TG1860 - Drilling noise when trying to start

[tractordisaster]

I recently tried to start up my mom's Kubota TG1860, which has been sitting in a carport since she passed. The battery is dead, but the tractor will turn on when the battery is hooked up to a charger. But it just makes a drilling noise when trying to start the ignition.

I'm not mechanically inclined, so I'm just hoping to get a general idea of what might be preventing it from starting.

I have a short video that has the noise it makes here:

http://imgur.com/rG4Yyvv

 

[JimmyJazz]

Try jumping it from your car battery.

 

[tractordisaster]

Try jumping it from your car battery.

The video is actually of the noise it made when trying to do that, unfortunately.

 

[ptplumer]

I would say that the bendix on the starter is hung up This is the gear on the starter that engages the flywheel. If you arent mechanically inclined, seek out a small engine repair shop or your local dealer. Or if you have a local electric motor repair shop (a dying breed), they can probably repair/rebuild the starter, if you can pull the starter.

 

[tractordisaster]

I would say that the bendix on the starter is hung up This is the gear on the starter that engages the flywheel. If you arent mechanically inclined, seek out a small engine repair shop or your local dealer. Or if you have a local electric motor repair shop (a dying breed), they can probably repair/rebuild the starter, if you can pull the starter.

Thank you! I appreciate it.

 

[kubotafreak]

Tap gently the starter with a rubber/plastic mallet. I bet it will unstick for a brief period...

 

[lugbolt]

battery is dead
or
bad connection

those are the most likely causes

 

[lmichael]

Still not getting enough current to fire off the starter. Where are you located?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

ign key OFF,using the car battery...Put the jumper +ve on the starter motor stud, then connect the -ve to tractor frame, see if the engine spins normally.
If it does,corroded cables/terminals,bad battery. Clean and replace. I'd pull battery, bring into house and recharge for at least 1.25 days AFTER it's sat in the house to warm up for at least 4hrs.

 

[lugbolt]

Dead batteries often won't recharge. They might get to no load voltage of 12.6v, but under a load they'll drop back to "nowhere near enough" (below 9v). At that point they are almost always junk UNLESS you have a VERY good (and expensive) charging machine. Even then it's a crap shoot. I have seen this thousands of times from kids toys to lawn mowers to trucks, buses, etc. It is not uncommon at all. Just went through it today with a pair of Motorcraft batteries in my F-250....12.71v no load, then load tested less than 4v. JUNK! Replaced both....all $400 of them (dual batteries-another reason to not own a diesel pickup truck)

Jumper cables don't always work either. They don't make good ones anymore that cost under $200. Most of the parts store stuff is junk. Wal-mart, I don't know how they call them "booster cables"......misleading!

 

[Dave_eng]

Dead batteries often won't recharge. They might get to no load voltage of 12.6v, but under a load they'll drop back to "nowhere near enough" (below 9v). At that point they are almost always junk UNLESS you have a VERY good (and expensive) charging machine. Even then it's a crap shoot. I have seen this thousands of times from kids toys to lawn mowers to trucks, buses, etc. It is not uncommon at all. Just went through it today with a pair of Motorcraft batteries in my F-250....12.71v no load, then load tested less than 4v. JUNK! Replaced both....all $400 of them (dual batteries-another reason to not own a diesel pickup truck)

Jumper cables don't always work either. They don't make good ones anymore that cost under $200. Most of the parts store stuff is junk. Wal-mart, I don't know how they call them "booster cables"......misleading!

Lugbolt
I would be interested in your comments on the modern battery testers. The ones which replaced my favorite, a carbon pole load tester.

Battery conductance testers work by sending a small ac current through the battery, and measuring its electrical resistance; they then use this information along with a mathematical model of the battery to calculate the battery’s performance parameters.

On a few occasions friends have had starting problems, had their battery tested and judged OK but the starting problems continued.

I connect my carbon pile tester to their battery and in seconds the fact that the battery really has no guts left is obvious.

I read that the new testers were developed so the dumbest guy in the shop can use them without blowing up a battery.

I second your comments on booster cables..... junk.

