Can an old lady get her MF1250 to start?

[rsallen]

This has been made out more complicated than it needs to be.
Unplug that small wire completely......now put your newly made jumper wire into where the wire came off of....make sure the tractor is in neutral.......put the other end of the jumper wire to the positive post of the battery.
The starter SHOULD work. If it doesn't that is your answer.

 

[SPYDERLK]

I think it will start on its own batt. Theres probably some safety interlock preventing the ignition switch from putting 12V on that blue arrow connector. You could unplug that wire and jumper +12V directly to the then exposed plug terminal on the solenoid, This should close the solenoid and crank it. Be sure its in neutral!
larry

This has been made out more complicated than it needs to be.
Unplug that small wire completely......now put your newly made jumper wire into where the wire came off of....make sure the tractor is in neutral.......put the other end of the jumper wire to the positive post of the battery.
The starter SHOULD work. If it doesn't that is your answer.

Yup. ... or any positive polarity source.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Drag the tractor with a chain and your pick up truck to a place where you can try and jump it with battery cables.

Dollars to donuts it's the battery.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Weeding through the posts here. This is what I understand, please correct me if I'm wrong.

-You have 12v on the dark blue wire when it is unplugged with the key turned to start

-You have 0v on the same wire when it's still plugged in. That could mean you didn't have good contact with the volt meter seeing it's a tough fit.

Puzzling huh! With wire unplugged [no load] it could just be that high impedance V meter reading leakage thru an open dirty switch. Wouldnt take but a few micro amps to get a read if the meter is the only load.
larry

 

[JRobyn]

Gray, I sure do admire your tenacity with this. I also really admire (and share) your frugality and love of "personal peace and quiet"! I think you're really close to getting this solved. Sorry it has to take a trip to do it.

Guys, PLEASE, if you're going to offer advice here, READ the previous posts!!! It has got to be very confusing and frustrating to Gray to have you tell her to do stuff where previous posts have clear evidence that the problem cannot be where you're suggesting. And please try to avoid typos, acronyms, and "mechanic speak". Explain plainly. Stuff might be "common terminology" and seem obvious for you, but I'm guessing that Gray would probably really appreciate it in plain english.
(soapbox mode off)

- Jay

 

[SPYDERLK]

Drag the tractor with a chain and your pick up truck to a place where you can try and jump it with battery cables.

Dollars to donuts it's the battery.

The reported measurements so far suggest the battery is not the cause. It supports glow plug load with only about 0.4V voltage drop.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

I am sooooo happy to report that IT STARTED WITH THE JUMPER WIRE!!!

I spooked a bit at the first spark (It was much smaller than the previous one), then Cowgirled Up and kept the wires on each spot (blue arrow first, then red arrow) while the starter turned over and the tractor fired up immediately :cool2: !!! I had the key to "On" and never did use the glowplug setting. I whooped and did a Happy Dance :jump: (hard to do at my age...LOL).

I turned the key off and then reconnected where the dark blue arrow points to. Got in the seat and the same as before...nothing. Unplugged the blue arrow connection, jumped it and it started right up! I let it run for maybe 15-20 minutes and repeated...still wont' start with the key. I then checked the battery and it read 13.5V. Is that good enough to where the alternator is charging it and it doesn't need to be replaced (yet)? I also put it through the gears to see if the transmission was locked up, or something, but it made no difference.

So, my internet Tractor Gurus, what do you think is the problem? Will I be able to fix it myself?

I am so happy and relieved to just be able to get the engine started. The jump wire is now in my toolkit, and if that's what it takes to get my partner going each time, then so be it. :cloud9: Don't know it I can access the starter with the side panel on.

This tractor has been part of my life for almost 20 years! I did the stalls with a wheelbarrow today and, well, need I say more??

Thanks guys, and CHEERS!!!

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Drag the tractor with a chain and your pick up truck to a place where you can try and jump it with battery cables.

Can't do that...it has a loader and a rear blade attached. I'm not strong enough to remove the blade without the hydraulics.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Gray, I sure do admire your tenacity with this. I also really admire (and share) your frugality and love of "personal peace and quiet"! I think you're really close to getting this solved. Sorry it has to take a trip to do it.

Guys, PLEASE, if you're going to offer advice here, READ the previous posts!!! It has got to be very confusing and frustrating to Gray to have you tell her to do stuff where previous posts have clear evidence that the problem cannot be where you're suggesting. And please try to avoid typos, acronyms, and "mechanic speak". Explain plainly. Stuff might be "common terminology" and seem obvious for you, but I'm guessing that Gray would probably really appreciate it in plain english.
(soapbox mode off)

- Jay

Thanks, Jay!!

 

[KubotainNH]

Puzzling huh! With wire unplugged [no load] it could just be that high impedance V meter reading leakage thru an open dirty switch. Wouldnt take but a few micro amps to get a read if the meter is the only load.
larry

Yeah but so easy to not have a good connection on a connector like that.

The reported measurements so far suggest the battery is not the cause. It supports glow plug load with only about 0.4V voltage drop.

I agree. At the minimum it should turn over a bit.

Gray, I sure do admire your tenacity with this. I also really admire (and share) your frugality and love of "personal peace and quiet"! I think you're really close to getting this solved. Sorry it has to take a trip to do it.

Guys, PLEASE, if you're going to offer advice here, READ the previous posts!!! It has got to be very confusing and frustrating to Gray to have you tell her to do stuff where previous posts have clear evidence that the problem cannot be where you're suggesting. And please try to avoid typos, acronyms, and "mechanic speak". Explain plainly. Stuff might be "common terminology" and seem obvious for you, but I'm guessing that Gray would probably really appreciate it in plain english.
(soapbox mode off)

- Jay

Exactly. Carry on.