4310 battery spew warrant fix

Egon · Dec 14, 2003

Jinman:

Jump starting a diesel is a pain as I have found out twice from personal experience.

The first time the batteries were run down by the camper load. The cut out solenoid that I had paid for to be installed wasn't there. Used booster cables and hooked up the little B7100 and had to wait three hours till there was enough charge in the truck batteries to start it.

The second time the truck batteries were reaching their age limit and wouldn't hold a charge for more than several days. Got the wife to come out to the lake to give a boost. Hooked up cables and went for a 15 minute walk with car running to help charge up truck batteries. On coming back found a puddle of antifreeze under the car and steam comming from under the hood. The water pump was shot. Fortunetly the truck started. Being many miles from a garage decide to change water pump myself. Not being mechanically inclined that took two days. It took two hours just to convince myself that a motor mount had to be removed just to put on the new fan felt. Ah well- got it done and it worked and seeing as no one is paying me for my time nothing was lost.

Egon

Pacesetter300 · Dec 14, 2003

I have to admit I am not a fan of AutoZone as a hard parts store. I had two lifetime wattanty batteries from Auto Palace that Auto Zone was obliged to replace(they bought them out). I got two 8 year "gold" batteries and I have to say they are really nice batteries. That said, when time comes to replace the battery in my tractor, it will be with the Optama spiral cell. These newer style batteries are extremely well suited to the type of conditions we put a battery throughand have a life expectancy of ten years doing it.

Pacesetter

yellowsocks93 · Dec 14, 2003

I was just talking about the top shield to cover the mower spindles. I don't get why I have such a hard time getting it off. I have the whole manual but thanks anyway.

PineRidge · Dec 14, 2003

I had a Diehard refuse to start my diesel one summer morning for grass mowing. The tractor was sitting just outside the pole barn so I quickly hooked up the 12 volt battery charger to it while my overhead door guy installed a commercial door opener on one side of my pole barn. I came back about an hour and a half later, unplugged the charger, disconnected the charger leads, put down the hood, and turned the key.

The diehard exploded instantly and threw plastic and acid all over the inside of the tractor. the tractor did a good job of containing all the acid because the hood was down but I grabbed the hose and washed it down. My ears were still ringing as the noise was so loud, and I guess I must have been shaking a bit cause the door man came over to help. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

After I setteled down I put all the pieces left of the battery in a heavy box lined with newspaper and took it to the Sears store. They happily replaced the battery when they inspected what was left of it.

I believe that while charging heavy gasses had built up in and around the battery. I also believe that when I turned the key the battery arced from within causing the explosion. That is as close as I ever want to be to any battery that explodes in this lifetime.

Trev · Dec 27, 2003

( Dealer says JD has a kit to fix this problem on the 4000 series. I remind him its a 4300! Ugh woops? Small silence on his end. "No problem we will make you happy" (good dealer).)

JD4300 circa 2000

I wish my dealer was as good as yours. I just went out to attach the leads for my new charger, and when I took off the cover of the positive terminal, it was chuck full of yellow crap. I noticed the base the battery sits on was also starting to deteriote.

Being optimistic, I tried removing the cable from the positive side, and one turn and the bolt broke off.. broke right in half.

I called the JD dealer, and they said that was normal for an older battery.. and they had never heard of any "battery fix" available from Deere.

Do you guys think I have the problem that JD addresses? I have the old style battery with just two rectangular caps on it instead of the six separate ones.

Do I just need a new battery, or have I been bitten by this problem that Deere supposed fixes? If the latter, is there some reference I can give my dealer so he can find this service bulletin (or whatever they're called)?

I will probably just get an Optima, but if this caused damage to the tractor, then I want them to fix it.

I'm really not sure which boat I'm in.. normal "old" battery, or a factory defect which they should cover. I don't see any evidence of it having sucked battery acid through the radiator, or anything like that.. but it is clearly doing something I don't like.

Advice appreciated!

Thanks,
Bob

PineRidge · Dec 27, 2003

I called the JD dealer, and they said that was normal for an older battery.. and they had never heard of any "battery fix" available from Deere.


