Dead 1130

[CD Long]

A friend has a 1993 Case 2wd 1100 series tractor w/ a mounted Woods 165 front end loader which can’t be dismounted. I was told the husband disconnected the OSHA required safety equipment. 9 years ago, he was mowing with a brush hog and the tractor died. It would not restart. It was towed to the shed and sat. He passed away not long after this. Several mechanics, (?), have looked at it. The wife was told it needed a new wiring harness, I looked at it but didn’t have a test light or multimeter. I turned the engine over with a wrench on the crankshaft nut. I installed what I was told was a new battery. I checked the cables, Positive goes to top post on starter and negative goes to frame under the battery, Terminals look good and no rust on negative cable mount to frame. None of the gauges, light that flows on preheat or the lights work. The starter does not engage. I checked for a battery disconnect switch and found nothing. Not knowing the condition of the battery, I hooked up my jump pack. No difference. I found a remote starter switch and hooked it from the top terminal of the starter to the small male spade terminal on the solenoid behind the starter. Starter didn’t engage. Not knowing if the remote starter switch was good, I tried a screwdriver, starter didn’t engage, no spark or noise. I found the fuse box, it has 4 fuses, top to bottom, 20 amp, 10 amp, 10 amp, 20 amp. but the bottom 20 amp fuse was missing. The other 3 fuses are good. I took the top 20 amp fuse and put it in the bottom 20 amp holder, no difference in gauges, lights or starter. My jump pack was still fully charged when I got home. Any ideas where to start? I was dumbfounded when I jumped the starter, and it didn’t crank.

 

[Patches]

I would disconnect the battery cables at both ends and check continuity with an ohms meter, If continuity is proven, look for a main fuse/circuit breaker

 

[DJ54]

First I'd make sure the starter has a good ground to chassis. Removing a mounting bolt and buff the starter mounting ear, run the bolt in and out several times and make sure the lock washer bites in good.

Even though the ground cable looks good where it mounts, remove and clean that area too.

For what it's worth, here a link of the Case 1130 at Case/IH online parts book showing the wiring harness. Case IH | 1130 - Case Ih Tractor | MyCNH US Store A service manual will probably give a better image of what goes where, but not seeing anything that would be less than $200-$250 but may be worth it.

Off the top of my head, not knowing what was disconnected, I'd look for wires connected to seat switch, neutral safety switch (diagram above in link shows 2. Probably for the main transmission and hi-lo, or whatever it has. PTO switch, etc.

But first you need to trace back from the ignition switch to the battery, to get power to the switch. Once you get power to the ign. switch you can test outward. A multimeter, or continuity tester to check safety switches etc. that are non-powered. I'm seeing some fuseable links in the wiring too, another good place to use the continuity tester.

I'm also assuming the wiring harness is color coded. Either different colored wires, or a black or other colored wires with a colored stripe. A service/repair manual should show the color code of wires, and where they go. Looking at the OEM manual wiring diagram may be a bit overwhelming, but easy to trace following one wire at a time, from point A to point B. Hopefully wiring was just unplugged, and not cut.

 

[Tx Jim]

Sounds as if 1 or both battery cables are not making good connections. It's possible battery cable has corrosion under the insulation causing loss of voltage.

 

[thclimer]

If the old battery was still connected in the circuit it was most likely sucking all the power from your jump pack.

Additionally, if it sat in shed for that long I'd be looking for mouse destruction, chewed wiring, air cleaner packed, etc. What did the fluids look like, fuel/filter, oil, hydraulic, antifreeze?

 

[Tinhack]

Is there a neutral safety switch. That generally kills all power. On my Ford, it's on the H-N-L Range Selector.

 

[CliffordK]

Sounds as if 1 or both battery cables are not making good connections. It's possible battery cable has corrosion under the insulation causing loss of voltage.

I'm with @Tx Jim. If you can't jump across the starter solenoid and make noise, and there are no lights on in the tractor, then it is likely that somehow you're not getting power.

Bring a known good battery with you. And a good battery terminal cleaner.

Even check the connection from battery terminal to the wires. Install new battery terminals?

Remove the ground connection from the chassis and clean it to bare metal, then reassemble.

 

[Mike1955]

All this maintenance is really good, but the checks need to be more technical. However simple. A digital DC volt meter with sharp leads will tell exactly which battery lead isn’t working, if that’s the case. Save a lot of elbow grease!

 

[CD Long]

Update, starter was tested and is good. i could not get a ground for my test light on the engine or frame. I cleaned the frame and negative cable. Test light still didn't work. I used a jumper cable connected to the negative battery post as a ground wire for my test light. Starter has voltage to terminals. Starter solenoid has constant voltage. When I moved to right side of tractor to check ignition switch, I laid the test light on the deck and the deck is hot? Ignition switch shows to be operating correctly. Fuse box has power on both side of fuses.

 

[CD Long]

No visual evidence of any melted wiring.

