B2150 Starting Problem...

[Charlie B]

I've got a '94 vintage B2150 with about 750 hours on it. The battery is 4.5 yrs old and just starting to show its age in this colder weather. I expect I'll be replacing the battery in the near future, but we'll see...

The question is that even when I have a fully/freshly charged up battery, I'll crank the starter as normal, but the engine doesn't catch and start until I back off on the key. In other words, if I keep the key turned all the way to the right it will continue to 'crank'... until I release the key or turn it slightly back to the left, at which time the engine normally starts. I began to notice this quirk over the past few months, prior to the cold weather hitting.

So, do I have a battery issue... an ignition switch issue... or a starter issue to fix? :confused2:

I'm hoping it's one or both of the first two...

Comments? Suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[mjw357]

Sounds like a worn starter switch to me. Maybe you can use a 12v test light to find out for sure.

 

[Charlie B]

Sounds like a worn starter switch to me. Maybe you can use a 12v test light to find out for sure.

Hmm... what procedure would I use? Got the test equipment, so no problem there.

Are you just saying to see if the full 12V is getting through the starter switch... meaning the "ignition" switch?

 

[mjw357]

Are you just saying to see if the full 12V is getting through the starter switch... meaning the "ignition" switch?

Yes. The ignition switch is really many switches in one. First position is like a master, supplies power to all things needed to make the tractor run, including the the fuel supply. On my tractor, there is a second position that heats the glow plugs, only when you hold the key in that middle spot. The third is start.

The switch must be malfunctioning in such a way that a fuel valve solenoid or pump or something is not getting power when the key is in the start position, only when you are just backing off the key.

So you need to ground one side of the test light and then attach the test light to the IGN wire on the ignition switch. By watching the light, you will be able to see when power is getting to that circuit and when it's not. If you are not sure what wire is which, it won't hurt anything to do it by trial and error.

 

[Charlie B]

Yes. The ignition switch is really many switches in one. First position is like a master, supplies power to all things needed to make the tractor run, including the the fuel supply. On my tractor, there is a second position that heats the glow plugs, only when you hold the key in that middle spot. The third is start.

The switch must be malfunctioning in such a way that a fuel valve solenoid or pump or something is not getting power when the key is in the start position, only when you are just backing off the key.

So you need to ground one side of the test light and then attach the test light to the IGN wire on the ignition switch. By watching the light, you will be able to see when power is getting to that circuit and when it's not. If you are not sure what wire is which, it won't hurt anything to do it by trial and error.

I suspect we've got basically the same ignition switch as mine has the same positions/functions.

Will verify with the tests this morning and then, assuming it fails, will hope my local dealer has one on the shelf. If not... well... I've got plenty of other work to do while I wait. My wife will make sure of that!

Thanks. :thumbsup:

 

[Charlie B]

Update & question...

I haven't been able to test the switch itself, but am going on 'faith' that it probably needs replacement based on input and observation thus far.

However, when charging the battery over the weekend I noted that my 'automatic' charger (using 12 v, 10 amps setting), finally showed 'Full' and lit the green light... but that the amp needle would keep bouncing and the light would flicker.

The only time I've seen that in the past was when there either was a short somewhere... or the battery had a cell or something going bad. The water level in each cell was good, although I didn't check the SG in each.

I figured I'd remove the battery from the tractor and charge it with no possibility of a draw from it to see if that would eliminate the flutter in the amp needle. When removing the positive clamp, I found the post "welded" to the clamp and in the process of getting the clamp off the post came lose.

I'm guessing at this point that the battery was going bad and MAY have caused the starting problems. Is this possible?

Either way, I'm going to replace the battery first to see what happens. If that doesn't change things, they've got my switch on the shelf at the other shop so I guess I'll just add that to the list then.

 

[RobertN]

FWIW, my old B8200 was the predecessor to the B2150.

A weak battery just did not turn it over well enough. A couple times I was able to use the compression release. Got a new battery and everything was ok.

The ground cable for tha battery corroded under the insulation. Looked fine, but didn't ohm out well. New battery cable, and all was good.

 

[Charlie B]

FWIW, my old B8200 was the predecessor to the B2150.

A weak battery just did not turn it over well enough. A couple times I was able to use the compression release. Got a new battery and everything was ok.

The ground cable for tha battery corroded under the insulation. Looked fine, but didn't ohm out well. New battery cable, and all was good.

I do need to check the battery cables. The negative one looked OK, but the positive one leaves a little to be desired.

Do you know what ohm reading I should look for?

 

[RobertN]

Sorry, I do not recal the values I read; it was three years ago. A big cable like that though, should essentially be 0 ohms Anything more than 0.1 ohms and I would be concerned.

It is not unusaul for that corrosion to be up under the shield. Sometimes you can kinda twist the cable and see up under the shield a tiny bit.

Another note, this happened on my Dad's Ford 9N. It would not turn over. He put a good battery in it, cleaned the terminals at the battery end. I started checking voltages, and got very low values. Turned out, the terminals at the block and stater were really dirty...

 

[Charlie B]

Sorry, I do not recal the values I read; it was three years ago. A big cable like that though, should essentially be 0 ohms Anything more than 0.1 ohms and I would be concerned.

It is not unusaul for that corrosion to be up under the shield. Sometimes you can kinda twist the cable and see up under the shield a tiny bit.

Another note, this happened on my Dad's Ford 9N. It would not turn over. He put a good battery in it, cleaned the terminals at the battery end. I started checking voltages, and got very low values. Turned out, the terminals at the block and stater were really dirty...

I hate to think of it because of all the work backing up on me around here, but I suspect I should clean and check everything from top to bottom. It's going to catch up to me sooner or later, and as wet as things have been this year it seems like the wear has accelerated despite having the tractor covered.

Thanks! :thumbsup: