2005 NEW HOLLAND TC40 starting issues

[MVTractor]

So I致e been bitten by the clicking solenoid bug and have searched far and wide for a solution and need one before I screw up everything. No signs of problems ever, then the other day tried to start and only a click. Trickle charger shows green, been on all winter, old battery tester reads good even on load, digital reader shows battery good so do the usual clean battery posts, starter pos line, and grounds, Still nothing, no lights, very dim dash lights, turn ignition and dash lights go out. pull off lower cowl check contacts all good, no corrosion, add dielectric grease to contacts anyway. Check relays on left side all look clean so grease and replace. Nothing. OK reading about issues inside the battery cables so bring out my battery charger/starter, disconnect battery terminals and apply charger to lead clamps. Get lights to dash and headlights but solenoid keeps clicking until I release the ignition key So one last shot Negative wire from charger to a solid frame contact and positive from charger directly to the positive post on the starter. Good lights on dash, headlights work as should but solenoid just continues to click until I release the ignition. I am guessing solenoid or starter but have not yet removed starter to get to the wires behind. Less than 300 hours and always garaged wouldn稚 you think it would be equipment failure and not bad contacts? Anyway have seen something about a white wire off the starter but not sure what that entails, Could use some direction as this is my first tractor and lots of Greek between the lines.

 

[MVTractor]

UPDATE: Finally decided to try the tractor battery in my truck since it was out on the ground, so no change to the battery, just put it in hit the ignition and the truck fired up cranking like a fully charged battery should. Now confused because I had cleaned the posts several times prior with no results on the tractor, so next thought, since the battery was out of the truck would try it in the tractor. Installed, turned the key, and the tractor fired right up. Thinking about it the only difference in batteries, I was using gold terminal connectors on a non post battery in the truck and yes the battery posts from the tractor were clean on the original battery. So did some quick checking on the net and found the gold posts are recommended in corrosive situations. Its hard for me to believe this would make a difference but the best I got out of the original tractor battery (in the tractor) after cleaning posts was weak dash lights, no head lights and a clicking solenoid. After all the work I did prior to the switching batteries nothing changed. Now tractor starts right up as well as the truck. So now thinking it had to be the gold posts??? I guess the first attempt to fixing these issues is changing batteries and using good quality posts.

 

[bspeedy]

Might be your positive or negative battery cables. Sometimes these will corrode from the inside. Moving them a bit will provide a new current path and all SEEMS well until... next time. I spent some effort on my Kubota with this issue. New positive battery cable and all is well. Good luck.

 

[MVTractor]

Was aware of the cable problem but never thought about your fix. I did move the cables around as the battery posts were opposite of the original. Worked all day today with no issues but will keep this in mind if it happens again. Thanks Don

 

[MVTractor]

Well it happened again but armed with your suggest fix and another suggesting drilling a hole through the clamp and threading a screw into the cable i was able to get a real good contact and it started right up. So many were right, the cable looked like new but who would know what was hiding under the sheathing. Anyway all is well and I think I will cut the clamp off and get one of those replacement types. thanks again you put the seed in my mind and it made the most sense.