Question on 1845 or 1850 slope mowers

[ernemats]

On the 1845 is there any heat shield below the muffler? On my 1845 1996 model with Deutz engine it looks like there was a bracket beside the starter that I wonder if it could have held a shield of some sort. If I run the tractor and the temp. gets hot it will not start for several hours unless you jump it, the battery tests 12.8 volts and when it is running it is putting out 14.7 volts . My neighbor thinks the starter is getting too hot from the muffler heat. I checked it after running till hot and the starter was about 190 degrees, and the muffler was off the scale. Any ideas?

 

[SnowRidge]

On the 1845 is there any heat shield below the muffler? On my 1845 1996 model with Deutz engine it looks like there was a bracket beside the starter that I wonder if it could have held a shield of some sort. If I run the tractor and the temp. gets hot it will not start for several hours unless you jump it, the battery tests 12.8 volts and when it is running it is putting out 14.7 volts . My neighbor thinks the starter is getting too hot from the muffler heat. I checked it after running till hot and the starter was about 190 degrees, and the muffler was off the scale. Any ideas?

What does it do when it won't start? Does it crank but not fire? Not crank? I don't have any suggestions, but inquiring minds want to know, etc.

 

[woodlandfarms]

190 would be the correct temp for the starter IMO. Muffler off the chart would be correct as well...

Me thinks there is something else going on (First stop, vapor lock)

 

[SnowRidge]

190 would be the correct temp for the starter IMO. Muffler off the chart would be correct as well...

Me thinks there is something else going on (First stop, vapor lock)

On a diesel? I won't say it can't happen, but I have never heard of it and have never seen it.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Oh, yeah, right. I wrote 190 and just thought it was a 190... Bad fuel pump or sender? Heating up and electric connection going loose? A long shot, what about some sort of air restriction with the gas tank? You open the cap and see if it starts?

 

[ernemats]

It does not even turn over when you turn the key to start. I believe it has to be something to do with the electric starting system and temperature issue. It has been this way ever since I got it. The battery seems like a likely source but it tests good. If it does not want to start when hot, if I put a battery charger on it it will start right up when hot, I have checked connections and they seem good .

 

[Gravy]

Millions of Chevy small blocks have had this problem. The standard fix is a heat shield between the exhaust and the starter. That's what I would try first.

 

[ponytug]

Dear Ernemats,

From your description, I would guess either a bad solenoid or a bad circuit through the ignition switch. (I've had both issues.) I had the top cover off of the dashboard recently and I noticed that some of the screws holding wires in the bus were loose. If the one for the starter (#2? I don't know on a 18XX) is loose, it could cause you problems. I have to regularly clean out my key switch, as it never seems to make great contact.

There is not likely to be a heat shield on a Deutz; the exhaust Deutz from engines run so much cooler than other engines that they don't need it. 190F is not all that hot.

The bracket might have been for the starter solenoid, (PT uses 2, one on the starter itself, and one before it, since the Bosch starter is very, very sensitive to voltage.), or it could be the bracket to hold the missing turbo. (?)

When I visited, Ernie at PT had a story about a municipality that thought the exposed muffler was too dangerous (at 190F) and had it covered in a bracket. Apparently, it came to light as this trapped heat below the muffler and caused a fire. (from chaff?)

All the best,

Peter

On the 1845 is there any heat shield below the muffler? On my 1845 1996 model with Deutz engine it looks like there was a bracket beside the starter that I wonder if it could have held a shield of some sort. If I run the tractor and the temp. gets hot it will not start for several hours unless you jump it, the battery tests 12.8 volts and when it is running it is putting out 14.7 volts . My neighbor thinks the starter is getting too hot from the muffler heat. I checked it after running till hot and the starter was about 190 degrees, and the muffler was off the scale. Any ideas?

 

[marrt]

Guys, this has been discussed a few times on here. My 1845 did the same thing. You need to add a solenoid on the starter. These starters are very sensitive to voltage. Once the machine is hot and shut down, the fan runs and draws the battery down a little...just enough to cause this problem. Once the fan stops, the battery will "recover" and the tractor will crank. Powertrac makes a kit to fix this. However, you can make your own for a few dollars.

search for "1845 starting problem"

 

[Charlie_Iliff]

Guys, this has been discussed a few times on here. My 1845 did the same thing. You need to add a solenoid on the starter. These starters are very sensitive to voltage. Once the machine is hot and shut down, the fan runs and draws the battery down a little...just enough to cause this problem. Once the fan stops, the battery will "recover" and the tractor will crank. Powertrac makes a kit to fix this. However, you can make your own for a few dollars.

search for "1845 starting problem"

On my 1845, I had the same experience. I put another solenoid down at the starter, to make sure it got full battery voltage. I thought I had it cured, but encountered the problem later, even with the solenoid. Although certainly some times it was when the engine was hot, I also got the problem on occasion when only warm. Most recently, I ran a new direct wire from the starter pole on the switch to my solenoid at the starter, thus bypassing the PTO switch, etc. So far, the problem has not recurred, but that's only 10 hours or so ago.
Unrelated, I now have twice had a short somewhere pop the dash breaker and shut everything down. The second time it stayed shorted until I got to the back junction box at the fuel solenoid circuit. As I detached wires and reattached them, the problem went away and hasn't recurred. It will, but by that time I'll have forgotten what I did in the middle of the half-tilled garden to fix it.