Welded and now it won't start.

[northernguy]

If you have power to the starter,I'm assuming you are talking about the main power wire,check if there is power to the smaller wire at the starter soliniod while you turn the key to the start position,if nothing,then you could move up the wire to the key switch and check there.My mitts did the same thing and as I said earlyer there is a safety switch on the pto lever,it must be in neutral to start.This switch is wired in series with the starter triger wire,bypass the switch,mine had bullet connectors at the end and unpluging the swich and pluging the harmess together itself was a fast fix,if you have a switch at the clutch do the same thing.Just to eliminate anything stupid like
battery or a bad starter ground jump your starter soliniod,main power wire at starter to the small trigger wire and it should crank.This is a simple fix that you are making more difficult.

 

[northernguy]

Oh sorry ,not the PTO lever but the High/low range lever,thats where the switch is,you could test the switch with your Ohm meter across the switch and move the lever in and out of gear.

 

[radman1]

I had some welding done to my skidsteer a couple of years ago to add on rear stabilizers. I asked the bobcat mechanic who did all the welding if he unhooked batteries before welding. He said he never has unhooked a battery and has been welding for 25 years. Lots of electronics on newer skid steers. On the farm whenever we welded and had something attached to pickup or tractor we also never unhooked a battery. I think something coincidently happened to your tractor or some safety switch is not set right or not working.

 

[northernguy]

Well it's been a couple of days,what did you find ? Why wouldn't it start ?

 

[psj12]

I work in vehicle testing and the rule is always, always, unhook the battery on the vehicle prior to welding. On newer vehicles also unhook the plugs to any Electronic Control Units (ECUs). Additionally place the ground as close to the weld site as possible. It doesn't matter how long you've done it wrong without getting bit.

 

[ray66v]

I have well over 30 years in the auto body business, in a busy shop.

I know the potential for a problem exists. However, we welded on thousands of cars. We never unhooked a battery to weld. And we never had a singe problem.

 

[Mundy]

No update yet,
Between kids soccer and parent teacher confrences I have not been out to the barn. Should be able to have a look over the weekend.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

No update yet,
Between kids soccer and parent teacher confrences I have not been out to the barn. Should be able to have a look over the weekend.

Sounds like you have your priorities right. If you don't spend time with the kids, they'll grow up without you. The tractor will stay broken. You can fix it anytime.

 

[Eagleview]

I work in vehicle testing and the rule is always, always, unhook the battery on the vehicle prior to welding. On newer vehicles also unhook the plugs to any Electronic Control Units (ECUs). Additionally place the ground as close to the weld site as possible. It doesn't matter how long you've done it wrong without getting bit.

X2 .

I always do this , I would never take a risk with Thousands of Dollars worth of electronics on my vehicles or any one else's to save 5 minutes work .

In this case I would make sure the tractor was out of gear with the park brake on and simply short the signal wire terminal across to the Positive terminal on the solenoid and the tractor should fire up . If it does , the problem is more than likely a crook starter switch , safety switch , starter relay , bad connection etc .

 

[jimmer2880]

to all of you who say "i've done it thousands of times and never had a problem".... Well - I used to work in a roll-back making shop and have personally seen a computer get fried on a '99 Chevy truck by someone welding on the frame without disconnecting the battery.

The shop had to buy a new computer. I sure would have been cheaper to unhook the battery.