ZD331 with starting issues

[skohler]

Over the last month or so, my ZD331 has had intermittent starting issues that seem to be increasing in frequency. I purchased it used with about 640 hours 18 months ago, apart from water in the diesel I've had no issues.

I have always been able to get it started, but I'm not real sure what the problem is. All the lights, glow plug and fuel seem to be working, just no cranking at all.

I will try different things, trying to start it after each change- maybe I'll pull the seat up and sit down a few times to see if the safety switch is faulty. I'll move the drive handles around, move the PTO engage back and fourth. Each one has a safety switch, but none of these movements seems to help.

The thing that more consistently helps is either tapping on the starter with a metal object or rotating the flywheel. Either of these helps more often than anything else.

I'm thinking dead spot on the starter? With a new starter at $400 I don't really want to just start changing things. Is there a positioning sensor on the crankshaft? I don't think it is a bad wire.

Any thoughts?
Steve

 

[IVAN tnst]

When things don't want to start like that I usually look at all the safety switch and disconnect and reconnect them a few times since your ZD has a little bit of hours and seems to had a little water problem you want to make sure that you don't have a bad connection on your circuit done by some oxidation or corrosion on your contact, hopefully they are all easily accessible.

Try this, it saved me a trip to the dealer before.

Good luck

Ivan

 

[Dave_eng]

If you feel you can do this safely, use a jumper wire between the starter solenoid and the battery. If the starter reacts then a relay or safety switch is the culprit.
If the starter does not respond, rather than buying a new one take it to an independent starter/alternator repair shop. Fixing an original equipment starter is usually a good investment.

Dave M7040

 

[skohler]

Thanks guys, I can see some of the safety switches, but wow- some are not going to be fun to play with!

As far as jumping the solenoid, is that jumping the battery to the large post (one with a large wire or two attached)? I think there may be a second, smaller post on the solenoid.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Just go to the starter and locate the large wire that comes from the battery and a small single wire connection on the solenoid and remove the wire (on most it's just a spade terminal that you pull off) jump the large terminal to the small terminal with a piece of wire or a screwdriver or such.