Had just finished mowing and stopped to blow the grass off. Tractor would not restart. When the key was turned to ON, no lights lit on the instrument panel. The continuity of the clutch pedal safety switch checked OK. All fuses on the instrument panel checked OK. The battery tested OK. 12 volts present at the positive battery cable connected to the starter. 12 volts present at the key switch. Less than 1 volt present at red/white wire on key switch when the key was turned to ON. Jumped red and red/white wires on key switch terminals - nothing happened.
L245DT wont start
- Thread starter workmaster58
- Start date
rbargeron
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L5450, L48, L3250, L345 never enough attachments
A quick test - short the positive terminal on the starter directly to the solenoid terminal (be careful, tractor brake set, out of gear, pto in neutral etc etc.) If the starter turns ok there's an open circuit somewhere - usually corroded plug-ins, blown or corroded fuse. (On older rigs the main fuse terminals on the firewall get rusty) If nothing happens with a direct solenoid connection check battery terminals etc for corrosion.
Thanks! Already tried that and nothing happened. Battery checked OK. Battery terminals clean. Will try jumper cable to bypass positive cable from battery to starter. Positive cable looks OK, but is 35 years old.
How did you check the battery? Did you use a VOM or did you have it load tested? If there is a NAPA auto parts near you take it there and have it load tested. This spring I had a battery that tested 12+ volts on a VOM. Took it to O'Riley Auto Parts, Autozone and Advanced Auto to have it load tested. They all said that it passed but by looking at their "load testing machine" I could tell that it was not a true/accurate test. Took it to NAPA and it failed. Took it to where I have got all my batteries for the last 30+ years and it also failed their test, (all they do is batteries). Got a new battery from them and the tractor started.
Try turning the head lights on when you try to start the tractor. It they get very dim, the battery or the cables from the battery to the starter and/or ground can be bad.
Thanks! My brother had battery tested at local parts store (didn't say which one). I'll try a few more things asap and will repost when the true problem is determined.
North Idaho Wolfman
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L3450DT-GST, Woods FEL, B7100 HSD, FEL, 60" SB, 743 Bobcat with V2203, and more
If you jumped the battery post on the starter with the small solenoid post on the starter and got nothing, you have one of there problems, bad battery (you've eliminated that one), bad positive cable or connection, bad negative cable or connection, (jumping the battery directly to the starter positive post and the negative to starter case will test that), or you have a plain old dead starter.
This tractor actually belongs to my brother. I just get to work on it. When he originally told me of the problem, I evidently misunderstood. I thought he said he stopped the tractor to clean it off, and then it wouldn't restart. Today, he said it stopped running by itself just as he was getting ready to shut it off. He then said it wouldn't restart. He said it acted like a dead battery. This may be a different problem entirely. Anyway, let me list everything that has been checked so far: 1) battery was tested (at Advance Auto) and showed about 12.5 volts and 540 cranking amps, 2) jumped battery post on starter to post on solenoid and nothing happened, 3) battery terminals and cable ends on battery were cleaned, 4) ground cable connection was cleaned, 5) battery cable/wire connections at starter were cleaned, 6) connected jumper cable from positive battery terminal to terminal on starter - WHEN THIS WAS DONE THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THEN LIT WHEN THE KEY SWITCH WAS TURNED TO "ON". We then tried to start the tractor, but it cranked VERY slowly. The engine would not crank fast enough to start. There is definitely a problem with the positive battery cable. Then used my truck to try to jump start the tractor. Connected positive jumper cable directly to the starter and grounded the negative cable to the tractor frame. This bypassed the tractor battery and battery cables. The indicator lights lit when the key was turned ON, but the engine would still not crank fast enough to start. I then removed the starter from the engine and connected the jumper cables to it. When the key was turned ON, the starter seemed to spin freely with the pinion gear extending as it should. The starter was reinstalled, the jumper cables were connected again (to starter and ground), but the engine STILL cranked very slowly. The battery will be tested again, we'll get a new positive cable, but the fact the tractor stopped running on it's own is NOT a good sign.
coachgeo
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L225 w/woods Few Mowers & Back Blade, D722 in Motorcycle (Triumph Tiger), LMTV
Check the oil, level, and traces of coolant, check the radiator fluid, if it was low it may have overheated and become tight. Ensure all transmission/hydraulics neutral selected, not engaged and clutch depressed, (once you get the electrical fixed,) how does it go cranking with decompressor?
Edit: coachgeo beat me while I was typing at 2 words per minute
Edit: coachgeo beat me while I was typing at 2 words per minute
Pulling out decompression knob made no difference - still cranked slow. Will check coolant and oil.
rbargeron
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L5450, L48, L3250, L345 never enough attachments
Daren Todd
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Massey Ferguson 1825E, Kubota Z121S, Box blade, Rotary Cutter
Seems like a grounding or poor connection issue. If old cables were still hooked up when you tried to jump it off your truck, the other cables and battery can still be an issue and hamper your results. Before jumping into thinking major issue. First try replacing both cables and make sure you have a good clean ground to frame. If still cranking slow, try a good known battery out of one of your vehicles next. Then go from there 
The (starting) problem turned out to be a bad cable from the battery to the starter. A set of jumper cables used in the trouble shooting process was found to be not much better than the battery cable. That's why my truck wouldn't start the tractor either. I just ASSUMED the jumper cables were OK. Everyone (except me, I guess) knows what happens when you assume something. Anyway, the positive battery cable was replaced and the tractor started fine. No oil was found in the coolant and no coolant was found in the oil. Why the tractor stopped by itself is still a mystery, but it seems to start and run normally now. Thanks guys for all your input in helping to figure this one out.
Don't mean to bring up an old thread but I need answers. Bought a L245DT recently and put less than 20 hours on it and it died. Turned it off for about 30 minutes to load some stuff into the bucket and now it won't start. My question is where the heck is this solenoid that's being mention? Tried looking it up in the parts manual but no luck on the actual location. FYI, previous owners replaced the starter less then 2 years ago. Pictures will help a ton. Thanks.