L48 won't start

Remster13

New member
May 5, 2016
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Jonestown, Pa
Hello everyone! Thanks in advance for the help. I have a 2007 L48 put a brand new battery in the tractor and have kept it on a battery tender. About 2 months have passed and the tractor would begin ONLY starting if I kept it on the tender while turning the key. Once it was running it would start fine. It has now gotten to the point it will not start at all, tender or no tender. I have 12.7 volts to the stud on the starter, the stud on the alternator, and to the main fuse. I ALSO noticed the passed few weeks I was unable to start the tractor in gear regardless pushing the clutch or not. I used to be able to start it in any gear as long as the clutch was compressed. Not sure where to go from here. Lights and everything work great, I hear the click for the glow plugs go on and off but turning the key passed "on" it acts as if nothing is happening.
 

rentthis

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May 30, 2012
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summerville,sc
Try cleaning your ground wire where it connects to the frame and all other battery connections. A bad ground will cause crazy problems. You might also try jumping the clutch switch. Before you do, be sure the tractor is in neutral to avoid moving if it starts. Another thought is that not all new batteries are good batteries.
 

rbargeron

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Given that there seems to be battery voltage, another thing to check is the small wire connected to the starter. It powers the solenoid and the plug can get corroded and lose contact. Pushing it on and off might improve the connection enough to work. If not, try briefly shorting the small terminal to the big one using a piece of wire or a couple screwdrivers. (carefully - with tractor out of gear etc.) The outcome should show if its the starter or the wiring that's keeping it from starting normally.
 
Last edited:

Tooljunkie

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Battery is junk.i can see that from here. Or the 4 connections are dirty/loose.battery posititive and at starter, battery negative and at frame/engine where it bolts on. A carbon pile load tester will verify condition of battery.

Digital testers do not load test batteries,and dont always give positive results.
 

North Idaho Wolfman

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Pull the battery and have it load tested.
If it tests good then do as rentthis, rbargeron, and Tooljunkie have suggested.