1500 Starter / Electrical problems

[Florida_Farmer]

Have a 1500 that sits quite a bit - started it a month or so ago with no problem. Today I turned the switch and nothing. No click, not try to turn slow just nothing. Battery is charged (Optima), tried to jump as well with my other tractor, nothing.
Headlights come on bright but when I turn the key to start they dim to almost nothing.
Pulled the negative cable - ground the frame, put a new cable also new + cable. Still nothing.
Looked a the fuse block - had one that was questionable so put a new fuse in - still nothing.
Any ideas? I'm afraid to try and jump the starter with a screwdriver -as I'm not sure how to do and don't want to damage it.
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[kenmac]

is it fused ?? check at the starter wires with a volt meter & see if you have around 12.5 volts with the switch turned to start...If you do have the correct voltage take the starter in for rebuild

 

[LMTC]

Battery is charged (Optima), tried to jump as well with my other tractor, nothing.
Headlights come on bright but when I turn the key to start they dim to almost nothing.

How do you know the battery is good? Have you had it load tested? Tried starting the tractor with a known good battery? Sitting is fast death for a battery. Jumping is questionable too, as it still has to go through the battery in the 1500 (unless you disconnect it and isolate it). Cruddy terminals will stop a brand new battery in it's tracks as well.

 

[Florida_Farmer]

It has the small wires - not real fuses. I spliced in some in-line fuses. I'll check the voltage at the starter.

The battery starts my New Holland just fine. Terminals are wire brushed and clean and cables are new today.

Thanks

 

[SailorBob]

I had the same problem one time. The problem ended up being the positive cable. It was corroded inside the terminal that connects to the battery. If known good battery the I suspect some koind of cable problem

 

[BadMojo]

Sounds like either the solenoid is bad or the starter is stuck. If it has the same starter setup as the 1700 with the solenoid mounted to the back of the starter Chevrolet style, just short between the two lugs on the solenoid, if it turns over the solenoid is bad, if not most likely the starter has stuck. In which case it probably just needs to be pulled and have the armature cleaned.

edit: If it does turn over when shorting the posts on the solenoid, there is a small wire connected to the solenoid that is from the key switch, try putting a jumper wire from the + side of the battery directly to that small wire connection on the solenoid. If that spins it over also then the problem is upstream, either a bad wire, connection or ignition switch.

 

[allenr]

just short between the two lugs on the solenoid, if it turns over the solenoid is bad, if not most likely the starter has stuck.

That'd be my suggestion also, just make sure it's out of gear first.

 

[careyo63]

Make sure the terminals on the selenoid are clean and rust free also not just the battery side of the cables.Ran across that a couple of times.

 

[Florida_Farmer]

Thanks for all the great info - after confirming the volts were good at the starter, I took it to my local auto electric shop. Starter was the problem replaced the armature and 75 bucks later - it's like brand new.

 

[careyo63]

Good to hear. Now your probly good for another 20yrs.