I have a G1900, which started and ran fine until storing in the shed in October. Tried starting the other day. Symptoms are: when I turn the key, the engine chugs slower than is normal, and won't start. I can smell fuel. It will drain the battery in about * 10-15 * seconds. If I key off it keeps going, turning over very slowly until the battery is drained. Smoke (electrical, not combustion) was coming from the engine compartment when there was not enough juice left to turn it over. Could hear a hum. New battery did not solve the problem ($100 in problem chasing so far). I have to disconnect the battery (there is a quick disconnect installed) to stop it - key off won't stop it, and the orange toggle disconnect near the throttle cable won't either. I can usually muddle my way through mechanical problems but am terrible at electrical. Any help would be *greatly* appreciated. Trying to sell it and have a potential buyer.
Will not start, battery drains quickly
- Thread starter model94
- Start date
85Hokie
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First part sounded like a dead battery, but the second part seems to be the worse of the problem,
you say " If I key off it keeps going, turning over very slowly until the battery is drained."
I am assuming you meant to say If I (turn the) key off......
this to me sounds like a solenoid problem! The key allows the circuit to close, the solenoid basically makes the battery hook straight to the starter....the fact that yours stays on is a problem. I would check for wires that have been "eaten" ...rats, mice...etc....
then i would make sure that the key switch is still good. I dont think it is the switch, but it could be.
One way to see if it is a starter problem, hook up a new battery TO THE starter, someone on the seat, clutch in, in neutral, turn key and you place 12volts to starters hot side.... this will bypass the solenoid unless it is built into the inside of the starter....
the smoke probably is insulation on a hot wire burning off....or the starter getting too hot.
report back and tell us what you find.
you say " If I key off it keeps going, turning over very slowly until the battery is drained."
I am assuming you meant to say If I (turn the) key off......
this to me sounds like a solenoid problem! The key allows the circuit to close, the solenoid basically makes the battery hook straight to the starter....the fact that yours stays on is a problem. I would check for wires that have been "eaten" ...rats, mice...etc....
then i would make sure that the key switch is still good. I dont think it is the switch, but it could be.
One way to see if it is a starter problem, hook up a new battery TO THE starter, someone on the seat, clutch in, in neutral, turn key and you place 12volts to starters hot side.... this will bypass the solenoid unless it is built into the inside of the starter....
the smoke probably is insulation on a hot wire burning off....or the starter getting too hot.
report back and tell us what you find.
I would check for damage to the wiring harness caused by mice chewing through the insulation. See you are in MI so I'd guess October is about the time for those critters to come in out of the cold. I had something similar happen to a "yellow tractor".
85Hokie
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strange how them little buggers dont care WHAT color the paint is ! I had one eat the hell out of my wiring in a boat several years back!!!
I know what ya mean 85Hoakie, had one chew up the wiring in the dash of my wife's 99 Concorde a couple years ago, what a mess!
Sorry to hijack the thread a bit model94. Just commenting on how much havoc those critters can wreak.
Sorry to hijack the thread a bit model94. Just commenting on how much havoc those critters can wreak.
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It could be the starter solenoid is staying closed even when the key is turned off. I think that the key makes the solenoid close contacts that then power the starter motor and at the same time throws the gear toward the flywheel. If there is some dirt/crud built up in the solenoid that won't allow it to return to the neutral point (point where it should be before any power is applied) that could do what you are describing.
Thanks very much for the leads everyone. I do have mice in the shed (they nested in my portable generator ... man did that stink. I had to tear it apart and remove all the .. stink). I know the previous Kubota owner replaced the solenoid with an aftermarket one I believe. I'll work on it after Xmas and get back with results. Thanks again a have a safe holiday.
This will sound crazy but low battery voltage can cause starter solenoid to stay engaged. I recommend to have battery load tested and I'll bet it won't pass. Then when you install new battery see if solenoid operates correctly. If battery checks good then I'd check amp draw on starter.
