Just a NORMAL Day

   / Just a NORMAL Day #1  

crash325

Elite Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2011
Messages
3,374
Location
Tucson AZ
Tractor
New Holland TC-45
A few days ago went to take a shower. Waters cold - Out of Propane. - No big deal - Just load the tank & go get it filled.

Along the way drive out in the desert a little way & let the girls run & hunt. Grab a couple of small trees (Dead ) for fire wood.

Get home & hook up tank. Sort of pulled a muscle in my back. - No big deal - don't hurt very bad.

Want to move truck - No start - battery dead? - Its hot - no big deal - will go to town & buy a new one - this one sort of flaky anyway.

Today want to jump truck - Light under hood has completely killed the battery. - No big deal - hook tractor battery to truck & let it charge for about 10 minutes.

Still no start just clicks & grunts - No big deal - Put tractor battery in truck. - Now lets go to town - Nope still only clicks & grunts.

Being prepared I have another starter in the back of the truck & the right tools to change it. - did it about 2 years ago. - Nope the needed tools not there. No big deal I just gather some up.

Sure feels good sliding around on my back in the gravel. Did I mention the new rt front tire almost flat - But I still have room (barley) to get under truck.

Well I mostly had the right tools - another trip out and get another hand full. Got the battery cable off the starter - now to get the little 16 gauge wire off. - Oops starter slips out of my hands - no big deal that little wire caught it - didn't even break - Nut to hold little wire on weird size Not 1/4 5/16 or 3/8ts - Well a C resent wrench fits - just a little hard to use.

Did I mention that these starters are heavy - Holding it up with 1 hand & taking that wire off is no fun. Got the little wire off. - Now I have made sure that my head is not under the starter in case it falls again. - Small mistake had my arm under it when it fell. - Kind of nasty looking wound on my right wrist - it will feel a lot better when it quits hurting. Hardly even bleeding.

Test replacement starter its good - test old starter - clicks & grunts - Wow I'm making progress. - just put this puppy in - Hang starter by little wire - Now if I can get it positioned just right I can put on the battery cable - Almost get it - If it was a couple of inches longer sure would be a lot easier. - remove clamp holding it to the frame - Hot Dog got the needed 2 inches - Get the starter back up in place - ( Did I mention the nut sizes on the starter are a different size than old one.) -
Good reason for that, the stud on starter is bigger than old one. - & its bigger - cable will not go on, hole in cable too small. - No big deal, I'll just ream it out.

Can't find a good reamer or right size rat tail file. OH well i can use the file handle - not working too bad & making progress - After a while check progress - About 1/2 as much as needed.

Me tired - bad shoulder aching - time for a beer & think about this.

Put battery back in tractor so I can move it back so that when the bucket comes down it does not mash the truck hood.

At last something went right - have a beer - I've had enough fun for 1 day - tomorrow is another day. :licking: :thumbsup:
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day #2  
What a day! The only thing that would have topped this day would you to have came face to face with a rattler while laying under your truck with the starter in your hand!! I thought that's where the story was going!!
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day
  • Thread Starter
#3  
What a day! The only thing that would have topped this day would you to have came face to face with a rattler while laying under your truck with the starter in your hand!! I thought that's where the story was going!!

Though I had one the other day. Dogs were giving their Snake bark at a pile of lumber near where truck is sitting. Poked around in the wood pile & nothing rattled, so must have been another type of snake.

After 7 dead last year, may not have too many this year.
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day #4  
I had to look to see that you were from Arizonia since it was not raining on you as well.
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day
  • Thread Starter
#6  
SUCCESS - & success does not come easy around this place.
When it does come it's nice to take it slow & enjoy it. Kind of like If you gulp down 3 beers, the pleasure is over real quick'.
But if you sit & drink slowly the pleasure lasts a lot longer.

Day before yesterday, I got to thinking. That starter is probably getting tired of me holding it up. So I gave it the day off. Did get a battery charger working & battery charging.

Next day, lets get er done. Found 2 rotary burrs & a broken reamer. Picked up a drill & the chuck was slightly frozen. Got it freed up enough to work. OH crap the drill motor its self is frozen. Get a working drill & time to attack that nasty battery cable.

Start up tractor & push the truck back a little closer to the compressor & extension cord. Hey that went real well even better than expected.

