Starting issues Ford 4500

[Orchardman]

Hi Everyone

I have a situation with my Ford 4500 backhoe. I went to turn it over the other day and I engaged the starter for a few seconds, gave it a break and when I turned the key, the starter wouldn稚 engage.

Starter and Solenoid both check out, When I turn the key, I get a little lightening bolt signaling power and the battery is good too.

Any places I should be looking at? Do these tractors have a safety switch such as the clutch being fully depressed? Could the ignition switch go faulty?

Any advice would be helpful, I have to unload some equipment in the coming days and I need this thing up and running ASAP.

 

[RickB]

Neutral safety switch is in the transmission and relates to the range lever unless you have the Power Reversing transmission. Not real sure on that one.

 

[Orchardman]

Neutral safety switch is in the transmission and relates to the range lever unless you have the Power Reversing transmission. Not real sure on that one.

Okay, pretty sure its the switch but I don't know how to access it. I just spent most of my time taking apart the decking on the backhoe subframe and am now cleaning off the bolts that cover the gear levers.

Is the switch inside of the cover that goes over the levers? There are a couple of wires coming out of the cover that look like they have been spliced together. There is a good chance that it has already been bypassed. Maybe the wiring in the trans is going.

 

[Soundguy]

switch is under tranny cover.

try this.

hold key in start, main stick in neutral. run the range back and forth. might un gum the contacts.

 

[LD1]

Yep. Try wiggling the shifter. My 5500 is picky like that too.

Also try cleaning the battery terminals and connections to the starter and make sure they are tight.

 

[RickB]

If the two wires leading to the transmission shifter cover have been cut and spliced together (on the tractor harness side), the NSS has already been bypassed. Wiggling the shifter ain't gonna help in that case. Wintertime cold start tips: for tractors that have transmission NSS above the static level of the transmission oil, leave the tractor in neutral so the circuit is closed and the tractor will crank. Leaving it in gear MAY allow the switch to freeze in the open position and not close when the lever is shifter to N. Ditto any mechanical fuel shutoff cables. Better they freeze in the run position than in kill mode. Shut off the tractor, then place the kill cable in the run position before dismounting.

 

[Orchardman]

Okay,

newest update, I took off the plate and looked inside. There is a switch on one corner with 2 wires coming out of it. The wires lead out of the plate and look as though they have been spliced together some time ago. Would splicing those wires together bypass the neutral switch? The corresponding wires that they would have been connected to are connected together too if that makes any sense.

Wire colors are white with red stripe and white with yellow stripe.

 

[Orchardman]

Wintertime cold start tips: for tractors that have transmission NSS above the static level of the transmission oil, leave the tractor in neutral so the circuit is closed and the tractor will crank. Leaving it in gear MAY allow the switch to freeze in the open position and not close when the lever is shifter to N. Ditto any mechanical fuel shutoff cables.

Unfortunately, I probably left it in gear when I last started it. We are just starting to thaw out from -20 temps so this tractor is mighty cold and maybe the switch is stuck.

Can I take it out and clean it or wiggle the wires around a bit?

 

[Soundguy]

if it's bypassed above the trans cover.. nothing you do under the cover matters..

check wireing from ignition switch to solenoid...

 

[Orchardman]

Stupid question, but could the ignition switch wiring ground out if its frayed causing this thing not to start? My block heater cord went kaput and literally blew up in my face starting a small fire. (This is the second Ford I've owned that caught on fire). Maybe the fire melted the plastic and is causing it to act up?