JD 1050 starter? wiring? operator?

[sarge1572]

I have an '84 1050, 4x4. It won't crank. I have both levers in neutral, shifter and hi-lo range, and hit the key and the starter goes clunk. I have enough juice, the battery reads 12.84 volts. I've even run 2 batterys thinking this one may be bad, but nothing. I can hear the solenoid throw the gear out, but then nothing, it doesn't crank, not even the typical click click click from a low or dying battery.

I know the solution is something simple but I've gone brain dead!!

It ran and started fine the LAST time I used it. How do you jump the starter to bypass the neutral switches on this starter?

Anyone with a fresh brain?

(this model has the two neutral switches, one on the gear shifter and the other on the hi-lo shirter and does not have the clutch switch. when either shifter is engaged nothing happens at all, not even the clunk from the starter.)

thanks
Jeff

Thanks
Jeff

 

[banjodunn]

G'day on the top of the starter you have two heavier bolts one the main battery lead the other the feed wire into the starter if you are very careful you can short these two together and the starter should spin over but remember you have NO safety switches in the system please make sure that all gear levers are in neutral your problem may also be the starter jammed in gear against the ring gear you might want to try turning the motor over by hand usually in reverse rotation to normal normally you dont have to turn it very far and you should be able to hear it disengage (clunk) good luck but once again BE CAREFUL

 

[milkman]

The first thing I would try is to manually turn the engine backward a small amount to make sure the starter gear is not bound up with the ring gear on the flywheel. You could also loosen the mounting bolts for the starter, back them out about three turns and wiggle the starter, if it is jammed, either will break it loose.

 

[sarge1572]

Milkman and BanjoDunn

Thank you both. I will try the bolts first. If that doesn't do the trick I'll jump it.

The haze is starting to clear!!!! I'll let you know if I'm either successful, or if I only manage to set it on fire!!!

Thanks again
Jeff

 

[dqdave1]

Can you turn the engine over? I would try to move the crank to make sure engine is not bound up.

 

[sarge1572]

Dave, over the last month or so I've had more trouble starting it. I bought it cheap and have been working on it as time (read money $$$$) permits. Mostly cosmetic, needs brakes, and now this. At first I thought there might be a dead spot on the starter because if I tried starting it 2 or 3 times (it would just click but not the ratching sound you get with a dead battery) and usually start on the second or 3rd try. Now it just clicks. The engine ran fine, nothing has bound up in the engine, the trans and transfer case shift without difficulty and worked fine when it ran last.

I can't move the tractor because the loader and box scraper are on the ground.

I'll throw a wrench on the front pulley and try that, and/or loosen the starter and try that as well. Worse case scenario it's easier to take the starter to the dealer than it is to take the whole tractor. The starter will fit in the trunk!!

I have juice at the starter. I have to check to make sure I have 12V at the switch and back to the starter. I'm pretty confident I do.

Thanks for the input. I'll try all 3 suggestions tomorrow. It will probably be something stupid like a dirty connection from the battery to the starter!!!

Thanks again for all of your suggestions.
Jeff

 

[Leejohn]

If are hearing the solenoid kick the gear in, then you can forget the safety switchs. I do think there is a switch for the PTO, it seems like it was at the very end of the lever for the PTO, but could be wrong.
It's the solenoid or the starter. Check for 12V on the starter lug at the starter not the solenoid. If you have 12V there when trying to start, its the starter. If no 12V at starter when trying to start, then it's the solenoid.
You can take the solenoid apart and clean the contacts, real easy to do.

 

[tommu56]

Check the battery voltage when you hit the key and see what it is your battery might have 12v but not enough current.

Then put your meter on the big starter terminal that go's to the soleonid and hit the key again to see if the starter is getting voltage.

The solenoid might pull in but there is a brass or copper disk that closes across the to big terminals on the starter to carry the "juice" to the starter and some times they go bad ( time for a new one at that point)

tom

 

[kebo]

Check the battery voltage when you hit the key and see what it is your battery might have 12v but not enough current.

Then put your meter on the big starter terminal that go's to the soleonid and hit the key again to see if the starter is getting voltage.

The solenoid might pull in but there is a brass or copper disk that closes across the to big terminals on the starter to carry the "juice" to the starter and some times they go bad ( time for a new one at that point)

tom

I think that tommu is closest to the answer. The reason I say that is because I had a 750 (the smaller brother of the 1050) and it got to where it was doing VERY similar to yours. I checked everything possible but couldn't fix it. I had the starter off twice myself and tore it down and cleaned it, but still it did the same thing. Most of the time it would click, but not spin over. In warmer weather it wasn't as bad. In cold weather it was a bear to start.

Here's a REAL big clue: Turn the key switch on, and make sure you hear the starter solenoid click. Still holding key switch on, take a BIG hammer and tap right on top of the soleniod several times (but not hard enough to break it). If it magically engages and spins the starter motor over, then you HAVE the same problem as I did. A very experienced starter/alternator shop owner told me he could fix it with a workaround. He added a relay onto the solenoid on my starter.

This relay energizes when you turn the key switch over to start and it jumpers the 12V heavy current going to the starter motor over to the solenoid. This extra boost of juice gives it more oomph to slam hard and engage the contacts to make the starter motor spin over. In technial terms, the solenoid wasn't getting enough voltage. There is resistance in every connection from the battery +, to the starter, and back to the battery -. The resistance in all these connections adds up to a sizable voltage drops which will limit the current getting to the solenoid. All these voltage drops are due to poor/bad connection points and slightly undersized wire in the whole battery/starter/keyswitch circuit.

The shop owner said it was common in other John Deere's that he had seen in his years of experience. I can attest to the fact that after he added that relay to mine, the problem went away and IT NEVER FAILED to crank right up after that. I sold that 750 last year and keep in touch with it's new owner. He says it starts EVERY single time now. If your problem turns out to be the same as what I had with that 750, try the relay deal and see if it helps. All you need is a standard 12v starter relay, very common on older Ford cars/trucks and very cheap. If you need some wiring assistance, I can help with that too. Good luck and hope you get it solved. Now I got to rest my fingers after typing all this!!!

Keith

 

[ScottAR]

What Kebo said...

Low or spotty voltage on the "go" wire to the solenoid. My 1050 did the same thing...

Put a relay in the starting circuit.