Mahindra 5500 won't start

[kmart]

I am in desperate need of help!!! My Mahindra 5500 has sat for about 3weeks & now I can't get it to start. It won't turn over even when trying to jump start it with the battery cables. I have read a couple of posts about safety switches to check & also trying to start it by taking a wire from the solenoid to the starter but I am unfamiliar with this on a tractor. I've shorted a lawnmower from the solenoid to the starter to get it cranked so I assume it is the same concept. Is the solenoid located close to the starter? Is it the small round part that the positive battery cable goes to & is right on the starter? I've checked the only safety switch I know about on the PTO engagement lever & it is back but may not be any good. How do I check it?

When I first thought it was my battery, I charged my battery & put it back in my tractor & it didn't turn over but I could hear the starter(bendix I assume) trying to throw out to start it. There was a clicking or gear turning sound. So, I thought my battery was bad but had it checked out at Interstate battery & they said the battery was good to go.

I am not much of a mechanic but I need all the help I can get please. I need to pull up some trees for firewood & can't without my tractor handy.

Thanks for all the help in advance.

 

[Redneck in training]

There is a possibility that the teeth of the gear on starter motor are exactly lined up with the teeth on the fly wheel preventing the starter solenoid closing contact for the motor. You can short the big cable to the solenoid coil and see what happens. Make sure the brake is set and gearbox in neutral so you don't get run over if it starts.
I am not specifically familiar with your tractor but most tractors have safety interlocks on PTO, Neutral and some also on seat switch and brake. There is usually light on the dash that blinks (might be labeled CHECK) if all interlocks are not in right position before start.
In fact the grounding of starter and/or engine is the first thing you should check. There should be strip connecting the engine body or starter to some point on the frame. Also check the tractor end of the battery ground and the battery end as well. You can do simple test to determine if there is power going to the starter solenoid. Connect 12V light bulb between the solenoid screw and ground. Then place the such way that you see it from the tractor and turn the key to start position. If the light bulb turns on the problem is in starter or its grounding.

 

[Sportsman762]

Another possible problem is that the battery has a bad cell. The lights would work but when the starter would try to engage nothing would happen.

 

[kmart]

I hooked my battery charger up to it this morning again just to try that & I actually got the tractor started. The starter spun over for quite a few seconds before it finally caught on & turned over. I let it run for a while & moved the tractor & then turned it off. Tried to crank it back up & the starter just clicked & clicked. I think it is more than likely the starter. sounds like the bendix is kicking out & trying to spin but it won't catch.
Should I just try to take the starter off & mount it again to see if that works before replacing the starter?

Thanks for the help.

 

[jimmysisson]

Before you go fixing the starter, take the battery in for a load test. How many hours on your rig?
Jim

 

[kmart]

Guys, I'm back for more help. I had the battery checked & it is good. I took the starter off & had it tested. Nothing wrong with the starter. I installed the starter this morning & shorted across the solenoid posts & my tractor cranked up. I then tried to crank it with the key & nothing but a clicking noise. It doesn't sound like the starter clicking but could it be the alternator? Or could it be one of these safety switches? I'm trying to re-charge the battery now to get it back up to the correct voltage & I will try it again. What about a fuse somewhere?

 

[Tx Jim]

The tractors non starter engagement is probably low amperage on the solenoid excitement wire(S terminal on solenoid) A simple solution could be addition of an auxiliary relay in the start circuit such as JD utilized on some utility model tractors.

 

[kmart]

Tx Jim,

Thanks for the information. I don't know if I am that mechanically inclined to attempt this. I charged my battery again & this morning I shorted across the solenoid to crank the tractor. I let it run for about 1hr to see if that would help but after killing the power, I tried to crank it with the ignition & still had the clicking & it does sound like the starter. I think the starter doesn't have enough power going to it to turn it over like you are saying Tx Jim.
Is there anyway for me to easily rectify this situation?

 

[SPYDERLK]

It seems the hi amperage contacts in your solenoid are bad/dirty/pitted. Try repetitive key turns --- click-click-click for a couple minutes. Be patient. Maybe even have someone tap on it at the same time. ... If one of the clicks gives you a crank its the solenoid. Replace.
larry

 

[kmart]

SPYDERLK,

Thanks for the reply. That sounds exactly like what is wrong. I'll try that & see what she does.

 

[Tx Jim]

Installing an auxiliary relay is fairly simple. Route original starter excitement wire to small post on relay. Run a #12 gauge wire from positive battery post to large post on relay. Run another #12 from other large post to "S" post on starter solenoid and with relay grounded when ign key is turned to start this will excite relay which will in turn excite starter solenoid with more amps from larger #12 wires

 

[kmart]

I'm back for more suggestions. I haven't tried the suggestion that Tx Jim recommends above but I have installed a new solenoid. No luck. Do you think it could be my ignition switch? When I turn the ignition switch on to crank the tractor all the lights & gauges work but could it still not crank if the switch is bad?

 

[AchingBack]

You should have posted this in the Mahindra owning/operating forum where dealers are answering questions. Not everyone visits all forums. You might get more responses there.

 

[kmart]

Thanks AchingBack, I'll try that out.

