[oldyankeebarn1390]

Well, For 90 glorious seconds I thought I had my problems solved. Replaced the neutral safety switch, the old failed continuity check. Tried the key and, WOW! The engine turned over! The first time since this post started. Now I tried for starting and running, WOW, success. Tried to come off full choke, engine stalls. Nothing new for a cold engine that has not run for 3 to 4 weeks. OK, back to full choke and nothing. Oil light and battery light come and silence! Right where I was a month ago. Now for some history:

I have been having starting issues for some time. I either cleaned or installed a new ignition switch a year ago. To get engine to start I would have jiggle the hydro lever around and it would start. Untill a month ago, when it died in the garage, thanks for that. Ok, now I start a full on search an destroy to find the root of the problem. Several respondents suggested the starting improvement kit upgrade, have that. Ignition switch various and all safety switches. After not really finding anything, I bought a new starter switch, new starter improvement relay, neutral safety switch, and miscellaneous bits and pieces to help put everything together. I also purchased, from HF, a starter bypass push button handheld switch. Trying to find out if I had a starter/solenoid issue on top of every thing else. Hooked up the bypass switch, direct from the battery to solenoid. With that I was able to turn the engine over!! NO starter/solenoid issues.

I next removed the Ignition switch and did the continuity check. Ignition switch OK. Thoroughly cleaned all the pins and put new dielectric grease on the pins and reinstalled the switch.

Next I removed the neutral safety switch and tested it. Failure!! Checked the new one, continuity! Installed that, can here it click as I move the hydro lever on and off the switch.

Reinstall battery, give the engine a quick key turnover, works! OK good to go. Install battery tray, battery, button everything up and go for start, Oil light, battery light turn key to start, silence and here we are.

Now what do I do/check?

Thanks for any and all input. I would really like to get this thing to work, as we (here in Maine) are about to 1' to 2' of snow starting Saturday at midnight and the storm is supposed to end on Monday.

 

[MARK (LI)]

Check that you did not jerk a wire loose somewhere from the battery...doe it have a smaller gauge wire from the pos battery terminal to a circuit breaker in the battery compartment ...check the breaker for continuity...check that you did not break a connection to the circuit breaker...happens a lot when battery is going in and out a few times

 

[oldyankeebarn1390]

Circuit breaker is under the battery tray and wires are bolted to the CB.

 

[RussKish]

Check your safety switch again, remember the tractor is 30 years old. Also check wire down on the starter solenoid, it tends to come off, the steel in the plastic plug may not hold tight either.

 

[inspectorudy]

Put the HF switch back on and try it. If it cranks then you have an open somewhere in your circuit.
A ground that is not making a good contact will stop everything and it will not look loose.

 

[oldyankeebarn1390]

Thank you all.

Here is where I am at. I am going to use the HF switch again. IF it turns over, which I expect that it will. I am going to put jumpers on everything. Try the ignition switch. If it starts I will pull the jumpers one at a time, while trying the key switch until I find the villain. This is fight.

What is purpose of the 25 amp circuit breaker in place of a 25 amp fuse?? The fuse can be readily inspected and shows if it has failed.

What about the starter improvement relay? Can that fail intermittently??

We, here in Maine, are about to get 12" to 24" of snow and I really would use this tractor again.

 

[PA318Guy]

Circuit breaker can be reset without needing to be replaced. But on a tractor I would expect a fuze for the reasons you stated. Hopefully you get it isolated quickly so you can use it.