3320 won't start

Nuru · Apr 5, 2008

did you check the leads on the starter?

drz400 · Apr 5, 2008

I checked all terminals,cleaned the ones that looked dirty.Maybe the battery just died. I'll check the voltage in the morning.According to other Battery Posts on this site, The Deere batteries don't last very long. I do have some leakage.
Thanks.

drz400 · Apr 6, 2008

I charged the battery overnite. The voltatge reads 12.5 volts. I checked the voltage at the starter post-12.5 volts. I turn the key to on and the voltage drops to 7.8 volts. What is this telling me ???

Nuru · Apr 6, 2008

drz400 said:
I charged the battery overnite. The voltatge reads 12.5 volts. I checked the voltage at the starter post-12.5 volts. I turn the key to on and the voltage drops to 7.8 volts. What is this telling me ???

Hmmm, based on my experience when my 4310 dropped a battery, if you crank the engine and the battery is below 10v, your battery probably needs replacing. Hopefully your alternator did not suffer in the process. With 7.8v

when trying to start your batery is too low to jump. hopefully it is just a battery issue.

If you replace the battery and you have cleaned and checked all the terminals (even the good looking ones), my guess is that your starter solenoid might be bad. You may want to drop the starter and take it in and get it tested by your local dealer.

However it also sounds like a ground terminal is loose or making intermittent contact. Please insure that you have checked all of them , even ones that look good,. before you do a teardown of the starter.

So, new battery, check all the posts, make sure they are clean and tight. If problem persists, then start with the solenoid on the starter.

I hope these suggestions help!

ORCM · Apr 6, 2008

The battery voltage shouldn't drop that low just by turning on the key... If your checking the voltage at your battery post, then it has to be your battery.. The only other thing it could be is a short to ground..

Take your battery down and have it tested, they can tell you if it has bad cells.. This would make the most sense, because everything was working before..

Superduper · Apr 6, 2008

drz400 said:
I charged the battery overnite. The voltatge reads 12.5 volts. I checked the voltage at the starter post-12.5 volts. I turn the key to on and the voltage drops to 7.8 volts. What is this telling me ???

Did the voltage drop to 7.8 volts at the battery or at the starter post?

If it dropped to 7.8 volts at the starter post, then you have excessive voltage drop due to excessive resistance somewhere between the battery and starter post, either corrossion between terminal and battery or in the cable itself.

If it dropped to 7.8 volts at the battery post, then your battery has a shorted cell and should be replaced. Either that or the battery has simply expired and is no longer holding a charge. A battery that is just taken off the charger (freshly charged) really should have a topping charge that bumps up the voltage to something higher, like 13.5 or something that quickly drops back to 12.0 upon use. The only way to know if the battery is sufficiently charged for testing is with a hydrometer. The hydrometer will tell you all sorts of stuff about your battery, whether it is discharged, 1/2 or fully charged. BTW, a shorted cell will also make jump starting that vehicle very difficult.

Good luck.

drz400 · Apr 6, 2008

I took the battery out of my car and put it in my tractor. Guess what ? It started right up!. It must be the John deere battery died.I am going to get a new battery.
Thanks for the help everyone!.....

Superduper · Apr 6, 2008

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! It appears that rumors of the Optima batteries being discontinued for the weird deere sizes are premature.

I went to COSTCO the other day and found a bunch of group size 51R yellow top batteries, ready to buy! I believe that they will physically fit right in, slight modifications to cables or hold-downs aside.

drz400 · Apr 7, 2008

I went to the auto parts store and purchased a new Optima Yellow Top 51R. Quite expensive. Fits in the battery compartment perfectly.Hooked up the cables and turned the key. NOTHING BUT CLICKING ! I took the battery out of the tractor and put it in the car .Tried starting the car with the new battery, Just more clicking...MMMMMM!
I took the battery back to the store. They checked it and they said it has 2 dead cells and it is dead! They gave me another new Optima, I had them check it , and brought it home.The new battery works GREAT! Everything is good!
Thanks for all the help everyone.This is really a great site! I hope someone can learn something from all of this.

Nuru · Apr 7, 2008

drz400 said:
I went to the auto parts store and purchased a new Optima Yellow Top 51R. Quite expensive. Fits in the battery compartment perfectly.Hooked up the cables and turned the key. NOTHING BUT CLICKING ! I took the battery out of the tractor and put it in the car .Tried starting the car with the new battery, Just more clicking...MMMMMM!
I took the battery back to the store. They checked it and they said it has 2 dead cells and it is dead! They gave me another new Optima, I had them check it , and brought it home.The new battery works GREAT! Everything is good!
Thanks for all the help everyone.This is really a great site! I hope someone can learn something from all of this.

Wow, that is good it was just a bad battery. My battery took a dump and I got a JD replacement before I even though about an Optima.