 

[SPYDERLK]

It seems the hi amperage contacts in your solenoid are bad/dirty/pitted. Try repetitive key turns --- click-click-click for a couple minutes. Be patient. Maybe even have someone tap on it at the same time. ... If one of the clicks gives you a crank its the solenoid. Replace.
larry

I'm back for more suggestions. I haven't tried the suggestion that Tx Jim recommends above but I have installed a new solenoid. No luck. Do you think it could be my ignition switch? When I turn the ignition switch on to crank the tractor all the lights & gauges work but could it still not crank if the switch is bad?

Do you get the "heavy" click of the solenoid kicking in or not? Did you get the same click, or absence of, BEFORE you replaced the solenoid?
larry

 

[Redneck in training]

Put the tractor in neutral. Check it twice. Set parking brake and/or choke the wheels. Take a piece of wire and connect the big bolt (the one that brings power to the solenoid) and short it to the solenoid (small bolt or connector that brings power from the ignition switch to the solenoid). If the solenoid clicks but the tractor doesn't start there are two possibilities:
1.) The ground connecting the starter (engine) to the battery negative has bad connection.
2.) The solenoid is defective.
If the tractor cranks then it is ignition switch or interposing relay (if installed) bad.
Another test you might do is to turn the headlams on at night and try to start. If the lights go dimm you might have a bad conection on the battery. Clean the battery nipples and also check how the connectors are attached to the cables. If the connectors are soldred to the cables you are probably fine there. If they have another type of conenction take it appart, clean it and reasemble. The typical symptoms of bad battery conenction (beside lights going dimm) is starter solenoid chattering.
Some solenoids have two big bolts. If that is the case use a big screwdriver and short them. If the starter cranks there is something wrong with the solenoid. If it doesn't then the probelm is power delivery to the starter as described above.

Years ago I had Fiat 1500. It sometime started and sometime it didn't. Then during one attempt to start it I saw smoke emitting from the engine compartment. Insulation on manual choke cable was melted and was burning. Apparently the choke cable was only connection of the engine with battery negative. Then I got under the car and found the strap connecting car chassis to the engine completely disconnected on one side. Connected it back and it started like new.

 

[arrow]

I'm back for more suggestions. I haven't tried the suggestion that Tx Jim recommends above but I have installed a new solenoid. No luck. Do you think it could be my ignition switch? When I turn the ignition switch on to crank the tractor all the lights & gauges work but could it still not crank if the switch is bad?

Check for tightened connections at the starter and ground for loose connection there. Same thing happened to mine. The ignition switch can most certainly be bad if only your lights go on as it's the battery powering the lights. My 2nd thought is a bad safety switch or loose connection there. Neutral position safety switch is near transmission.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Guys, I'm back for more help. I had the battery checked & it is good. I took the starter off & had it tested. Nothing wrong with the starter. I installed the starter this morning & shorted across the solenoid posts & my tractor cranked up. I then tried to crank it with the key & nothing but a clicking noise. It doesn't sound like the starter clicking but could it be the alternator? Or could it be one of these safety switches? I'm trying to re-charge the battery now to get it back up to the correct voltage & I will try it again. What about a fuse somewhere?

Tx Jim,

Thanks for the information. I don't know if I am that mechanically inclined to attempt this. I charged my battery again & this morning I shorted across the solenoid to crank the tractor. I let it run for about 1hr to see if that would help but after killing the power, I tried to crank it with the ignition & still had the clicking & it does sound like the starter. I think the starter doesn't have enough power going to it to turn it over like you are saying Tx Jim.
Is there anyway for me to easily rectify this situation?

I'm back for more suggestions. I haven't tried the suggestion that Tx Jim recommends above but I have installed a new solenoid. No luck. Do you think it could be my ignition switch? When I turn the ignition switch on to crank the tractor all the lights & gauges work but could it still not crank if the switch is bad?

Do you get the "heavy" click of the solenoid kicking in or not? Did you get the same click, or absence of, BEFORE you replaced the solenoid?
larry

Put the tractor in neutral. Check it twice. Set parking brake and/or choke the wheels. Take a piece of wire and connect the big bolt (the one that brings power to the solenoid) and short it to the solenoid (small bolt or connector that brings power from the ignition switch to the solenoid). If the solenoid clicks but the tractor doesn't start there are two possibilities:
1.) The ground connecting the starter (engine) to the battery negative has bad connection.
2.) The solenoid is defective.
If the tractor cranks then it is ignition switch or interposing relay (if installed) bad.
Another test you might do is to turn the headlams on at night and try to start. If the lights go dimm you might have a bad conection on the battery. Clean the battery nipples and also check how the connectors are attached to the cables. If the connectors are soldred to the cables you are probably fine there. If they have another type of conenction take it appart, clean it and reasemble. The typical symptoms of bad battery conenction (beside lights going dimm) is starter solenoid chattering.
Some solenoids have two big bolts. If that is the case use a big screwdriver and short them. If the starter cranks there is something wrong with the solenoid. If it doesn't then the probelm is power delivery to the starter as described above.

Years ago I had Fiat 1500. It sometime started and sometime it didn't. Then during one attempt to start it I saw smoke emitting from the engine compartment. Insulation on manual choke cable was melted and was burning. Apparently the choke cable was only connection of the engine with battery negative. Then I got under the car and found the strap connecting car chassis to the engine completely disconnected on one side. Connected it back and it started like new.

Good :thumbsup: ... Trouble is when you have to start at zero and back up three steps without cogent answers the problem is endemic.
larry

 

[Redneck in training]

There might be fusible link somewhere too. For the cas you don't know what fusible link is: It is a fuse "built" in the wire. It usually looks like a bulge on a wire.