug issues. I went to a Kubota dealer with an old glow plug. We found one that fit the same, but was a different voltage. We then found a correct resistor. I put all new Kubota plugs in it, and then put the new resistor in where the old one was, in the dash, it glows. It works fine. I kept the glow plug number, and maybe posted it here a year or so ago.

Regarding your four wheel no-go. Like said, check all the linkages first. Then if needed, remove the covering tube on the front driveshaft. This is done by removing the one bolt holding it to the axle, and loosening the clamp in the center. It then slided in on itself. The front drive shaft has, on each end, a splined sleeve. These sleeves slip up the driveshaft once you remove the retaining clips. Remove the clips, and slide the collars onto the shaft. The driveshaft will drop out.
Removing the driveshaft and taking a tool of some sort, without messing up the splines, try to turn the differential on the front axle. If it turns without turning the wheels, you need an axle or at least part of one. A whole axle is the easiest swap. If it is all tight and right, start looking at the linkages again, and eventually in the transmission if needed, (I hope not for you). These tractors take close to 15 gallons of hydraulic transmission fluid, about $150.00.
PS, keep it out of water, They are NOT water tight like advertised. I swamped mine in a beaver pond several times. Water in the hydraulics, water in the clutch (it has a drain plug), just rebuilt my starter and solenoid due to them freezing up with rust and filth. Between fluids, filters, time and parts, very expensive lesson.