Farm Equipment - L2 header clutch not engaging.

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L2 header clutch not engaging.

Printed From: Unofficial Allis
Category: Allis Chalmers
Forum Name: Farm Equipment
Forum Description: everything about Allis-Chalmers farm equipment
URL: https://www.allischalmers.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=129563
Printed Date: 08 Jun 2025 at 10:52pm
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Topic: L2 header clutch not engaging.

Posted By: wekracer
Subject: L2 header clutch not engaging.
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2016 at 9:57pm

For the last couple days the header clutch has sporadically decided to not engage. It started a couple days ago and I checked all the connections and found a corroded splice. I thought that fixed it and later today I unloaded a hopper and went to engage both clutches and it didn't come on. I turned the switch off and back on and it worked. Next hopper it wouldn't engage again. Is the magnet getting weak. Every time it is after I unload a hopper and it won't come back on. Any help is appreciated.

Replies:

Posted By: ILGLEANER
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2016 at 10:10pm

I have seen them, have one of the holders broke. Have also seen them just full of dust. I blow mine out pretty regularly . If it gets to much dust in there they don't like to work. With the key on and the motor not running, you should be able to hear it click in.

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Education doesn't make you smart, it makes you educated.

Posted By: Adam Stratton
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2016 at 10:23pm

Have you hotwired it to make sure it is getting power and good ground? Does it make a slight grating noise while not engaged? I had one that was set too close and would get hot once then not engage.

Posted By: MACK
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2016 at 10:24pm

Could be bad switch or brush holder. MACK

Posted By: shameless (ne)
Date Posted: 03 Oct 2016 at 11:34pm

start with the switch and go on from there

Posted By: wekracer
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 6:07am

I didn't have time to check it last night as it was going to be the last hopper and the sun was already setting. But the other day it was getting power and I took the cover off the brush holder and it was clean and the brushes looked good. With the key in acc you could hear it clunk and try to engage. That's when I found a butt splice with some frayed wire and thought it was a weak connection. By the time I fixed that it was working again so I went on.

I did just cut 40 acres of flood beans that were nasty. I will try blowing it out and see what happens. It almost has to be either dirt or a weak magnet or something because it will run until I shut it off then just won't come back on after I unload. Thanks for the responses.

Posted By: bradley6874
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 8:02am

We had one doing that drove us nuts we put a little led ligt at the clutch wound up being a bad wire when you touch the world it would work for a while you would move the wire to check for power and you had it with the led in there when it went out you don't touch anything to check just look and ours the light was out

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You can wash the dirt off the body but you can’t wash the farmer out of the heart and soul

Posted By: Lonn
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 8:08am

Bradley can you say it again. I think I understand but am not 100% clear.

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Wink
I am a Russian Bot

Posted By: aras
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 9:37am

There is a built in diode in the brush holder -- is that what you are referring to Bradley?

Posted By: wekracer
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 11:38am

So I guess another question. Do they give much trouble other than a bad wire or do you frequently have to replace magnets or clutch plates just looking for a place to start. I would think if I actually had an electrical problem it would kick out while I was running. Thanks

Posted By: Lynn Marshall
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 12:07pm

Combines that use the glass fuses will occasionally have poor connection where the spring clips hold the fuse in.

Posted By: bradley6874
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 2:08pm

Okay we put an LED light in line with the plug at the clutch if your losing power to the clutch the lights off if the power is on and the clutch doesn't work if the lights on it's something in the clutch not a power wire issue hope that helps hours every time you touch the wire it would work come to find out it was a bad piece of wire and when you been it would make connection when you let go it would be okay for a little while then the clutch would drop

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You can wash the dirt off the body but you can’t wash the farmer out of the heart and soul

Posted By: plummerscarin
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 8:30pm

Ground wire on our M3 was loose

Posted By: MACK
Date Posted: 04 Oct 2016 at 9:41pm

LED light is not a good test light. Only takes less than one volt to light a LED light . A poor connection might light a LED light but won't engage the clutch or turn a fan on or what ever you are testing for. Would be best to use a heavy head light. MACK

Posted By: Joe(OH)
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2016 at 6:45am

Had a similar issue on our old L2. It was a bad ground on the clutch.

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Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

Posted By: wekracer
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2016 at 10:05am

Update. Dad took the clutch apart and cleaned it up and it ran last night without issue. Thanks for the help. Hopefully we won't have any more trouble.