4530 won't start

[daydk1]

I have a 2014 Mahindra 4530 4WD Tier 4 tractor that I've owned since new. It only has 140 hours on it. This spring, it started not starting with the key. Wouldn't do it all the time, just intermittently. Now it will not start at all with the key. I turn it to the "on" position and then further to start and I get nothing. Not even a click.

I've taken the battery cables off and cleaned them good and made sure they have good tight connection. I did the same with the ground to frame cable. I also did the same with the cables on the starter solenoid. Still got nothing.

I have to start the thing by touching the two prongs on the solenoid. Would this likely be the neutral switch or a bad starter solenoid? Any way I can check to narrow it down?

 

[Gator6x4]

When you turn the ignition switch to the start position you are supposed to send battery voltage to the starter solenoid. Your jumping the wires at the solenoid is accomplishing this.

Take a volt ohm meter and attach the red lead to the wire coming from the switch and the black lead to a good ground if the volt meter has a on/off switch turn the switch to on. Now turn the ignition switch to the on position The volt/ohm meter should register no voltage. Now turn the switch to the start position. The volt/ohm meter should register battery voltage with the switch in the start position. Less than 12 volts means low voltage is being sent to the starter solenoid. No voltage mean the switch needs to be looked at.

A lot of tractors and lawn mowers experience this no start.

John Deere sells a relay component kit to correct the problem. You can also purchase a relay and electrical wire and end clamps or spares at a parts house and do the same thing as the kit.

pin 85 goes to chassis ground (85)
pin 30 goes directly to the battery + (30) incorporate a fuse
pin 87 goes to the starter solenoid where you remove the wire coming from the ignition switch.
pin 86 attach the wire coming from the switch, presumably on your dash (86)

If the relay has a 87a do not place anything on it.

 

[DonRybak]

If you can start it by jumping across the solenoid then the battery is fine. The solenoid is energized by 12v from the ignition switch when the switch is in the "start" position. It would be coming to the solenoid on the small wire. You should be able to test for 12v on that terminal with a meter or test light while someone turns the key to start. If you have the voltage with the key turned then the solenoid is bad and not energizing to apply the voltage across the two terminals internally as you were doing when jumping them. If you don't have the 12v then look at the ignition switch. Good luck........

 

[DonRybak]

Looks like Gator beat me to the "Post reply" button.

 

[Gator6x4]

Looks like Gator beat me to the "Post reply" button.

All input helps.

 

[daydk1]

Thanks. That helps. I will test it out.

 

[Lesliel]

I have a 4530 and a 5545 that is almost the same as the 4530. Since you can short across the solenoid your positive battery connection is ok . My experience on both tractors is the battery negative cable. They are not the best quality even though they may look good. Since your starter and solenoid seem to be working you appear to have a grounding problem. My experience has been that if there is not 12+ volts there is an intermittent starting problem. These starters take a hell of a lot of amps with a solid connecting ground. You may wish to connect a very good jumper cable to your battery and connect to a clean frame/engine location. See if this helps. Good luck.

 

[Gator6x4]

I have a 4530 and a 5545 that is almost the same as the 4530. Since you can short across the solenoid your positive battery connection is ok . My experience on both tractors is the battery negative cable. They are not the best quality even though they may look good. Since your starter and solenoid seem to be working you appear to have a grounding problem. My experience has been that if there is not 12+ volts there is an intermittent starting problem. These starters take a hell of a lot of amps with a solid connecting ground. You may wish to connect a very good jumper cable to your battery and connect to a clean frame/engine location. See if this helps. Good luck.

Battery negative cables go from the negative post on the battery to the tractor frame.

A quick way to check if you have a negative ground problem is to take a volt ohm meter. Place the black probe lead on the negative battery post. Then place the red probe lead on the positive post. Read the voltage. Now move to the starter. Get a good clean frame point to hold the black volt ohm probe. Now touch the red probe to the starter supply wire coming from the battery. The volt ohm meter reading should be the same as you got at the battery.

If you are not - do not get battery voltage at the starter clean the negative cable ends, reattach and do the test again.

 

[Lesliel]

Battery negative cables go from the negative post on the battery to the tractor frame.

A quick way to check if you have a negative ground problem is to take a volt ohm meter. Place the black probe lead on the negative battery post. Then place the red probe lead on the positive post. Read the voltage. Now move to the starter. Get a good clean frame point to hold the black volt ohm probe. Now touch the red probe to the starter supply wire coming from the battery. The volt ohm meter reading should be the same as you got at the battery.

If you are not - do not get battery voltage at the starter clean the negative cable ends, reattach and do the test again.

Daydk1, have you found you problem? If not, you should check your Pto switch. If that switch does not engage when the Pto clutch is disengaged, you will have an open circuit to your starter switch. If all your starter/battery connections are good and you still get nothing when you try to start; place a 1/8 inch piece of wood or something against the switch plunger to insure it is engaged. If that corrects the problem you can form the bracket to increase the switch plunger depression.

 

[daydk1]

Daydk1, have you found you problem? If not, you should check your Pto switch. If that switch does not engage when the Pto clutch is disengaged, you will have an open circuit to your starter switch. If all your starter/battery connections are good and you still get nothing when you try to start; place a 1/8 inch piece of wood or something against the switch plunger to insure it is engaged. If that corrects the problem you can form the bracket to increase the switch plunger depression.

I'll check that this weekend. If that's the problem, is there a way to bypass the pto switch? These safety switches drive me nuts anyway. I was raised on old school tractors that didn't haver all the idiot proof technology. Liked it much better. You just had to pay attention to what you were doing.