Bob my NH dealer hadn’t heard of the problem either. So I installed the Optima myself after I cleaned up the acid mess. I then fired a nice letter off to New Holland folks in Canada explaining my situation. I was reimbursed for the Optima battery a short time later. I am sure a letter to JD couldn't hurt you, and you already know that you need a new battery regardless.

yellowsocks93 · Dec 27, 2003

Bob,

If your battery was the original then it is too late to get the warranty fix because the JD brand batteries would probably be covered under the 2 year tractor warranty. If you just bought your JD battery up to 90 days ago then you probably be entitled to a new battery for free. If I remember correctly the warranty for JD batteries is 90 days from date of purchase. If that's the case go to your parts department and tell them the battery is defective. They will test it and if it is defective then they will replace it. My 990 came with the style battery you describe and it was manufactured in July so I had to replace mine with the 6 individual caps due to a very small amount of acid leakage and I have none now. I was lucky to have no damage. The yellow corrosion you describe is normal with any battery and you probably need to put petroleum jelly or a terminal coating on to stop that. Just about every year I have to put a new battery in my garden tractor because that yellow corrosion eats away at the positive lead. It it a fairly new JD mow pro battery and I consider it to be normal. It just needs some terminal cleaner. Good luck with your problem.

Trev · Dec 27, 2003

Thanks YellowSocks,

I'm *way* past any warranty claim.. it's the original battery. I just thought if it had damaged something else on the tractor then maybe that would be covered. I don't *see* any evidence of real damage.. so I'm probably okay.

Yeah, it's mostly the yellow corrosion around the positive lead. Annoying that it got so bad it caused the bolt to snap right off.

If it didn't have that red plastic cap over it, which says "Do not remove", I would have noticed it long ago. But I never took off the plastic cap to look.

I have the battery charger on it now. We'll see how it fairs.

I think, on further examination, that the corrosion around the base of the battery is actually just rust. Probably I should yank the battery, clean, paint, etc. And probably I do need a new battery by now anyway. Gotta find one that fits or jury rig something.

Thanks for the info!

Bob

beenthere · Dec 27, 2003

Trev
My understanding of the battery 'warranty' was more about the crud buildup between the battery and the oil cooler (radiator-looking finned thing just behind the battery) which caused the oil cooler to be damaged and need replacing. On mine, after 3 years, I noticed the buildup, cleaned it off, and could see some corrosion had eaten away some of the finned metal on the oil cooler. I contacted my dealer, and was told they would replace the oil cooler, the battery, etc. under the Deere warranty rules.

Regards the buildup of corrosion at the positive post, I fix that by tying a copper penny (other copper piece would do) to the post (drill hole in penny and use a plastic tie). This copper acts as sacrificial material to stop the 'ions' (I think) moving across the top of the 'wet' battery between the positive and negative posts. When batteries were lead, I would just push a penny into the top of the battery, and it would do the same thing. Try it, and I think you will be happy with the results.

Trev · Dec 27, 2003

( Trev
My understanding of the battery 'warranty' was more about the crud buildup between the battery and the oil cooler (radiator-looking finned thing just behind the battery) which caused the oil cooler to be damaged and need replacing. On mine, after 3 years, I noticed the buildup, cleaned it off, and could see some corrosion had eaten away some of the finned metal on the oil cooler. I contacted my dealer, and was told they would replace the oil cooler, the battery, etc. under the Deere warranty rules. )

Hmm... I'll have to look closer. I didn't notice any separate oil cooler.. it looks like just the radiator is behind the battery.

( Regards the buildup of corrosion at the positive post, I fix that by tying a copper penny (other copper piece would do) to the post (drill hole in penny and use a plastic tie). This copper acts as sacrificial material to stop the 'ions' (I think) moving across the top of the 'wet' battery between the positive and negative posts. When batteries were lead, I would just push a penny into the top of the battery, and it would do the same thing. Try it, and I think you will be happy with the results. )

Thanks.. I'll try that! Although I think I may end up on the "most wanted" list.. isn't it illegal to deface U.S. currency? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks again,
Bob