HELP! JD 400 won't always start.

[97widerider]

My proud purchase of a JD 400, early 80's, is starting to be a regrettable purchase. My problem is this:

I turn the ignition and hear the solenoid clicking. WHen I continue to turn the key it sometimes fires, sometimes not. When it doesn't fire, I get nothing, not so much a spark but I still hear the solenoid clicking in the first part of the key turn. I wait a bit, try again and it may or may not fire. It usually will fire after several minutes of waiting and trying. Battery is new, cables are new.

Is my starter going? Is there a dead spot on it? Someone told me when the starter goes, it goes. No sometimes firing. Could it be my solenoid?

I was SHOCKED at the price to replace the starter. Not just the part price, but the labor too. The motor has to be pulled. Are they for real??!!!

Please tell me that this is one of the more expensive components to replace on this tractor. Please tell me this mower is worth putting my money into. It has a newer, 2000, deck, and a newer, 1990, motor with only 400 hours on it. Runs and mows great when it starts.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Soundguy]

Whoever told you a starter was an all or notheing deal needs to get some real experience before giving you advice.

I bought a n old 1954 ford NAA tractor a few years ago. There was a hammer tied to a short piece of rope and it layed on the floor board.

You held the start button down and if it didn't roll over you gave it a tap.

After a year or two you had to give it repeated 'whangs'.. I finally had it rebuild and not is starts like it should.

I'd get a vom or test lamp out and hook it to the outgoing side of your relay and see if when it click you are getting power to the starter or not. if so.. try tapping the starter a bit.. if it kicks over.. that 'somebody' owes you a drink. 9 could be lots of things including the relay as well, or even the switch itself having restive contacts.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[TimS]

My proud purchase of a JD 400, early 80's, is starting to be a regrettable purchase. My problem is this:

I turn the ignition and hear the solenoid clicking. WHen I continue to turn the key it sometimes fires, sometimes not. When it doesn't fire, I get nothing, not so much a spark but I still hear the solenoid clicking in the first part of the key turn. I wait a bit, try again and it may or may not fire. It usually will fire after several minutes of waiting and trying. Battery is new, cables are new.

Is my starter going? Is there a dead spot on it? Someone told me when the starter goes, it goes. No sometimes firing. Could it be my solenoid?

I was SHOCKED at the price to replace the starter. Not just the part price, but the labor too. The motor has to be pulled. Are they for real??!!!

Please tell me that this is one of the more expensive components to replace on this tractor. Please tell me this mower is worth putting my money into. It has a newer, 2000, deck, and a newer, 1990, motor with only 400 hours on it. Runs and mows great when it starts.

Thanks in advance.

There is a "starting improvement kit" available from Deere, which is basically a relay. It is made to solve exactly the problem you are describing. I am not sure if it is applicable to the 400, though. If you go and ask your question at weekendfreedommachines.com I am sure you'll get an answer.

Tim

 

[DAN IN OHIO]

When trouble shooting problems with my garden tractors the first thing I do is replace the ignition switch (as well as clean all electrical connections from the battery to starter). If you do not get any help here, try this link.

Refreshing.....

 

[ScottAR]

I had a very similar problem on a different tractor. Sometimes it would start on the first try, sometimes it would start on the 30th.

The problem was the wire to the starter relay (the "go" wire) was either too small a guage or had a broken spot in it. Checking the voltage with a meter in
the crank key position I was only getting 2-4 volts to the starter relay/sol.

Since I don't know your electrical experience level, I'm going to lay out what I would do, more or less in the order I would do it. I do not want to give the impression of talking down to anyone.

Any $15-$20 dollar multitester will perform these tests.

Things to check:
Good connections/cables/terminals at battery. Bad battery cables cause all sorts of problems.

Ground wire from battery. Same thing as above.

Power to main power area. Both my current tractors have it on the starter
where the battery wire mounts.

Power to key switch. On my JD tractor this terminal is labeled "BT".

Power out of key switch. Same tractor labeled "ST".

Power to the "go" wire on the starter or relay.

Any safety switches on the machine, Seat, PTO, Neutral start, etc..

If no power at any place along the line, Check the wires resistance. Should be zero or near zero. Resistance is the horseshoe shaped symbol measured in Ohms. A one with no decimals on my tester is a broken circuit.

If your getting power everywhere. Like the others suggested, give it a light rap with a hammer and see if it kicks in. If not, then have the starter checked out. It may be rebuildable?

HTH

Looking at it now, that was quite a ramble.... sorry folks!

 

[GATOR445]

Hello check voltage at purple wire at starter. In the start position you should get battery voltage if not it will not energize the solinoid. If you take a wire from the battery to the terminal (that purple wire plugs on to) an it cranks every time then install kit #am107421 just follow the instructions in the kit. this is a relay kit that helps get the amps to the solinoid so it cranks better.

 

[rogermursick]

There is a "starting improvement kit" available from Deere, which is basically a relay. It is made to solve exactly the problem you are describing. I am not sure if it is applicable to the 400, though. If you go and ask your question at weekendfreedommachines.com I am sure you'll get an answer.

Tim

Tim..I have a 400. unplug the ignition switch (backside of dashboard) or you can loosen the nut (on the front side of dash) and remove the entire switch, and then unplug the switch. This gets corroded of the years.
Take some very fine steel wool or fine sand paper and clean the contacts.
Reinstall. Ta da!
roger

 

[JD755]

Tim..I have a 400. unplug the ignition switch (backside of dashboard) or you can loosen the nut (on the front side of dash) and remove the entire switch, and then unplug the switch. This gets corroded of the years.
Take some very fine steel wool or fine sand paper and clean the contacts.
Reinstall. Ta da!
roger

Welcome to TBN Roger.

Since this question was three years ago I assume it is fixed by now.