Compressor worked & tire is aired up. Now for the real work. Broken reamer is too hard to try & turn. Smallest burr a little bigger than hole. But holding it at an angle it worked real fine. Got that hole reamed out just a tad oversize. Perfect - Drug up an old piece of tin to go between me & the rocks. Not perfect but big improvement. Gained another 2/3 inches of cable by removing a clamp. Cable fits right on, good going. - now where is that nut?? OH its under the wrench I just laid down - Why it even starts & I can quit holding up the stater. Got that puppy tightened down. Not easy but starter is headed home. After a little wrestling & a few good words got bolts started & tight. Well I did have to pause once to loosen & reposition cable that is hitting the truck frame. That's after I drag myself out from under truck & locate a couple of 5/8" wrenches. 1 Is too tight, other I had ground out a tad for a similar situation. By flipping the wrench I can get a whole flat on the nut. That's OK does not need to be very loose. Starter now all tightened up & I'm ready to try it. OH Crap it's holding the small wire tight against the exhaust manifold. - Reposition 1 more time. Nope that is not working still against manifold. After careful study the big cable has to be removed & the small wire put on the other side of it. Did I mention the nut is real tight on the stud & can't be finger turned. Time cures most every thing & soon ( not very) that cable will be off & back on.

At last ready to start truck. A charged up battery sure seems to weigh a lot more than it did empty. Got er in, now the big test. Key & door alarm making nice noise. Click Grunt & That's it. At this point I am just thrilled. Why I'm so happy I could just Break Wind. That battery gets heaver every time I move it.
Take battery back out of tractor & put in truck. Nothing, no alarm, no click & grunt. Lets check fuses, All good. Now what???

Now should anyone ever ask, you can say you got it from a person with knowledge on the subject.

No Matter how good the battery, no matter how good the starter. Unless the ground cable is hooked up. an engine will not crank.

Truck Cranked & engine started. Running a little rough & died once. But re-lit and smoothed out in just a little while. Alternator putting out 15 amps. Keep it at a high idle until alternator cuts back to 14 Volts.

Monday its off to the big city, new battery & get tire fixed. End Of Story - I HOPE!!!
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day #7  
A few days ago went to take a shower. Waters cold - Out of Propane. - No big deal - Just load the tank & go get it filled.

Along the way drive out in the desert a little way & let the girls run & hunt. Grab a couple of small trees (Dead ) for fire wood.

Get home & hook up tank. Sort of pulled a muscle in my back. - No big deal - don't hurt very bad.

Want to move truck - No start - battery dead? - Its hot - no big deal - will go to town & buy a new one - this one sort of flaky anyway.

Today want to jump truck - Light under hood has completely killed the battery. - No big deal - hook tractor battery to truck & let it charge for about 10 minutes.

Still no start just clicks & grunts - No big deal - Put tractor battery in truck. - Now lets go to town - Nope still only clicks & grunts.

Being prepared I have another starter in the back of the truck & the right tools to change it. - did it about 2 years ago. - Nope the needed tools not there. No big deal I just gather some up.

Sure feels good sliding around on my back in the gravel. Did I mention the new rt front tire almost flat - But I still have room (barley) to get under truck.

Well I mostly had the right tools - another trip out and get another hand full. Got the battery cable off the starter - now to get the little 16 gauge wire off. - Oops starter slips out of my hands - no big deal that little wire caught it - didn't even break - Nut to hold little wire on weird size Not 1/4 5/16 or 3/8ts - Well a C resent wrench fits - just a little hard to use.

Did I mention that these starters are heavy - Holding it up with 1 hand & taking that wire off is no fun. Got the little wire off. - Now I have made sure that my head is not under the starter in case it falls again. - Small mistake had my arm under it when it fell. - Kind of nasty looking wound on my right wrist - it will feel a lot better when it quits hurting. Hardly even bleeding.

Test replacement starter its good - test old starter - clicks & grunts - Wow I'm making progress. - just put this puppy in - Hang starter by little wire - Now if I can get it positioned just right I can put on the battery cable - Almost get it - If it was a couple of inches longer sure would be a lot easier. - remove clamp holding it to the frame - Hot Dog got the needed 2 inches - Get the starter back up in place - ( Did I mention the nut sizes on the starter are a different size than old one.) -
Good reason for that, the stud on starter is bigger than old one. - & its bigger - cable will not go on, hole in cable too small. - No big deal, I'll just ream it out.

Can't find a good reamer or right size rat tail file. OH well i can use the file handle - not working too bad & making progress - After a while check progress - About 1/2 as much as needed.

