mf135 wont start

[WadeBrumett]

the other evening while bush hogging my tractor cut off. I thought it was a fuel issue, so I cleared the line and it started right back and ran fine.
this happened a couple of times. The next day I took the tractor from the shed and headed into the field and it cut off again. At first it turned over, but then nothing. Batterry is fine, when you turn the key the voltage drops to negative but nothing, no sound, no clicking nothing at all. Would not pull start. Suggestions?

Thanks,
Wade

 

[big bubba]

what do you mean by "cleared the line" ? believe your model is a perkins 3 cyl motor assume the fuel filter is up to date, & the glass bowl (?) is free of water, etc. some kind of fuel related problem i would venture. possibly sediment in fuel tank outlet?

 

[WadeBrumett]

what do you mean by "cleared the line" ? believe your model is a perkins 3 cyl motor assume the fuel filter is up to date, & the glass bowl (?) is free of water, etc. some kind of fuel related problem i would venture. possibly sediment in fuel tank outlet?

right, cleared the sediment bowl and made sure fuel was passing though fuel filter.

NOW, when you turn the key, nothing. zilch nada. And would not pull start.

 

[Soundguy]

what does bat voltage do when attempting to start. ( use a VOM meter.. )

 

[donnyviking]

Hi Wade,

I'm not helping, just tagging onto your post . My MF 451 just had the same issue today. Voltage is flashing, will not turn over. Nada, nothing. Battery checks fine. Tractor was leaking fuel all over. I fixed the return lines and noticed that mice chewed one of the feed lines from gas tank and two wires going to alternator. I spliced the wires, soldered and used strink tubes on splices. Tractor started right up, I tilled a few acres, then shut off for dinner. After dinner, tractor would not turn over and voltage warning light is flashing. Checked starting circuit fuse and its fine.

 

[WadeBrumett]

Hi Wade,

I'm not helping, just tagging onto your post . My MF 451 just had the same issue today. Voltage is flashing, will not turn over. Nada, nothing. Battery checks fine. Tractor was leaking fuel all over. I fixed the return lines and noticed that mice chewed one of the feed lines from gas tank and two wires going to alternator. I spliced the wires, soldered and used strink tubes on splices. Tractor started right up, I tilled a few acres, then shut off for dinner. After dinner, tractor would not turn over and voltage warning light is flashing. Checked starting circuit fuse and its fine.

Hi Donnyviking,

Ya that does sound similar. I also found a mice nest, but so far have found no chewed wires or chewed fuel lines. Keep me posted on what you find out please? and I'll do the same.

 

[WadeBrumett]

will check that and let you know! thanks.

 

[Clint S]

How do you know battery is fine, did you load test it. Check and clean all grounds.

 

[WadeBrumett]

drops to -28 amps

 

[WadeBrumett]

drops to -28 amps

have power all the way to the coil

 

[Clint S]

Check for spark?

 

[WadeBrumett]

no spark

with voltmeter the batt is 12.6 drops to 12.06 w key on
coil 11.4 w key on

put in new neutral safety switch

any ideas/ i got nothing when key turned

replaced the coil the wire to the distributor very loose have new set of plug wires on order.

 

[Soundguy]

hotwire it and retest.

 

[WadeBrumett]

hotwire it and retest.

thanks Soundguy
pretend for a minute I am a novice (I am) and have no idea as to how to proceed with what you are suggesting?

could you be so kind as to describe the procedure? thanks

 

[Soundguy]

lets break it down like this.

on a spark ignition.

you have the battery, a key switch, maybee a resistor and a coil.

there is plenty of stuff betweent he battery and coil that can have bad connections, loose wires, corrosion.. etc.

a hot wire bypasses all that.

jump from the ungrounded post of the battery to the primary of the ignition coil.

only do this with breaker contact based systems mind you.

 

[WadeBrumett]

What will I learn? I already know i have power
To the coil? You mentioned retest? You want me
To then see what power is? Where?

Don't mean to be dense- ???

Thanks

 

[Soundguy]

never mind.

too hard to argue on a phone.

you don't want to do it. don't do it.

see ya

 

[WadeBrumett]

Ok. Thanks anyway. Did not mean to argue
By asking questions. I just did not understand
Your posts intent.

 

[Clint S]

Did you ever check cranking voltage at coil??? You mentioned a few posts up you turned the key and nothing. Does that mean no power???? As SG said do the hot wire test. Even though you have 12 volts at the coil what is happen to it after running through the switch, wires , connections etc. Maybe loses amperage enough to lose spark. Probably a bad coil, condenser or points. If you have not recently replaced the P & C I would start there as tuning it up is not a bad thing.

 

[WadeBrumett]

Did you ever check cranking voltage at coil??? You mentioned a few posts up you turned the key and nothing. Does that mean no power???? As SG said do the hot wire test. Even though you have 12 volts at the coil what is happen to it after running through the switch, wires , connections etc. Maybe loses amperage enough to lose spark. Probably a bad coil, condenser or points. If you have not recently replaced the P & C I would start there as tuning it up is not a bad thing.

thanks Clint

i installed a new coil, new distributor cap,rotor button and points

the distributor wire from the coil is lose, I have new plug wires on order

i also installed a new safety neutral switch and cleaned up ground connections and repaired all frayed wires I found. im not assuming i found them all.
when the key is turned to the start position there is only a click sound. the battery drops from 12.6 to 12.06 and the coil reads around 11.4.

the starter wires are hot all the time...is that right?

i tried to pull start the tractor...and it would not attempt to fire up. am i correct in assuming that rules out the starter?

thanks for your response by the way. I will attempt the hot wire test.