help tractor wont start again stuck in driveway before major snow stomr

[ruffdog]

Loosen the belts and make sure all the accessories rotate freely first. Then, put a wrench on the crankshaft to make sure the engine rotates. Then go for the starter...

 

[MossRoad]

I got that sound once on my boat diesel engine. The starter gear didn't disengage from the flywheel. The engine then spun the starter up way high rpms until the starter croaked. Solution was a new starter.

I was thinking that, too. I've had a key stick and that kept the starter engaged. I heard a weird noise and when I went to shut it off, realized the key was stuck in the start position, not the run position. As soon as I moved the key to the run position, the noise stopped. No damage to the starter on mine. But had I had my headphones on, perhaps I would have run for an hour or two and that could kill a starter.

I'd pull the starter and have it bench tested at an auto parts store.

 

[kjm3232]

jj, yes i did find the tow valve and i did loosen it before the farmer was able to push me into the garage. bobrip, i did try jumpstarting it but that didn't do anything. i'll be heading home soon to at least snow blow the driveway(then i'll try calling PT to see if terry or kieth is in) and get part info from them. thanks for all your help.

 

[ponytug]

I had a similar problem on my Deutz. Check out the archives. I think that you want to start by putting the tractor key in "run" and then try to manually jump the PT solenoid, and then the bosch solenoid on the starter. CAUTION: you will have huge currents going, so make sure that you have the least possible amount of wire exposed.

I suspect that you have a bad starter or bad starter solenoid. I have had the PT solenoid fail once (the mounting broke and it fell off) and the starter fail once. (In hindsight, probably corrosion from power washing, but who knows?)

This is a really easy starter to change. My local Kragen (O'Reilly) had it in stock locally. It is used on all the Deutz's out there. When you do the swap, just keep track of the wiring. The PT wiring is a little convoluted, for a reason.

Good luck,

Peter

jj, yes i did find the tow valve and i did loosen it before the farmer was able to push me into the garage. bobrip, i did try jumpstarting it but that didn't do anything. i'll be heading home soon to at least snow blow the driveway(then i'll try calling PT to see if terry or kieth is in) and get part info from them. thanks for all your help.

 

[RegL]

Been thru a couple starters and at least four solenoids. Think the solenoid is located to close to the muffler and gets hot. If solenoid go's open, it's a cheap fix. Not so much if it shorts out. Than the starter stays engaged. I had that happen and the starter caught fire while I was field mowing. I had to yank the cable off of the battery to stop starter and get fire out. Theirs a member out in NY who's 1845 burned up a few years ago.

If you do have to get a new starter and get it somewhere other than PT, make sure gears match. Bosh makes the same starter with two different gears. I think one has 7 teeth and one has 9. I found that out changing out starters in the middle of a field during a snow storm only to have the new one jam up after about 1/2 rotation.

 

[RegL]

http://www.coxontool.com/index.php/PowerTrac/HomePage


Info about John's tractor burning up and some other good info.

 

[kjm3232]

regel, thanks for the info. I had talked with terry on Friday and he thinks it's the starter. had a buddy come over today and while I turned the key over he was going to check for the 12v. well he told me to turn it off after about 3 seconds because he saw smoke coming from it. so, needless to say the starter is shorting out somewhere internally. we went down to town and the only auto store that was open was autozone so I ordered a generic one from them so i'll make sure the gear matches when it comes in. the part wont get in until Tuesday and then we'll see if works. thanks for the info again

 

[kjm3232]

update on the fix. got the starter installed and the 1st time I turned it on/off it was fine. I shut it down after a few seconds and on the 2nd time I turned the tractor on I heard the starter was still running. I shut the engine off and pulled the key out and the starter was still running. I pulled the battery cable off and the starter shut off. I waited 10 seconds and when I reattached the positive battery cable the tractor started up by itself with the key out. I rechecked all of the wiring to make sure I didn't have anything touching and I didn't. I called terry this past monday and he thought something was still providing 12v to the starter when it shouldn't and he thought it could be the switch had shorted out internally. so I ordered one overnite and got it in yesterday. hooked it up today and started it up and shut it down several times and each time the tractor turned on/off normally. the wife was very pleased because we are expecting another doozy of a storm this weekend. thanks everyone who gave me suggestions on what to try to get it fixed.

 

[MossRoad]

Glad you found the solution. Internally shorted key switch. Yikes. I don't like the placement of my key switch on my PT425. Its in the top of the control panel, so snow and rain can get down in it if I operate in those conditions. I had it freeze solid in the off position this winter. Apparently snow got in there and when I put it in the garage, it melted into the switch and froze overnight. I had to pour lock de-icer in there. I'm looking at alternatives. Perhaps just replacing it with rubber booted push buttons and moving a key switch to some other location.

 

[ponytug]

Yikes. Snow in, melting, freezing. That is a tough one.

I know this is a bit broken record, but...The marine industry makes some nice waterproof starter key switches for boats. They tend to be sealed, with an internal drain to let any water that gets in get out safely.

All the best,

Peter

Glad you found the solution. Internally shorted key switch. Yikes. I don't like the placement of my key switch on my PT425. Its in the top of the control panel, so snow and rain can get down in it if I operate in those conditions. I had it freeze solid in the off position this winter. Apparently snow got in there and when I put it in the garage, it melted into the switch and froze overnight. I had to pour lock de-icer in there. I'm looking at alternatives. Perhaps just replacing it with rubber booted push buttons and moving a key switch to some other location.