2017 2538 Won't Start - yes, another one

[duffer]

Oh, I plan to double check the pto lever and put it on off, just to be sure.

This may sound trite, but check the push button on the dash for the PTO. I inadvertently had mine pushed in once, and it took me 15 minutes to figure out that was the lock out.

Otherwise I agree with above posts, it's either corroded battery connections, or bad cable.

 

[Coyote machine]

Coyote machine , thanks for the help. I understand where you are coming from. Like you, I'd rather eliminate issues that just assume they are good. I actually have a set of new battery cables from a boat project a couple years ago that I can swap out if needed. I know the OEM battery clamps are pretty wimpy, anyways..... I plan on taking the battery by the auto parts place and having it checked, just to be sure as I have seen 1 year old batteries go bad.

No, I do not have a wiring diagram to work from. Scoured the internet last night and couldn't find one. That open is why I was leaning towards a safety switch but the only 2 that I know of, have checked good and I don't know if the seat safety that has been bypassed would cause the Check light on the dash to flash or not. I am not exactly sure which relay is the one used, either. The 4 that I have checked, have checked good and am unsure though if one of those is the starter relay.

Can you describe what checking your relays entailed? Also, what about your fusebox and ignition switch? What if anything have you done to verify there are no issues with them?
Are the relays all the same or different ones for different functions- even if you don't know which ones control which circuits?

 

[duffer]

Well isn't this a coincidence...got on the 2538 this morning, turned the key, and click, click, click. No cranking. Having had this problem before out in the middle of a field, I figured it was corroded battery cables. Raised the hood, removed the air filter, and to my surprise there didn't appear to be hardly any corrosion around the batter terminal.

So I pulled out my volt meter, and checked the terminals themselves, on the battery, and I had plenty of juice. Then I looked at the 2 smaller cables that tie into the positive side of the battery cable, just before the terminal and they did have a fair amount of corrosion. Took them off, cleaned them up and put everything back together.

Voila! Started right up. I can't believe they get corroded so quickly. I cleaned them about 4 months ago when it happened.

Isn't there some kind of "gook" you can put on the terminals to limit the corrosion? I thought it was grease, but I'm probably wrong on that one. Would like some input from you if you've had success limiting the corrosion.

 

[zilla24]

I have successfully used dielectric grease on connections where dirt or corrosion is an issue.

 

[RNeumann]

Well isn't this a coincidence...got on the 2538 this morning, turned the key, and click, click, click. No cranking. Having had this problem before out in the middle of a field, I figured it was corroded battery cables. Raised the hood, removed the air filter, and to my surprise there didn't appear to be hardly any corrosion around the batter terminal.

So I pulled out my volt meter, and checked the terminals themselves, on the battery, and I had plenty of juice. Then I looked at the 2 smaller cables that tie into the positive side of the battery cable, just before the terminal and they did have a fair amount of corrosion. Took them off, cleaned them up and put everything back together.

Voila! Started right up. I can't believe they get corroded so quickly. I cleaned them about 4 months ago when it happened.

Isn't there some kind of "gook" you can put on the terminals to limit the corrosion? I thought it was grease, but I'm probably wrong on that one. Would like some input from you if you've had success limiting the corrosion.

Mahindra has a known battery cable corrosion issue. Many folks have stated they look fine only to find they were corroded internally. I switched to a sealed battery to try to prevent that from happening...., time will tell if that’s the cause. Obviously some cheap cables were OEM speced.

 

[Coyote machine]

Well isn't this a coincidence...got on the 2538 this morning, turned the key, and click, click, click. No cranking. Having had this problem before out in the middle of a field, I figured it was corroded battery cables. Raised the hood, removed the air filter, and to my surprise there didn't appear to be hardly any corrosion around the batter terminal.

So I pulled out my volt meter, and checked the terminals themselves, on the battery, and I had plenty of juice. Then I looked at the 2 smaller cables that tie into the positive side of the battery cable, just before the terminal and they did have a fair amount of corrosion. Took them off, cleaned them up and put everything back together.

Voila! Started right up. I can't believe they get corroded so quickly. I cleaned them about 4 months ago when it happened.

Isn't there some kind of "gook" you can put on the terminals to limit the corrosion? I thought it was grease, but I'm probably wrong on that one. Would like some input from you if you've had success limiting the corrosion.

Auto stores sell battery spray that coats most anything including cable ends, clamps, battery posts, etc, which after one cleans the corrosion off of the damaged item, will help prevent corrosion from returning. I've used it, and the washers made of felt with anti-corrosion chemicals embedded in the washer, with a good level of success.

Battery cable wires can corrode easily inside their sheaths, especially if the wire itself is cheap and not coated with some type of anti-corrosion treatment at the factory.

When electricians stick the incoming power lines into the main panel of a house they coat the wire with NO-OX to prevent corrosion. Protecting the cut ends sticking out of the clamp at the battery and at the connectors at the starter and frame ground is essential to deterring corrosion from exposure to oxygen in the air, which will create oxidation, (corrosion) on the copper wires inside the sheathing of the cables.

 

[the old grind]

Didn't we hear of oft-failed ignition switches being replaced on Mahindras? If so, I don't recall which model(s) had the issue.

It's as easy to assume the ignition switch can't fail as to assume that cables cannot corrode under their insulation OR where they're clamped into ring terminals. Those smaller wires vs main cables from the battery are typically what powers the ignition switch itself.

That the tractor starts when jumpered at the starter says I'd want to be sure that bypassing the ign switch is a first order test vs assuming that a safety cutout was necessarily at issue. Good luck, and keep us informed.

 

[bhammer]

This may sound trite, but check the push button on the dash for the PTO. I inadvertently had mine pushed in once, and it took me 15 minutes to figure out that was the lock out.

Otherwise I agree with above posts, it's either corroded battery connections, or bad cable.

Not at all. If that push button is in, you get a check light on the dash. But, I've checked it as well.

 

[bhammer]

Can you describe what checking your relays entailed? Also, what about your fusebox and ignition switch? What if anything have you done to verify there are no issues with them?
Are the relays all the same or different ones for different functions- even if you don't know which ones control which circuits?

Some relays are the same, other's are different. To check the relay, I pulled then out and bench checked them. I have a setup for my power supply that I can use to check then. Power supplies the coil power, main power and a ground. I just put my meter on the down side coil, shows 0 then push a toggle switch and there's the 12v, or whatever I have voltage set to on the supply.

I have swapped several of the relays around still the same but haven't spent time running down what relay does what.

Removed all connections from the battery and cleaned those up real good, too. This is really starting to frustrate me.

I appreciate everyone's help!

 

[bhammer]

Didn't we hear of oft-failed ignition switches being replaced on Mahindras? If so, I don't recall which model(s) had the issue.

It's as easy to assume the ignition switch can't fail as to assume that cables cannot corrode under their insulation OR where they're clamped into ring terminals. Those smaller wires vs main cables from the battery are typically what powers the ignition switch itself.

That the tractor starts when jumpered at the starter says I'd want to be sure that bypassing the ign switch is a first order test vs assuming that a safety cutout was necessarily at issue. Good luck, and keep us informed.

Thanks, and I checked that. Across two terminals, no continuity and turn the key to start and it closes and have no resistance.