My L2350 will not turn over when I turn the ignition key it clicks. I am assuming it is the starter. What is the best approach? Rebuild or replace if the starter is the problem. It clicks but does not turn over.
Will not crank?
- Thread starter NOLES
- Start date
First thing I'd check is the tightness of the battery cables, then the battery. If it turns out to be a starter, it's WAY cheaper to get it rebuilt. I had hundreds of them rebuilt when I was a diesel mechanic in the military for $40-$100 depending on the application.
Be sure to check the ground cable where it attaches to the tractor frame. Remove and clean the metal on the frame and shine the end of the cable where the bolt goes through.
Take the battery to a shop and have it load tested. If the battery is good clean the terminals and the wire connectors which attach to it. Be sure they're TIGHT when you reinstall them. Check for corrosion and cable integrity at these connectors. Follow the ground cable and be sure its connection to the body or frame of the tractor is clean and tight. Your starter probably is connected to a solenoid which may or may not be separate from the starter. If the solenoid fails the starter will not get power.
Yes I would 100% check the battery first, given it can cause the same exact issue as you are describing.
One thing you can also do is take a multimeter and check the battery yourself. While not a super accurate test, checking the voltage you get on the terminals can be a clue. If you are sagging under 12v for example then you know you have a battery problem. turn the key to ON and turn the lights on - check the voltage drop on battery when lights are turned on. Leave the lights on for 2-3 minutes then turn them off and check the battery again. Youre looking for voltage to stay up over 12v and to see if it sags. Its just a simple little test you can do to maybe get some clues. If you are seeing lots of sags under 12v during all this then you know you likely have a dead battery.
If battery appears ok, and all ur connections are good, then id look at starter.
One thing you can also do is take a multimeter and check the battery yourself. While not a super accurate test, checking the voltage you get on the terminals can be a clue. If you are sagging under 12v for example then you know you have a battery problem. turn the key to ON and turn the lights on - check the voltage drop on battery when lights are turned on. Leave the lights on for 2-3 minutes then turn them off and check the battery again. Youre looking for voltage to stay up over 12v and to see if it sags. Its just a simple little test you can do to maybe get some clues. If you are seeing lots of sags under 12v during all this then you know you likely have a dead battery.
If battery appears ok, and all ur connections are good, then id look at starter.
What you describe is also a symptom of a safety interlock circuit problem, which is not uncommon. All the other possibilities mentioned above could also be the issue.
You could eliminate things other than the safety circuit if you bypassed the starting solenoid but this can be very dangerous, especially with a gear tractor, that could be left in gear and will start moving immediately. I suppose doing this would not be recommended.
If you have a voltmeter you could measure the voltage on the terminal on the starter where the voltage that activates the solenoid is connected. You will likely find it drops pretty low when the key is turned to start, and the solenoid clicks. But this only indicates a possibility, as the voltage everywhere could be doing the same thing at that point.
If you see the voltage dropping at the solenoid safety circuit terminal, the next check would be to check the battery voltage where the large lead attaches to the starter solenoid, and see if it is also dropping when the key is turned to the start position. If it is also dropping the problem is one of the things mentioned above and likely not the safety circuit. IF the battery stays up when the starter clicks, the problem is likely the safety circuit.
If it turns out to be the safety circuit, which is not uncommon apparently, there is a solution involving using a relay between the safety circuit and the starter solenoid. But that is something to worry about after you isolate the reason for the problem you are having.
You could eliminate things other than the safety circuit if you bypassed the starting solenoid but this can be very dangerous, especially with a gear tractor, that could be left in gear and will start moving immediately. I suppose doing this would not be recommended.
If you have a voltmeter you could measure the voltage on the terminal on the starter where the voltage that activates the solenoid is connected. You will likely find it drops pretty low when the key is turned to start, and the solenoid clicks. But this only indicates a possibility, as the voltage everywhere could be doing the same thing at that point.
If you see the voltage dropping at the solenoid safety circuit terminal, the next check would be to check the battery voltage where the large lead attaches to the starter solenoid, and see if it is also dropping when the key is turned to the start position. If it is also dropping the problem is one of the things mentioned above and likely not the safety circuit. IF the battery stays up when the starter clicks, the problem is likely the safety circuit.
If it turns out to be the safety circuit, which is not uncommon apparently, there is a solution involving using a relay between the safety circuit and the starter solenoid. But that is something to worry about after you isolate the reason for the problem you are having.
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There is no seat safety switch, just PTO and clutch pedal.
If the starter is making a loud click noise and nothing else is happening you're very well looking at a starter that is fried.
To verify this, make sure the tractor is in neutral, set the brakes remove the solenoid wire off the starter traminal then jump from the large battery connection terminal to the solenoid terminal, if you get the same click and nothing dead starter, if you get it to crank, then something else before it is causing the issue.
If the starter is making a loud click noise and nothing else is happening you're very well looking at a starter that is fried.
To verify this, make sure the tractor is in neutral, set the brakes remove the solenoid wire off the starter traminal then jump from the large battery connection terminal to the solenoid terminal, if you get the same click and nothing dead starter, if you get it to crank, then something else before it is causing the issue.
After many years of use, I had this same problem on my old JD750 tractor. After checking everything mentioned above, the problem was in the actual starter/solenoid combo. The clicking you hear is actually the solenoid relay contacts picking up when you turn the key. In my case the internal contacts had become so worn that they were not "making" good enough to allow the starter to engage and turn the crank.
As a temporary fix, I added an external starter solenoid in parallel with the original solenoid integral on the starter. Since I was the only one who used the tractor the new solenoid was energized through the key switch only. However, back then (1990's?) I was able to buy a new set of contacts for the starter solenoid and rebuild the original with the safety switches still intact. The alternate solenoid is still in place but with the key switch wire to it removed. Ready to be put back into service if needed again.
If you're very careful and know what you're doing, it's easy to locate the problem whether it's in the battery, safety switches, starter solenoid or the actual starter motor itself with a pair of jumper cables and a volt meter.
As a temporary fix, I added an external starter solenoid in parallel with the original solenoid integral on the starter. Since I was the only one who used the tractor the new solenoid was energized through the key switch only. However, back then (1990's?) I was able to buy a new set of contacts for the starter solenoid and rebuild the original with the safety switches still intact. The alternate solenoid is still in place but with the key switch wire to it removed. Ready to be put back into service if needed again.
If you're very careful and know what you're doing, it's easy to locate the problem whether it's in the battery, safety switches, starter solenoid or the actual starter motor itself with a pair of jumper cables and a volt meter.