MT180 issues......bumming

[CooHead]

MT180

It started and ran fine last time I used it. Slow cranking so I replaced the old battery. New cable ends on + and wires. Nothing?!  Like, not even a click click click or trying to crank. Not even a light on the dash. How could that be?! Could I have gotten a bad battery from Farm&Fleet? I put a 12v light bulb across the terminals and it shines bright enough so battery must be good. How could it not be, it is brand new. Guess it could be, but highly unlikely.

But maybe it is the solenoid on the starter?or key switch? I did try a screw driver to jump across the selonoid posts and it did not try to start. Not even a spark. I was anticipating a big arch and maybe turn over. Nothing. I have done this before on other machines and it is a viloent arch and spark. SO could it not be getting power? Like one of the two battery wires is not good? Broken? It is a big chunk of wire. There are millions of miles of wires on this earth, how could these two 20" wires be bad?
I did take off and clean the ground connection.

So maybe the actual key tumbler is bad? Just went bad since last time I used it this previous weekend? Cant see behind the dashboard to good to see any stray wires.

Maybe I should just order a ignition switch and selonoid?
ANy other ideas to try?

Please advise.

Thanks

John Coudal
johnc@machsys.com
815-814-7918

 

[oliver28472]

I searched this forum and found this: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...93-my-mt180-wont-start.html?highlight=starter

 

[Irishman73]

Have you checked the starter safety switch?

 

[Lnk]

Clean the positive terminal also. I have seen the terminals look like they are painted with black paint. Otherwise you might want to get a voltmeter and check. If you have a battery charger that shows amount of charge, you could connect it and turn on to see what percentage of charge on the gage. Good luck and let us know what you find.

 

[CooHead]

That is on my agenda today....to further investigate what the heck is wrong.

I will indeed check the new battery post end is not painted black on the inside diameter.....thinking it is not, but will check. Will use my little 12v light with pig tail wires to make sure the ground is actually grounding.

This Neutral Saftey Switch has been called out here and on the linked thread. WHere and what is this? The "N" on the transmition between high and low gears? I'm thinking my hyrdrostastic drive machine will indeed start with it in hi or low. I'm thinking it would and does and did.

 

[CooHead]

Oh, now I re-read that and IrishMan says to look at Starter Saftey Switch. I will indeed look for anything astray.....but what/where exactly is this switch? WHat does it control?

The saftey switch for the seat has been disconnected many years ago.

 

[CooHead]

A quick look at it on my way out to work this morning.
As suspected, my hydrostaic MT180HD is able to start in gear (high or low) as the little gear selection neutral saftey switch has been by passed years ago.

 

[oliver28472]

I don't have the same tractor you have but mine is under the clutch pedal. You will need a test light to start tracing down where you have power.

 

[CooHead]

Yea, will look into it this afternoon.
My test light is a little 12v bulb with 20" pig tails on + and -
That should be good enough to at least see the ground is actually grounded and live power to the selinoid.

Thanks for any help here people. I will post what I find as might help somebody else some time down the road.

 

[CooHead]

OMG, I am such a fool?!
But it takes a man to admit mistake. Should share the fix as people here helped and encouraged me to find out what is wrong.

When I pro-actively did the right thing and put new battery connectors on the wires, I snipped off 2-3" and started anew. Stripped the rubber casing off and mounted up the new + and - battery terminals. Little did I notice (was night and had a couple beers in me and "didn't need to get the drop light over there for this simple project") there is a clear wrap around the braided wires under the rubber insulating. My razor knife strip job was so clean and prescise, I didnt even see that...or feel it. Just tightened the new cable ends on.

So, with my little test light bulb, I see there is no ground at the selinoid...WTH. Took off ground on frame and sanded the heck out of it. Still nothing. Try my little light bulb from battery to frame-->nothing. But it lights if I go from battery to battery?! How could this wire be bad.....wait a minute, even the new batter terminal has no ground.

Sure enough, take it apart and see the thin little clear wrap on the wires. Peel that off and put it all together and fires right up.

I'm a dork.
Lost some sleep last night because of this oversight.
So it goes, good to go now.

Thanks all

CooHead