So your tractor won't start?

ShaunRH · Oct 30, 2014

Hello all-

There are a LOT of these no start threads and we all end up typing about the same process out over and over. So, I've put together a flowchart that I'd like everyone to contribute with. Below is my first stab at it and I'd like other mechanical repair gurus here to tear it apart (nicely please!) and help me get it up to snuff for being made into a sticky so we can at least have someplace for someone with starting issues to go that is somewhat comprehensive.

Let me know what you guys think needs to be changed, added, removed, reworded, etc.

Here it is...

olthumpa · Oct 30, 2014

Not a " mechanical repair gurus" but I will add a couple suggestions later.

Stubbyie · Oct 30, 2014

I'm certain it'll get fine-tuned with winter hard-starts coming on, but please be advised "I LIKE IT" and we've needed something like this for a long time.

You get extra credit in the Universal Book of Karma--you know, your permanent record that follows you around forever--for taking the time and thought to provide a truly useful piece of information.

Let's petition Mr. K. to make it a 'sticky' on the Forum.

With a bit of luck and thoughtful input perhaps it'll stay useful and not turn into the flowchart from Hell.

skeets · Oct 30, 2014

You gota work for the gubermint lol

ShaunRH · Oct 30, 2014

Lets just say a lot of my job is waiting for other jobs to finish so it's got some intermittent free time to tackle things like this...

skeets · Oct 30, 2014

Been there done that helped make the T shirt,, just messin with ya

RCW · Oct 30, 2014

Looks great!

Good for you to take it on.

I can see our guys adding more details to attach to your flowchart (maybe with photos) for BX, B, L, etc. tractors. "If you think its a safety switch for B, and want to see where they are" CLICK HERE

As you say, so often its the same issue, and repetition on the responses. But thankfully, you guys always so good to answer the call!

ShaunRH · Nov 4, 2014

Just a Bump to make sure everyone can input other avenues or choices to the list. It's not comprehensive and there may be errors in it so please let me know what I need to add/fix/remove from the flowchart...

jsouth · Nov 4, 2014

my tractor will not turn over when i try starting it. ive been able to resolve this issue at times by playing with the pto lever, but thats not helping now. figuring its a safety switch issue. any thoughts?

jsouth · Nov 4, 2014

jsouth said:
my tractor will not turn over when i try starting it. ive been able to resolve this issue at times by playing with the pto lever, but thats not helping now. figuring its a safety switch issue. The glow light has never worked right. its on most of the time. dont know if that could have anyting to do with it. has anybody else had this problem?

ShaunRH · Nov 4, 2014

Have you tried following the flow chart? Where are you in it and what is or isn't working?

jsouth · Nov 4, 2014

The dash lights come on when i turn the key but the motor dosent crank over. The battery is good. someone told me to check the start switch so ill start with
that.

Stubbyie · Nov 5, 2014

JSouth's start failure is noted as, "The dash lights come on when i turn the key but the motor dosent crank over."

Consider the starter solenoid.

Trying to help you out but this thread primarily pertains to a proposed flow chart. Which needs to be bumped back to top occasionally, as I'm doing here.

The specific non-start issue may need a new thread. Thanks for helping keep the flow chart conversation oriented and focused.

Please post back your continuing experiences so we may all learn.

ShaunRH · Nov 5, 2014

jsouth said:
The dash lights come on when i turn the key but the motor dosent crank over. The battery is good. someone told me to check the start switch so ill start with
that.

Okay, on the flowchart, you need to get a set of jumper cables and jump from the battery positive to the starter positive terminal. If it turns over then you know the starter is good. It's time to test the solenoid go there...

If it does not turn over, you need to hook up the negative cable to the battery and to the starter body, then test the positive terminal again with the positive cable. If the starter turns over you have a bad ground from the battery to the frame. If it does not, the starter is bad.

Solenoid test: Take the positive lead of the jumper cable and touch it to the small wire 'in' side of the solenoid terminal, not the heavy one that leads to the battery! If the solenoid kicks in and the starter turns over, the solenoid is good. If it weakly pulls in, doesn't click or doesn't seem to work correctly, take off the solenoid and bench test it with a meter and a battery or take it in to be tested. You likely have a bad solenoid.

These tests eliminate issues with the solenoid and starter, NOT safety switches or other components.