 

[Mike1955]

That steel rusts and connections deteriorate. I’ve got an old dozer I had to jumper a ground to the headlights. You did good

 

[CliffordK]

It sounds like you're getting close.

A jumper cable may not have enough juice to start the tractor.

You can buy aftermarket battery cables at most auto parts stores. Or, if you have a good frame ground, then work on the battery terminal.

 

[CliffordK]

That steel rusts and connections deteriorate. I’ve got an old dozer I had to jumper a ground to the headlights. You did good

Somehow usually once a bolt is connected to a clean spot on the frame, it will keep the connection quite a while. I was having taillight grounding issues on my old Haulin trailer and welded the light brackets to the frame which helped. Of course now everything is going to LED with separate hot/ground wires.

Perhaps clean the frame, add some dielectric grease and connect your wire. Then clean and paint over the top. Or even dab some caulking over the top.

================

Edit:
See notes below. Dielectric Grease is marketed to protect wire connections and prevent corrosion, but isn't actually conductive. There are conductive greases available. Or... ???

 

[Mike1955]

Mr Clifford. I can imagine a bad connection occurring, then making contact thru a ball bearing. You know that would be bad.

 

[rScotty]

Update, starter was tested and is good. i could not get a ground for my test light on the engine or frame. I cleaned the frame and negative cable. Test light still didn't work. I used a jumper cable connected to the negative battery post as a ground wire for my test light. Starter has voltage to terminals. Starter solenoid has constant voltage. When I moved to right side of tractor to check ignition switch, I laid the test light on the deck and the deck is hot? Ignition switch shows to be operating correctly. Fuse box has power on both side of fuses.

Take the old battery out of the circuit entirely.Then use a known good battery to jump directly to the starter motor. Plus to the terminal on the starter motor, and neg to the body of the starter motor. That bypasses everything and if the starter is good it will turn. Be ready for something to happen.

 

[CliffordK]

Mr Clifford. I can imagine a bad connection occurring, then making contact thru a ball bearing. You know that would be bad.

Oh, I see, the dielectric grease is an insulator, but helps protect from corrosion, so still good stuff.

There are, however, a few brands actually marketed as conductive grease.

Perhaps one should consider other protective coatings for electrical wires to steel. A small dab of brazing?

 

[CD Long]

Take the old battery out of the circuit entirely.Then use a known good battery to jump directly to the starter motor. Plus to the terminal on the starter motor, and neg to the body of the starter motor. That bypasses everything and if the starter is good it will turn. Be ready for something to happen.

Starter was tested and is good. Battery is good. I wire brushed the starter face & bellhousing where starter mounts. I attached the wire to the solenoid, no power to frame. I attached the positive cable to the top post of starter. starter, no power to the frame. I attached the first of 2 red wires on the top starter terminal, no power to frame, fuel pump is operating, power across fuse box, power to ignition switch. When i attempted to put the second red wire with the positive cable & first red wire, the starter is trying to engage. I left the 2nd red wire off the post & tried to start with the ignition switch. I heard several clicks and had no power. I disconnected the battery, waited several minutes, reconnected the battery & had power again. When I tried the second time I had the same issue, but it sounded like the clicking was near the seat. I lifted the seat looking for a safety switch but didn't see any. I'll have to remove the seat. Ingition switch center post says batt, but the black wire to the left is the hot wire. Shouldn't the battery post be the hot wire? i have a video of touching the 2nd red wire to the top post but can't figure out how to put it in the attachments.

 

[Williy]

CDLong maybe you can find a free service manual here:

free servivce manual 1993 Case 2wd 1100 series tractor - Google Search

willy

 

[Mike1955]

Starter was tested and is good. Battery is good. I wire brushed the starter face & bellhousing where starter mounts. I attached the wire to the solenoid, no power to frame. I attached the positive cable to the top post of starter. starter, no power to the frame. I attached the first of 2 red wires on the top starter terminal, no power to frame, fuel pump is operating, power across fuse box, power to ignition switch. When i attempted to put the second red wire with the positive cable & first red wire, the starter is trying to engage. I left the 2nd red wire off the post & tried to start with the ignition switch. I heard several clicks and had no power. I disconnected the battery, waited several minutes, reconnected the battery & had power again. When I tried the second time I had the same issue, but it sounded like the clicking was near the seat. I lifted the seat looking for a safety switch but didn't see any. I'll have to remove the seat. Ingition switch center post says batt, but the black wire to the left is the hot wire. Shouldn't the battery post be the hot wire? i have a video of touching the 2nd red wire to the top post but can't figure out how to put it in the attachments.

CD you have diligently did your checks and I feel like your are so close to nailing this down. Now I must suggest that you back off from it, do something else so you can’t come back with a fresh way of thinking. Honestly I think you passed by the problem and didn’t see it. There can only be one of two things, loosing a ground or loosing a hot wire. You are going to find it and it will be so obvious once you do. Good Luck

 

[CD Long]

i have the manual.