12.3 volts at starter, still won't turn

[hottubbrad]

My starter will turn fast on the bench, but it does not turn on the tractor - L4310.
I have 12.3 volts at the larger terminal on the starter and 8.3 volts on the small terminal (when the key is engaged).
Even when I jumper the starter on the tractor and get 12 volts to the small terminal, nothing happens. No solenoid movement at all.
Ground seems good at starter with my multimeter......I even ran an extra ground wire from the battery to the starter body to be sure.

I am at a loss. Any help out there....>>??

 

[alchemysa]

It could be a few things but voltage alone doesn't tell much. (A single strand of thin wire will give you 12 volts.). You need good connections and heavy cable to carry the current needed to engage the solenoid and starter. When I had this problem it turned out to be the battery connections where the cable is 'press fitted' into the clamps.

 

[hottubbrad]

I spent the afternoon cleaning the terminals and grinding the metal plate where the ground strap bolts on. There is a lot of rust as this tractor was used to salt roads. I did get it to shiny bare metal though.
I wonder wny I only get 8.3v at the starter from the starter switch>>??

 

[Soundguy]

you are seeing a drop due to load.

try another known good bat and a short GOOD jumper and see what it does.

be safe. clutch a nd neutral..e tc.

 

[alchemysa]

If you have the sort of clamp illustrated in the pic attached don't be fooled just because they feel solid. Grime and moisture gets into the join and makes for a bad connection. If its an old clamp, cut it off and fit new bolt on clamps.

 

[Mikeeemo]

Have the battery checked. The voltage you listed, would lead me to believe, you battery is failing or severely discharged.

 

[skyhook]

If the starter tested good on the bench,
it could be your solenoid.
If you have room, try jumping the starter "directly", like you did bench testing it.

 

[bandaidmd]

the 8.3 with the switch engaged might be telling you that your batters shot. Test the voltage at the battery with glow plugs on or key in start., better yet take the battery to autozone for a free test. Even a crappy battery will spin a non loaded starter on a bench.

edit; sorry mikemo i didnt see you reply before posting but i agree with you.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I had an issue with my Yanmar several year ago. Starter just quit working. Took it off and bench tested with jumper cables and it worked great. Started with cleaning up the cable ends and then when putting one of them back on, the cable separated from the pressed on end due to internal corrosion. I cleaned it up, crimped a new end on it and then while installing it, the other end at the battery post popped out. Same scenario, internal corrosion that went back about an inch into the cable on both ends. I had to buy one of the bolt on connections for the battery post, but when I finally got it all back together, it started like a champ. Visually the battery cables looked fine from the outside.

 

[grsthegreat]

Im going with bad battery...its failing under load.