MadMax31 · Nov 5, 2014

My issue isnt on flowchart. Lights on, plugs hot, new starter installed, cables directly to starter. It just wont turn the engine beyond compression, unless I hit the decompression lever. It spins at a decent clip, drop it back into compression and it stops dead in its tracks. If the battery in my one ton Chevy cant jump it, I dont want it.

Oh, 50-55 degrees outside.

Ill try the Optima in my F150 next. That thing jumped an old Osh Kosh once.

ShaunRH · Nov 5, 2014

MadMax31 said:
My issue isnt on flowchart. Lights on, plugs hot, new starter installed, cables directly to starter. It just wont turn the engine beyond compression, unless I hit the decompression lever. It spins at a decent clip, drop it back into compression and it stops dead in its tracks. If the battery in my one ton Chevy cant jump it, I dont want it.

Oh, 50-55 degrees outside.

Ill try the Optima in my F150 next. That thing jumped an old Osh Kosh once.

I'm sorry, I think I missed something in your posts, namely that it was actually cranking fine but just wouldn't crank under compression.

That's a fairly easy issue group: bad battery/connections, bad starter, or bad solenoid, likely bad battery.

Do the tests I specified before. Will it crank under compression with direct jump from battery to starter? (both leads) If yes, battery = good, starter = good, connections or solenoid suspect. If no, solenoid probably good, connections probably good, battery and starter suspect. Get another known good battery in there and repeat the test. If crank under compression now, then your tractor battery is bad. If not, then starter bad.

If your connections or solenoid are suspect, check the connections first by disconnecting the negative jumper lead from the starter body and battery and trying the test again, if it did crank under compression directly jumped and now doesn't, you have a bad ground from battery to frame. If it still cranks under compression, do the solenoid bench test, checking for resistance on the main battery connection to the starter from the battery lead. When the solenoid is under power, there should be very low resistance on the main side, if you are more than a couple ohms, you need to clean the contacts in the solenoid (if it is that type) or replace it if you cannot repair it, your contacts or coil windings are shot.

This is still a flowchart issue, but using it in a different definition of 'start'.

MadMax31 · Nov 7, 2014

Sorry, kinda rambled.
Starter is new. Im jumping it from a running 1-ton pickup, directly to + lug on starter, to bypass battery and connections, but still allow glow plugs to heat up and ignition switch activate the starter. I have to pull the decompression lever or it will not turn over, after it spins a few cycles I drop it back into compression and it nearly stops dead. I cheated and used either, needed to move it for a gravel delivery.

If anyone can point me to the proper battery, I watched the video where its stated a minimum of 850 cca. Im coming up empty...

ShaunRH · Nov 7, 2014

Okay, so you are direct jumping a new starter and it cannot turn under compression? That sounds like it could be starter binding.

The new starter, if not installed right or if it's mount points are mis-manufactured, will put the starter in at a poor angle, creating additional drag on the starter mechanism. Any additional pressure (like from compression) will bog it down.

I'd pull the starter and make certain all the mount points are flush and that the starter is in alignment with itself, the end caps being on correctly, etc. The starter itself may be poorly made or poorly remanufactured.

Any good starter with a good power source and decent cables (your jumper cables could be too small, corroded or broken as well) should fire your tractor right over under compression. If the engine spins fine without compression, then it's probably not an engine issue.

Just thinking out loud here in text form.

Daren Todd · Nov 7, 2014

MadMax31 said:
Sorry, kinda rambled.
Starter is new. Im jumping it from a running 1-ton pickup, directly to + lug on starter, to bypass battery and connections, but still allow glow plugs to heat up and ignition switch activate the starter. I have to pull the decompression lever or it will not turn over, after it spins a few cycles I drop it back into compression and it nearly stops dead. I cheated and used either, needed to move it for a gravel delivery.

If anyone can point me to the proper battery, I watched the video where its stated a minimum of 850 cca. Im coming up empty...

Auto parts store. Just measure the battery box and dimensions. Then find one with the largest cranking amps to fit in the opening. Had a little dinky thing in mine. Was able to double the size of the battery and still not block air flow to the radiator. Paid a few extra dollars and got the better battery too. The cheaper one had a three year warranty. One i got has a five year warranty. Average battery life in my area is only 4 years max between the heat and humidity

MadMax31 · Nov 16, 2014

Finally got it! Upsized the battery cables with new, cleaned my ground and the 850 cca battery rips it right over. I bet the cables are what was the culprit the whole time.

Thanks!

So your tractor won't start?

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