L2501 Starter will not turn over

[Sparty047]

L2501 with hydro drive purchased 20017.

Glow plug and electric charge lit yesterday morning but engine did not turn over.
Hadn't run it since the weather turned cold here in MidMichigan, so without really thinking I put a charger on the battery while I went about doing other things.

An hour or so later the engine started and I went about business with engine on for perhaps an hour.
Later, I started the tractor to move a downed tree out of the hedgerow to section up.
Engine off about an hour; and then, again, would not turn over.

Checked battery and read 12.77V.
Removed terminals and ground......wire brushed all contact surfaces and coated with dielectric grease.....still wouldn't crank.
Put a jumper vehicle to use. Voltage at battery read the 14.21 V output of my truck's alternator.
Checked voltage available at the starter. It read 14.2 V with jumper and 13.1 V (same as battery terminals) after I removed the jumper cables.

Verified the PTO, Clutch, and Seat down safety switches were all being depressed.
Still, turn the key to "on" and lights are bright and electric charge light is lit.
Turn key to left and glow plug indicator is lit.
Turn key to "start" and can hear the solenoid "click" but the starter motor doesn't turn over.

I pulled and checked the 5amp fuses for the starter relay and glow lamp.

I should mention that as I was reattaching the ground wire earlier, I heard the sounds of electric "arcing."
The first 3-4 times I detached and reattached the ground bolt I heard the arcing sound without being able to "localize" where it originated; and then it stopped.

I claim no expertise whatsoever!

What would be the correct steps to determine if the issue is a short in the starter motor, a failure of one of the safety switches, or a short elsewhere?


Some 18 hours later, at this point of typing up this post, I thought to go out and check the fuses for "main" "key switch" and "key stop."

As I usually do, I stood at the side of the tractor and pushed the clutch pedal in by hand, as I leaned across and turned the key. SOB started right up!!!

So now I've left the engine running. I'll put on my work duds and move the wood to the splitter and up an the porch. Then I'll park and turn the engine off.

But if this happens again my original question remains: "What would be the correct steps to determine if the issue is a short in the starter motor, a failure of one of the safety switches, or a short elsewhere?"

Any thoughts?

And I will post a response if/when this reoccurs and I use your suggestion(s) to figure out this intermittant issue.

Thanks
Stay Safe (yes and being it's a hydrostatic trannie I feel safe starting her up without being in the seat)
Peace/Out

 

[jimh406]

Funny enough mine did the same thing a couple of days ago after sitting for a month or so. I just thought the battery was low and hooked my jump starter on and it started right up. TBD hooking up the connection for a battery tender.

Mine is a 2021 that i got in Feb, so I'm thinking the battery should be fine otherwise.

 

[Roadworthy]

As a general rule, if you turn the key and the lights appear normal but the starter wont engage and you get no solenoid clidk, one of the safeties has not been satisfied. Most common for me is forgetting to depress the clutch. A short in the starter would draw a LOT of current and probably smoke. An open or poor connection is the more likely culprit. Be sure your battery terminals are tight. Be sure your starter mount bolts are tight. Check the big cable between the solenoid and starter. The arc you heard was probably caused by a poor connection in one of the heavier wires.

 

[Pawnee]

Next time it won't crank, measure the voltage at the big high current connection right at the starter motor while attempting to crank.
It will not be 12V as the battery can't maintain that under heavy starting load but it should be greater than 10V while cranking.
If it drops really low then there is a poor connection between the battery and the starter motor.
Could be in either the + or - cable connections from the battery.

 

[DaveFromMi]

Do you hear a solenoid click noise when cranking?

 

[Sparty047]

Thanks for the replies, really appreciated.

Yah know....in medicine there's an old saying about diagnostics, "When you hear hoof beats, think horses not zebras.

I think I was chasing after zebras

Tractor came with the sealed battery....and I think it just needed a good charge!

I left a smart charger on overnight, because even though the terminals read 12.7V after I'd finished using the tractor, and at the starter's lug I read 12.5V; when I first attached the smart charger the display showed the "low charge state" icon.

This morning the charger indicated a full charge state. I could not tell if the battery's built in indicator was green or not (I have some degree of color blindness). At 35 degrees F the starter kicked right over after 2-3 seconds on the glow plug and the engine fired right up!

I checked voltage with alternator running and read a healthy 14.49V.

I plan to do the same as Jimh and place leads for a battery tender to keep aa float charge on the battery.

Again, thanks