John Deere 850 electrical mystery

[California]

I found my starter was bad and found one for $90.00 on this web site YANMAR ALTERNATORS AND STARTERS BY OEM #

Many of the small Yanmar starters are OSGR, 15 tooth, 12v, CW, 1.4KW.

I see a 2.0KW starter on that page with the other specs the same, and it looks near identical. Possibly the solenoid is rotated outward another 30-45 degrees which shouldn't hurt anything.

Does anyone know if that starter interchanges?

 

[Soundguy]

The dash lamps take so little power that a 9v battery in your tv remote would light them up.. if they are bad and coroded they might light the dash but not do anything else.

pull em for a looksee..

soundguy

Thanks for this advice, Soundguy. I installed a brand new starter/solenoid and still, no go. If the lights are glowing brightly on the panel (temp, etc), does that mean that positive and negative cables are OK? Carey from GA has suggested that I replace cables from battery but I can't figure out how to get into the area where they're connected.
I cleaned a mouse nest out of underpanel area but there were no exposed or disconnected wires. From other members' posts, I gather that voltage regulator doesn't affect starter circuit...so I'm stumped!

-Rick from VT

 

[careyo63]

Yeap 20 miles West just off Hwy78 in Walton. Know Athens all to well :thumbsup:
I agree with WILLL get a volt meter and start checking the power.If it has power I believe that Starter has 3 wires on the solenoid 2 battery and a small Ignition. You can Jump it and It should turn over or just take it to a Auto Parts store and have them check it. If it turns over bad connection or the Ign. Switch. Let us Know whats Going on with it we'll get It figured out.

Carey
Isn't there a saftey switch on the Clutch Petal If its there check it also I believe you can run the wires together to bypass it......A Duh !!! that would be a good reason

 

[knoxberries]

Similar circumstances with 89 JD 1050, takes 5 to 50 clicks of the key switch to engage the starter....good 12V on starter terminal....no resistance on ground side....starter rebuilt...and replaced by JD Dealer....who now says flywheel or ring gear.....so far out $950....no help from JD customer service...anyone want to guess along with the Ocala FL. dealer...?????

 

[California]

When my Yanmar did that, it was the ignition switch. I think the same switch was used in your Deere.

 

[knoxberries]

Ignition switch replaced earlier.....the 1050 always starts....though it might take 50 clicks of the key to do it

 

[kenstrac]

Have you tried jumping out the neutral safety sw.

 

[rundogs]

My 1050 does the same thing.I have to put it in gear, get off the tractor and rock it back and forth,get back on the tractor,put it in neutral and it starts right up every time.

 

[RickCowan]

Eureka! After 7 weekends of trying one thing and another (including replacement of starter/solenoid), I recalled advice of many contributors on this forum to check and double check the cables. I bypassed the + cable from the battery to the starter and it kicked right over! The bolt on the clamp that fastens to battery pole had rusted out and though I thought it was tight, it wasn't. So, I'm off to JD dealership to replace that cable tomorrow.
Thanks to all who have shared their experience and ideas with me!
-Rick
Putney, VT

 

[California]

Reminds me of what you sometimes see on a third-world intercity bus.

The driver carries a hammer to tap on the battery terminal if the engine doesn't start easily.

 

[careyo63]

Good!! Glad your up and going. If your going to JD. I would get all of the maint. filters Oil,Air and Fuel while your there and go ahead and catch up on everything.

Carey

 

[Soundguy]

glad you found it.

looks like posters 2, 5, 7 front the first page wear all good guessers.

soundguy

 

[wsg850deere]

Not sure if anyone is still out there but my 1982 850 ran like a charm till last fall. Then a symptom appeared as if the PTO safety switch would go to safe mode. It'd run, I'd use the brush hog thus engaging the PTO switch, then I'd turn it off, and it wouldn't start again, a day or so later, it'd start right up like the switch had clicked back.

QUESTION 1
How do bypass this switch to see if it's part of the problem? Put the wires together is how I'd do it I guess.

QUESTION 2
At the moment, my tractor needs to be jumped to start. The jumping takes an unusually long time to accomplish +-5 mins before it'll turn over and start although it "clicks" right away. I assumed a new battery was needed ($175???). But I just had a "house call" and the tractor mechanic thinks it's the voltage regulator ($350 plus labor???) Does that make sense?

To summarize the steps suggested in other posts and what I'll do before spending the money:
1. clean all terminals
2. check all cables
3. measure voltages at different tractor engine speeds

I'm pretty handy and can replace the regulator itself and I see solid state ones online for about $50.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks in advance,

WSG

 

[Soundguy]

see if your battery will charge up on a slow charger. if it will charge up. do it. then try the tractor to see if it starts normal. if so.. check voltage while running.. should be 13.8-14.4 when running and revved up. before starting. charged bat should be 12.6

While it COULD be you have a bad charge system.. it does not use the charge system to start.. so lets troubleshoot that.

other things like dirty ground conenctions and bad battery terminal end / cable end connections take a toll on starting capability.

 

[wsg850deere]

Thanks Sound guy, the battery was shot and I needed a new voltage regulator which I'm putting in this weekend!

 

[Soundguy]

glad you found it.