Problem...Help

[chaskimbrough]

Been a while since I've been on here...alot of lurking, but no posts. I need some help. I went out tonight and started mowing my yard w/ my 2-year old CK20. It has been a great machine w/ no major problems. However, I ran it for about ten minutes and then needed to stop and shut the machine off. I went back about 5 minutes later to start mowing again and it wouldn't start. The problem seems to be electrical...When I turn the key over it makes a buzzing sound. The yellow heat coil light is not lighted and the engine won't turn over at all...it just buzzes when I try to turn the key. When I turn the key off it continues to make a small buzz/fast ticking sound and then it sounds like a relay or some type of switch clicks and the sound stops after about 5 seconds. I thought maybe it was a dead battery but jumping it didn't help. I checked the fuses and they are all fine.
----the buzzing sound/switch sound seems to come from under the dash--
Since my local dealer (Outdoor Power Store) went out of business my closest dealer is an hour and a half away...What do you guys think it is? How big/complex of a fix might it be? Do you think the local Deere dealer would take a look at it for me?

All help is appreciated...Like I said, it's been a while since I've been on here (in fact, I had to re-register to post but luckily I got the same screen name).

emails are appreciated if you have more info than what might fit in a post...
charlie_kimbrough@yahoo.com

Thanks, and HELP!
Charlie
Yorktown, IN

[JoeF]

Sounds like a weak battery. 2 years old sitting outside going through all kinds of weather changes........Glow light won't work. Check lights if they seem dim then it's most likely battery. Just my thoughts...........

[chaskimbrough]

Joe...I thought the same thing. But I did try to jump the battery and that didn't help. Maybe I'll try a trickle charger.

I wanted to add this because I just rememberd...It was odd when I went to shut it off because when I turned the key off the tractor acted like it was going to turn off but kept barely chugging when the key was turned off. I went ahead and flipped the key back on and the tractor "restarted". I then shut the key off again and it chugged again and finally stopped running. I guess I don't think this is coincidence that I now have a tractor that won't start since this tractor has never had trouble shutting down before.

Also...this tractor is garaged year round so I don't think it's a moisture issue or weather related.

Any more thoughts?

Charlie

[RedRocker]

If the battery has a short in it jumping won't help, try a different battery.

[ejtaylor822]

The buzzing and clicking sounds like the solenoid trying to energize. I suspect the solenoid may be the problem since everything stops making noises after the clicking. The clicking sounds like the soleniod tries to engage, but, may not have enough juice from the battery, or, be bad (solenoid).

Have you tested the voltage on the battery? Should be getting about 12.8V or so. It could be a bad connection, a problem with the solenoid, or the starter. Make sure the ground cable from the battery to the frame is good. If you are not getting good contact with the frame, could be a problem. Can remove the lead from the frame and sand down to bare metel, or, just ensure you have good contact with the frame and not corroded over.

If you have a good charge on the battery, and good neg. connection to the frame, you could try jumping the starter to eliminate the starter as the problem. Please, Please, please make sure the tractor is in neutral. People have been killed by jumping the starter with the tractor in gear.

If the tractor cranks reliably when you jump the starter, then the starter and battery are OK and the problem lies somewhere in the rest of the circuit, and/or the soleniod. If it doesn't crank reliably then the starter or battery is at fault. Quickest way to eliminate the battery is with a known good battery. I once just pulled my car up to the front of the tractor, unhooked the cables to the battery on the tractor and used jumpers over to the car baterry. Have to be careful they never touch (obviously) but did work and saved from shuffling batteries around.

If it doesn't start with a known good battery, chances are its the solenoid causing issues.

Any questions about any of this, just ask. I had a similar problem once and that's how I got through it - just asking questions. Turned out that I had bad crimp on a wire to the alternator. Was just enough contact to charge the battery on occassion.

Eddie

[bncsauve]

my guess would be loose or corroded battery connects or check the negative battery connection where it connect to the frame. Diesels like lots of juice to start and small amounts of corrosion in the connection can cause the problems you are seeing. If its not that, its probably the battery.

[joe48]

Before you do anything else , pull and clean the battery terminals. Get a terminal cleaning brush or tool at the auto parts store or TSC.
The exact thing has happened to me twice and that was the problem. Has also happened with other vehicles too.
Remember when trouble shooting KISS and go back the basics First.
Get 'er fired up and get some seat time.

[DirtHauler]

RELAY......open the dash and check all the relays, for loose or corroded connections. The noise you discribe sounds more like a shorted relay then a bad starter or battery.