Re: PT1418 won\'t start but clicks...ideas?
I forgot to come back and post the result here. Turns out the problem was a corroded ground cable from the battery to the frame! I took it off and I could see where it had arc'ed against the body. I cleaned it with a wire brush, and it's started right up with no issues since. I'm sure this will rear it's ugly head again since the connector on the cable was pretty corroded, so I picked up a new ground cable and copper bolt, which I'll put on it this weekend...$6 of preventative maintenance sounds like a good choice to me. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Sometimes it's the simplest things, eh?
Ya know, this old machine was pretty beat up and had oil leaks all over the place when I first got it...I've done so much work to it that it's in remarkably good shape now. I have learned more about hydraulics than I ever could have imagined I'd need or want to know! Anyway, the fact that this machine is 15 years old (serial# 158!...but it did get a new engine in 2000 or 2001) and still running strong ought to be quite a testament to the longevity of the newer machines most of you folks have (although mine does take more maintenance because of it's age, or that's my impression anyway). I've dug out medium size stumps and pipe trenches with the front hoe, I've moved literally tons of sand, rock, dirt, mulch, etc., and it'll still pull a trailer loaded with 2000+ lbs of sand into my backyard without any grunting or stumbling. Pretty amazingly powerful for it's size and weight. I can't imagine why anyone would go buy something like a Toro Dingo or one of the clones for $15-20K (which is very similar mechanically, and can do lots of the same work, but can't do it nearly as well and can't do it without tearing up turf!) versus just buying a Power-trac, except for maybe really needing the 3' wide size of a Dingo/clone. Anyway, just my musings...
Dave
I forgot to come back and post the result here. Turns out the problem was a corroded ground cable from the battery to the frame! I took it off and I could see where it had arc'ed against the body. I cleaned it with a wire brush, and it's started right up with no issues since. I'm sure this will rear it's ugly head again since the connector on the cable was pretty corroded, so I picked up a new ground cable and copper bolt, which I'll put on it this weekend...$6 of preventative maintenance sounds like a good choice to me. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif Sometimes it's the simplest things, eh?
Ya know, this old machine was pretty beat up and had oil leaks all over the place when I first got it...I've done so much work to it that it's in remarkably good shape now. I have learned more about hydraulics than I ever could have imagined I'd need or want to know! Anyway, the fact that this machine is 15 years old (serial# 158!...but it did get a new engine in 2000 or 2001) and still running strong ought to be quite a testament to the longevity of the newer machines most of you folks have (although mine does take more maintenance because of it's age, or that's my impression anyway). I've dug out medium size stumps and pipe trenches with the front hoe, I've moved literally tons of sand, rock, dirt, mulch, etc., and it'll still pull a trailer loaded with 2000+ lbs of sand into my backyard without any grunting or stumbling. Pretty amazingly powerful for it's size and weight. I can't imagine why anyone would go buy something like a Toro Dingo or one of the clones for $15-20K (which is very similar mechanically, and can do lots of the same work, but can't do it nearly as well and can't do it without tearing up turf!) versus just buying a Power-trac, except for maybe really needing the 3' wide size of a Dingo/clone. Anyway, just my musings...
Dave