Me tired - bad shoulder aching - time for a beer & think about this.

Put battery back in tractor so I can move it back so that when the bucket comes down it does not mash the truck hood.

At last something went right - have a beer - I've had enough fun for 1 day - tomorrow is another day. :licking: :thumbsup:

Jim this sounds like almost a year ago was coming toward your direction and the propane bottle was empty

Along with a bunch of troubles. Maybe still same starter getting installed?

My today started good a man had called wanting to look at and maybe purchase my Allis WD-45 so to be able get it out of tractor shed had to move a lumber stack all 14 /16 ' length. one shoulder not working and the arm other side has had surgery and full of stiches.

after considerable time loading lumber onto trailer was able to make room to drive tractor out of the shed. Battery had been charged the oil transmission grease looked good and birds had spent the last year aiming at the steering wheel center bolt. so drove to water hose and in low 40 degree weather washed the tractor. went into house and pontental buyer arrived.
Wanted to haggle on the agreed price ended up got my agreed dollors and then sold him a used bush hog then he mentioned he had a J.D. M busted block so swapped him the bush hog and a 3kw old kohler generator. for the unseem M so now when he returns will find out if I had a bad or good day .
Jim the easyiest way to repair the old equipment is to turn it over do dirty side is up then dirt doesn't get in your eyes and gravity works with you not against.

So when are you going to get that load of propane next year.?
ken
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Hi ken.
Life is grand & just one big bowl of cherries. :D
Went to 30 gallon propane - lot easier to load & unload. Before getting the tractor & pulled or starained a mussel in my back'

For some reason this truck eats starters. Chevy 350 engine that usually starts before it cranks a full revolution.
2Nd or maybe third starter. about a year 1/2 ago it was the solenoid. Turned the washer over & sanded it clean. Starter worked at that time.
I was working on it when my brother in law showed up & being smart, I let him take over.
But I did buy a spare & carry it in the truck.

Found out my good shoulder is worse than the bad one.

About 3 / 4 months ago got a flesh eating something or another. Sort of like gang green. Spent 2.5 months in & out of Hospital & rehab. 10 /12 inch cut 1 /2 inches wide 2+ inches deep. Took out nerves, muscle, ligaments. Actually still in the healing process. Doc said had I waited 1 more day to come in I would have died ed.
A little over 3 maybe 4 weeks ago took a fall about 8 feet. Landed on left foot, bad sprain & some fractured bones. Most of the black & blue is gone, but still swollen. Bones will never heal. EX Wife had a similar fracture years ago & still bothers her. Nothing tastes good any more, EX said that could be from antibiotics, & it lingers.
It also took away about 1/2 the little strength that I had left.

Did I mention that a tractor with a hydrostatic transmission is really hard to start without a battery. :laughing:

Tomorrow, new truck battery & maybe a spare used battery for some of the other things with bad batteries.
Next month some solar battery maintainers. Will also get another spare starter in a month or 2.

At least you picked up a few $$$ instead spending them.

Have Fun,
Jim
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day #9  
Jim there was a series of Chev. that the orginal starter had shims for proper placement and when exchanging failing to add the shims caused starters to fail.
Look at the wear on removed starter is it just on the edge if the gear or seated into the middle. if edge doesn't get a good hold and wears the flywheel ring dig a pit so can stand up under pick up to work on it. if prepared will never need .

With the health problems maybe to much home cooking.
Some BBQ snake with boiled scorpon on the side causes intestional problems.

Was your illness bacterial or something picked up or bug bite.

Don't know if made to much $$ in sales and trading Buy high sell low and have learned not to load until cash is in the hand.

Now own a Little J.D. "M" with crack in the block. But have not seen maybe repairable it will show up in the future.
Under stand it is sitting in back yard across the other side of state. Know the seller so fairly sure it will show up later.

ken
 
   / Just a NORMAL Day
  • Thread Starter
#10  
Hi Ken,
Not sure what caused the problem. I suspect that it was a spider /tick / bug bite.
Doc has given me a prescription for handicap license plate. Now an official old crippled fart.

How is your shoulder doing??

Sure do understand about buying high & selling low. I say that I lost my fortune getting rich.

Pit not practical here, to flat & when big rains come whole yard flows water about a foot deep. Have though of it though.

Got any plans for the little JD M ??

Original starter was replaced by a shop. If it had shims, they got left out them. I will take a look at the spur gear.
 

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