Starting problems
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Harry in Ky
Veteran Member
This question has come up more times than you can count. There is no "one size fits all" answer for it, as every machine is slightly different, and so is the actual symptom. It can be caused by many different things, but quite often it's just that the start signal getting to the starter solenoid is too low to properly activate the starter. Yes, it can also be a faulty safety switch, or any of the multiple wires and connections involved. The best way I know of to diagnose it is with a volt meter to test the actual voltage getting to the solenoid.
What I do is first remove the signal wire from the solenoid and "jump" battery voltage directly to the terminal it came from. If the starter cranks first time every time that way, that pretty much eliminates the starter, battery, and/or cables as the problem. Next take the voltmeter and measure the voltage present at the signal wire when the switch is turned to "start". In theory it should read battery voltage EVERY time the switch is activated. What comes next is based on the results. If the signal is intermittent or inconsistent with each try it would indicate a component or connection issue somewhere. If it is consistent but less than 9 volts, then a simple solution might be adding a start relay. I just went through this last weekend on a john Deere 2950. Same symptom as yours. Turned out the signal was only 5 volts. Adding in another relay at the starter and the problem is gone.
John Deere actually offers a kit to do this very thing. It comes with instructions and is not all that expensive. You can also "do it yourself" as I often do with a standard Bosch style relay and generic wire and terminals.
What I do is first remove the signal wire from the solenoid and "jump" battery voltage directly to the terminal it came from. If the starter cranks first time every time that way, that pretty much eliminates the starter, battery, and/or cables as the problem. Next take the voltmeter and measure the voltage present at the signal wire when the switch is turned to "start". In theory it should read battery voltage EVERY time the switch is activated. What comes next is based on the results. If the signal is intermittent or inconsistent with each try it would indicate a component or connection issue somewhere. If it is consistent but less than 9 volts, then a simple solution might be adding a start relay. I just went through this last weekend on a john Deere 2950. Same symptom as yours. Turned out the signal was only 5 volts. Adding in another relay at the starter and the problem is gone.
John Deere actually offers a kit to do this very thing. It comes with instructions and is not all that expensive. You can also "do it yourself" as I often do with a standard Bosch style relay and generic wire and terminals.
Williy
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Then again your cables could be dirty or loose
and some times they make contact and some times
they don't
willy
and some times they make contact and some times
they don't
willy