Only half the clamp is energized because their design relies on a rusty spring and rivet to energize the other half of the clamp.

Only good set I have I made from welding cable and welding ground clamps.

Dave

 

[ve9aa]

I second your comments on booster cables..... junk.



Only good set I have I made from welding cable and welding ground clamps.

Dave

I second this. I have a set of booster cables I made from welding wire ~30yrs ago and I'd put them up against any big box store brand new cables any day of the week !

 

[GeoHorn]

Tractordisaster…. are you still following your discussion..?? Have you found the solution..?? Will you tell us…??

I suspect you may be seeing what lugbolt and Dave_eng has referred to…. a shorted dead battery.
REPLACE the battery with a known good one or a new one. I’ll bet that resolves your issue.

I once had a Buick Skylark that did exactly what your situation does… I tried jump-starting it from another vehicle. I tried starting it with a commercial starter-booster/charger. I bought a new starter solenoid. I bought a new starter. I bought new battery and starter cables.

Finally, against my “better judgement” I did what my aircraft mechanic buddy told me… I replaced the battery (which was still fairly new..and which tested “good” …..which is why I never questioned it, especially when jumpered with known good batteries…) ….with a completely different battery…… VOILA!

A battery, once dead, can have ONE CELL sulfated or shorted…and may still “test good”…when in-fact it does not have sufficient CAPACITY to start the vehicle.

 

[tractordisaster]

Tap gently the starter with a rubber/plastic mallet. I bet it will unstick for a brief period...

I gave this a try, and it did result in some slightly different noises, but unfortunately it still would not start. But I appreciate it!

http://imgur.com/a/iAV5yFD

 

[tractordisaster]

Still not getting enough current to fire off the starter. Where are you located?

I am in Southern Oregon.

Tractordisaster…. are you still following your discussion..?? Have you found the solution..?? Will you tell us…??

I suspect you may be seeing what lugbolt and Dave_eng has referred to…. a shorted dead battery.
REPLACE the battery with a known good one or a new one. I’ll bet that resolves your issue.

Apologies! I am packing up my parents house and and getting it ready for the new owners, so I haven't managed to get on my laptop for a few days. Unfortunately, I'm not able to put any time/money into getting the tractor running. I wanted to see if there might be something simple I was missing that would get it running, but it sounds like I'm going to have to try to figure out if it can be sold as-is.

I appreciate everyone's help with this!

 

[lugbolt]

Lugbolt
I would be interested in your comments on the modern battery testers. The ones which replaced my favorite, a carbon pole load tester.

Battery conductance testers work by sending a small ac current through the battery, and measuring its electrical resistance; they then use this information along with a mathematical model of the battery to calculate the battery’s performance parameters.

On a few occasions friends have had starting problems, had their battery tested and judged OK but the starting problems continued.

I connect my carbon pile tester to their battery and in seconds the fact that the battery really has no guts left is obvious.

I read that the new testers were developed so the dumbest guy in the shop can use them without blowing up a battery.

I second your comments on booster cables..... junk.

Only half the clamp is energized because their design relies on a rusty spring and rivet to energize the other half of the clamp.

Only good set I have I made from welding cable and welding ground clamps.

Dave

Dave, I've had mixed results on carbon pile testers. We have one at work, mandated by the manufacturer. When we get a battery that is "in warranty" and questioned, we have to send them the data from the tester, and "usually" it's correct. However, there have been a few times it was wrong.

I still rely on an old "toaster". It actually loads the battery. I also use it on golf cars. We have a discharge unit that is indispensable for testing the entire bank but if you have one bad battery, the rundown box won't show just one, it just shows the pack as 'weak', thus I use the toaster to find the weak one.

ironic we was talking about booster cables. Tractor wouldn't start yesterday, so I had to put them to use. Worst part was lugging 40lb or so of those cables around. Figured if it won't start the tractor at least I can use them to pull it to the shop. Those were the cables I keep in the car. The ones in the truck are 2/0, longer, and about 65 lbs. But I have not had anything yet that they won't jump off. I hate inferior tools!!