There is a click/clunk sound coming from the starter when I turn on the ignition. Nothing happens. I have checked the battery and it is ok. I have topped up the battery just to make sure.
What to do next?
In 2018 I bought a used ‘87 Compactor-Roller which demonstrated fine…. so I paid the seller and arranged delivery 100 miles to my place.
It arrived next day…started fine again…and unloaded. Two days later… no start. Starter solenoid “clicked” but no rotation of the engine. Battery tested good, but I charged it overnight….and no change.
So I removed the starter ..(pain in the arse…had to hang over the JD engine ane work upside-down and backwards in a tight spot)…. got it to the auto-electric shop who rebuilds starters and alternators….
…and $200 later it was ready.
Same thing….except this time it turned the engine over about a half-stroke….. but no start.
I checked the battery again and it showed 13 volts…even with the lights all on it showed 12.8 volts.
I removed that starter and took it back to the rebuilder….. who replaced the piggy-back solenoid…and said all was now OK….
Upside-down and backwards again…. installed it…. No start.
Called the rebuilder who expressed strong confidence that starter was GOOD.
I used a VOM and tested all cable connections and no problems…. All were clean and tight.
I removed the battery and took it to WalMart who load-tested it “Good”. They gave me a print-out.
On the way home, for good measure, I stopped at NAPA who tested it…showed 13 volts and the guy told me the battery was “no good”….and wanted to sell me a replacement for $180.
When I asked about ”Why it is no good…but shows 13 volts….the NAPA guy said “IT’s a TWELVE VOLT BATTERY! What don’t you understand ?!?!? You callin’ me a liar..??”
(he really went off the deep end….and I decided never again do business with that particular NAPA store)
On the way home I stopped at Interstate Battery….who told me it tested good but they’d let me trade it in for a new one giving me $50 off the new battery.
I said no thank you….. went home….and … NO START.
I even tried JUMPING it from a running Pickup-Truck…but NO START.
Pizzed off now…. I went back to WalMart next day and bought a New Battery anyway…. Figuring I’d put it in the boat if it didn’t solve the problem.
But… PROBLEM SOLVED! ENGINE STARTED IMMEDIATELY! Over and Over and Over-again…. Starts immediately!
I believe that starter was always good and that battery had an internal “short” that only showed up uner a 1000-Amp starting-load…and the testers at the stores simply didn’t put the load on that battery an actual start-attempt of that John Deere 4239 Engine required.
MORAL: Don’t always believe a battery that tests good is any good. Try another battery.
PS: That battery lasted 5 yrs and died, so I bought another WM EverStart, which is still in it and doing great.
