case 446

   / case 446 #1  

lincolntc

New member
Joined
Apr 9, 2009
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4
Hello everyone, I am brand new to this site and am a brand new lawn tractor owner. I bought a case hydraulic lift 446 last year, it has an onan 18 hp and I have no idea what year it is. Last fall I brought it home and rode around a little and it worked great, then it didn`t. It had electrical problems and I replaced the battery wires, then it started no problem once or twice and I havn`t been able to get it started since. I am taking a small engines course so I have an idea what everything is and how everything works but I just can`t figure out why it won`t start. I have tried 3 different batteries and they all sound the same, like they are almost dead and the engine barely wants to crank. I bought a compression tester and its hardly registering any compression at all. WOW any help would be great, thanks
model b48m-ga018 3631a
ser c803513167
 
   / case 446 #2  
G'day this doesn't sound right low compression will make it hard to start but will not make it hard to turn over hard starting prob could be bushes in the starter worn making it hard to turn when loaded up but the low compression should make it easy to turn over is it possible you have got an automatic decompressor valve that kicks in when you are cranking? check your starter voltage when cranking at the starter should have no less than 9.5 volts good luck:)


Jon
 
   / case 446
  • Thread Starter
#3  
I tested the starter solenoid while starting and it only measured 0.01v. What does this mean
 
   / case 446
  • Thread Starter
#4  
I just tried attaching a wire from one big terminal to the other on the solenoid and it started turning over, does that mean my solenoid is shot. It has 4 terminals.
 
   / case 446 #5  
I have a 220 but belive it is wored similarlay,,,know its uses 4 terminal solinoid. I am inclined to say that is culprit if you can jump it and engine starts fine.....but before nuying a new one try one more test wire from one of little posts to ground.

Of the two small terminals one is to ground...it is finds ground through a safety switch. Follow the wires.... one goes to IGN switch and the other one dissappears (it is going to the linkage that has a safety switch mounted to it to make sure you are in neutral).

Anyway use a wire to jump from little terminal to directly ground (you are jumping the safty switch so you must be careful you are in neutral) and see if the solinoid works ...if so check that safety switch.
 
   / case 446 #6  
G'day if you can short the two large terminals at the solenoid and it turns over that is a good thing it means that your starter is prob ok . On the other two smaller terminals one goes to earth and the other is the trigger wire from the starter switch one of them needs to have 10+ volts when you activate the switch if it does not you have to track back through the system and look for any safety switches in the system or you may want to start at the switch and check for power output at one of the terminals when you switch around to the start position. Good luck:)


Jon
 
   / case 446
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Thanks alot, I`ll check the wiring going to the small terminals and hopefully one is weak.
My main concern is why its turning over but very slowly, and the battery isnt dying. Could that be a bad cable, I just replaced the battery cables and the big ground.
 
   / case 446 #8  
Visit the Yahoo Case Garden Tractor group (link) and they should be able to help you. I used to own a 446 and learned everything I needed from that site. They'll also help you find parts.
 
   / case 446 #9  
at the back of your tractor there is the ports to hook up your hydrolics. Next to that is a lever that should have 3 different positions, make sure that it is in the middle position and then try cranking it, I had the same problem and after many hours of testing and searching I came across that fix. What happens is the hydrolics have nothing to pump to (with nothing hooked up) and with the lever in the engaged position its trying to pump the hydro fluid but it has no where to go, therefore putting all that backpressure on the motor and not letting it crank.
 
 
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