BX2230 Non Starting Frustration

[Gdefosset]

Looking for any suggestions. Turn key dash lights come on no start. Did some testing to with test light and voltmeter. With Ignition switch in run position no power to black white wire starter. Disconnected ignition switch and bypassed got 13.4 volts at starter but starter did not engage. Replaced starter and ignition switch same result. Replaced ground from battery. Replaced timer relay. Checked safety switches in the chain, power was flowing though them all from what i could tell. running a wire from the battery directly to the starter contact resulted in clicking the gear in to place so that’s something. Had battery tested they said it was good. So for some reason power doesn’t get through the ignition switch. is There a safety switch attached to the brake? I couldn’t find one but I know the brake has to be engaged to start. I found 2 under the seat 2 underneath right and one underneath left but none seem to be tied to the brake so don’t know if that is it? This Thing has me at a loss.

 

[Russell King]

I would assume from the statements you make and the parts replaced so far that you have a bad safety switch that will not let power get to the starter solenoid.

I am not sure what you mean about bypassing the key switch and getting 13.4 volts at the starter. Please explain in more detail. Where on the starter did you measure the voltage? Was it the trigger wire to the solenoid or was it the larger wire from the battery on the starter. If you apply voltage directly to the spade connector on the solenoid then the starter should spin the engine. Be careful if you try to apply power this way since it is somewhat dangerous since the tractor could move.

You need to see if you have voltage from the key switch in the crack position to the solenoid wire which is probably a black wire with white stripe.

Get your battery load tested. This will prove that it is not the problem.

Clean the battery cables at both ends and make sure that they are good cables that are not corroded inside the insulation by bending them and seeing how they feel.

You can hold the key into the start position and then move anything with a safety switch one at a time and see if it cranks. I assume you have a safety switch on the hydrostatic pedal and the PTO lever. The clutch pedal has one for sure if you have a clutch pedal. I don’t think there would be a safety switch on a brake pedal. There is a safety switch on the seat to make sure that there is an operator in the seat. That’s all I can think of but there may be others

 

[Gdefosset]

I would assume from the statements you make and the parts replaced so far that you have a bad safety switch that will not let power get to the starter solenoid.

I am not sure what you mean about bypassing the key switch and getting 13.4 volts at the starter. Please explain in more detail. Where on the starter did you measure the voltage? Was it the trigger wire to the solenoid or was it the larger wire from the battery on the starter. If you apply voltage directly to the spade connector on the solenoid then the starter should spin the engine. Be careful if you try to apply power this way since it is somewhat dangerous since the tractor could move.

You need to see if you have voltage from the key switch in the crack position to the solenoid wire which is probably a black wire with white stripe.

Get your battery load tested. This will prove that it is not the problem.

Clean the battery cables at both ends and make sure that they are good cables that are not corroded inside the insulation by bending them and seeing how they feel.

You can hold the key into the start position and then move anything with a safety switch one at a time and see if it cranks. I assume you have a safety switch on the hydrostatic pedal and the PTO lever. The clutch pedal has one for sure if you have a clutch pedal. I don’t think there would be a safety switch on a brake pedal. There is a safety switch on the seat to make sure that there is an operator in the seat. That’s all I can think of but there may be others

Yes black wire with white stripe is the one I measured. It does not get voltage when key is turned to start. It does get voltage if I bypass the ignition switch, jumper red to black with white stripe in the harness, if I clip it back in and leave the jumper it still doesn’t engage the starter. I had the battery tested but I’m not certain they did a load test, had one at advanced auto parts they connected it to a hand held machine and it reported good. I kinda suspected the battery maybe I’ll take to a different parts store.

 

[Russell King]

Ok thank you for the explanation. You can also take the starter off and have it tested if you want to but if it is new i would not worry about it.

Have you tried a different battery or using jumper cables from a good battery?

What you described points to something wrong with the battery or the safety switches. If you applied 13.4 volts to the solenoid spade and the power from the battery was good it should have spun the engine.

Not getting the voltage through the key switch points to a safety switch blocking the power to the solenoid.

 

[JeremyBX2200]

I had a frustrating issue with my BX2200. Previous owner had replaced the starter a number of times and it would only work part of the time. Using a small piece of wire to jump the starter would start the tractor every time.

I found that over time/years resistance had built up through the safety switches etc and I had too big of a voltage drop to activate the solenoid on the starter. This is not an uncommon issues for theses older tractors. JD (and other manufacturers) make an external relay kit to address this. I put one on mine and have not had an issue since.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

If I was in Vegas, my money would be put squarely on "safety switch problem"

Turn key to start position and gently move all things that have a safety switch like HST pedal, pto, seat....etc

If it "hits' then further investigation to said switch is in order.

I suppose you could just jumper each one and turn the key too.

 

[Gdefosset]

I have tried jumping from big terminal to small terminal on starter to at least start so I can cut my grass, but to no avail. Does this point to a battery or battery cable issue? Or could it be related to fuel pump?

 

[Russell King]

I have tried jumping from big terminal to small terminal on starter to at least start so I can cut my grass, but to no avail. Does this point to a battery or battery cable issue? Or could it be related to fuel pump?

What does “start” mean?

Won’t turn the engine over = battery or cables or solenoid or starter

Will spin eng but not fire off and run = not the list above, possibly fuel pump

 

[Gdefosset]

Thanks for all the help. After 2 weeks finally got it started. Had already called service dept to schedule work, figured i would change out the positive cable as I had done the ground so I went ahead and did that , put it all back together to have ready for pickup decided to go ahead and give it a shot, to my surprise it started right away lights worked everything came to life. Unless it was a fluke and I just bumped something while changing out the positive battery cable, it looks like that was the problem.

 

[Russell King]

Great news

Thank you for sharing the final results.