I was bush-hogging my pasture last weekend, I cut the tractor off to take a break, when I cut the tractor off I noticed the ignition switch was warm but didn’t think much of it. When I came back about 10 minutes later the lights in the dash came on but the tractor would not crank or even turn over, there was a buzzing noise coming from under/behind the steering column, the lights on the dash stopped coming on a few minutes later. Since then I have been trouble shooting the problem, I have replaced the battery (was 7 yrs old), there is 12v on the red wiring to the ignition switch, the 40a fuses at the starter is good. After replacing the battery all lights on the dash started working, but still wouldn’t turn over. I noticed the glow plug light came on for a very short amount of time the first time I turned the ignition switch on, since then the light has not come back on. The dash lights have stopped coming on, It seems that when the lights on the dash stop coming on the flashers don’t work either. I think I have a bad ignition switch…..any suggestions?
L2900 intermittent electrical issue, won’t crank
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Daren Todd
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Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
Have you checked the pin connector for broken or loose spades?
Another thing is the battery cables. May have a bad connection on the ground wire where it attaches to the frame. Could be a bad solder joint under the coating on one of the cables also. Have had some where they looked good and solid but were actually pulled out of the terminal under the coating.
Another thing is the battery cables. May have a bad connection on the ground wire where it attaches to the frame. Could be a bad solder joint under the coating on one of the cables also. Have had some where they looked good and solid but were actually pulled out of the terminal under the coating.
North Idaho Wolfman
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Check the power coming out of the ignition switch! If there is no power out then change the switch out.
If the switch was hot, then most likely its burned up. What happens is connectors get warm, loosen and start arcing. Micro arcing or fretting.
May have to replace switch connector too. Die-electric grease or lithium grease will hep to prevent it from happening again.
May have to replace switch connector too. Die-electric grease or lithium grease will hep to prevent it from happening again.
After further troubleshooting from everyone’s advice, the battery ground appears to be good, mounted between frame and front axle so really hard to tell, but I ran a separate ground to frame with no positive results. Found that there was no power to the starter solenoid (black wire w/ white strip), and this same solenoid wire ohm’ed out good from the starter relay to the solenoid (so not a broken wire issue). There is 12v to the ignition switch (red wire), but the black wire w/ red stripe (goes from ignition switch to starter relay) only has .9 - 1.0 v at starter relay and ignition switch. So I am back to thinking switch is bad. Also, noticed that the dash lights do not come on every time I turn on the ignition switch, leading me to believe more that the ignition switch is the issue…comments?? Thanks for everyone's help!!
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Sounds like the switch. A big clue is that it got warm/hot.
If it would put your mind at ease, then pull the connector from the switch, and crimp up connector pins with labelled leads to the switch. Next ohm the switch to the switch electrical table.
More than likely you will find a connection that is not a pure short or pure open. Or even a cross connection. Since the switch has mechanical parts, something has probably broken or moved inside.
I like to make a copy of the diagram, and then use a highlighter to mark it off as I go.
If it would put your mind at ease, then pull the connector from the switch, and crimp up connector pins with labelled leads to the switch. Next ohm the switch to the switch electrical table.
More than likely you will find a connection that is not a pure short or pure open. Or even a cross connection. Since the switch has mechanical parts, something has probably broken or moved inside.
I like to make a copy of the diagram, and then use a highlighter to mark it off as I go.
Got my new ignition switch and installed...tractor cranked immediately. Thanks for everyone's help!