Electrical short on JD855?

[techwrtr2]

I've intermittently had a similar issue with my 855. I also suspect the positive cable, I just have not had the time to deal with it.

 

[Zebrafive]

Not a tractor, but my 1978 Ford truck had starting issues and it turned out to be the nut on the cable at the solinoid to the starter motor was loose. This was the big positive cable, solinoid to starter. Must have loosened up over the years. Noticed sparks when jumpstarting it. Tightened the nut problem solved.

 

[kiotiken]

Definitely the positive battery cable. I reconnected the negative and removed the positive completely. Jumper cable from battery post to starter battery terminal. Turn the key and it fired right up. Old cable is in the truck so I can match the length tomorrow at Farm & Fleet (I don't trust them to look it up.)

Glad you got it figured out, sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. I too had the exact same issue on my 955 with the exact same fix. It took a LONG time to figure out (before I was here on TBN).