Update
Ok, I did find some mice nests ... even inside the left side black box with potted electronics (!) However after some pretty careful inspection, I could not find any evidence of chewed wires.
So, some questions
-can a dealer do a diagnostic check on the regulator black box to determine if it's ok?
- what should my sequence of checks be to narrow down to solenoid, starter or key switch? are there other components that could be bad that I'm not considering?
thanks again
Ok, I did find some mice nests ... even inside the left side black box with potted electronics (!) However after some pretty careful inspection, I could not find any evidence of chewed wires.
So, some questions
-can a dealer do a diagnostic check on the regulator black box to determine if it's ok?
- what should my sequence of checks be to narrow down to solenoid, starter or key switch? are there other components that could be bad that I'm not considering?
thanks again
You can check voltage regulator/alternator operation with a volt/ohm meter if you can get engine started. Have you tried attaching a battery charger or jumper cables to battery??
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North Idaho Wolfman
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Battery cable to starter.......check it.....check connections.
Battery cable to ground........check it......check connections.
Jump wire......jump from the trigger of the solenoid to the pos post of the battery.
IF! If the starter does not turn over, you need to replace your starter.
It's that simple. Period!!!!!
You are turning a 10 minute test into a 2 page circus.
Time to break out your wallet and a wrench!
Quit worrying about your black box and all the other nonsense, you should have this fixed by now.
Battery cable to ground........check it......check connections.
Jump wire......jump from the trigger of the solenoid to the pos post of the battery.
IF! If the starter does not turn over, you need to replace your starter.
It's that simple. Period!!!!!
You are turning a 10 minute test into a 2 page circus.
Time to break out your wallet and a wrench!
Quit worrying about your black box and all the other nonsense, you should have this fixed by now.
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Easy murph, remember some guys aint as good with a wrench as others my self included. Sometimes we all over analyze a problem, the old man use to tell me all the time ,,, do the simple stuff first!
So just take a breath sit back and try to help, your a good guy just have some patience and remember you were there one time too
the old man use to tell me all the time ,,, do the simple stuff first! So just take a breath sit back and try to help, your a good guy just have some patience and remember you were there one time too
Easy murph, remember some guys aint as good with a wrench as others my self included. Sometimes we all over analyze a problem,
So just take a breath sit back and try to help, your a good guy just have some patience and remember you were there one time too
If you think I'm bad...............oh boy......
Thread on a Jeep site I belong to.....
Guy has a blown head gasket, what's to find quick fix so he can sell it without actually replacing the head gasket.....IOWs patch it and pass the problem off to the buyer.
You think I gave this guy crap??????? Others are not so nice.
LMAO,,, nawww your not bad, some of the HD sites are hard on guys too, its just hard sometimes to remember that a lot aint as good as you and a bunch of other guys in here.
Its guys like you I see do things and think dayum this guy is magic. That's all
Its guys like you I see do things and think dayum this guy is magic. That's all
OK. With all due respect to the impatient Mr. Murphy here is where I'm at. New starter / new battery changed the problem but there is still a problem. It is no longer draining the battery quickly, but there does not seem to be enough energy getting to the starter to enable it to turn the engine over as it should. Starter click click click click's and will turn the flywheel about half a revolution, then ... click click clicks again and another half turn. Takes about two -three seconds for each half turn. Battery was fully charged when I did this.
85Hokie
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IF you know the battery is "good" and you know the starter is "good"...
and that could be two ASSumptions ....then either the engine is "binding" which I dont think it is, or somewhere there is a wiring problem, bad ground at the battery end, bad positive lead.......somewhere the starter is not getting the amp flow to turn the engine over......
after reading the posts over and over again, have you replaced the solenoid?
Not being familiar with that starter, is it built into the starter or separate like an old ford? If you have a good starter and battery, then there is only a few other place that the electron flow can be slowed!
Murph is hitting the nail on the head, throw amps to the starter, bypass everything that you can, even if it means taking a lead from your good battery and placing it directly on the pos end of the starter.......
report back, you will find the problem, it worked before and will work again!!!