TC33D Start Problem-Dash Lights go off then on

[OhioCowboy]

The famous TC33D starting problem 149
Background: Approx 2001/2003? TC33D. No starting problems for 1000 hours. This Spring the alternator stopped charging the battery. I have been putting the battery on a trickle charge each night and have had no trouble starting. Last weekend I shut down while working and was not able to start. Battery was too weak. I decided to leave the tractor in where it was. The next morning I brought a spare charged battery with me. The instrument panel lights and gauges, and flashers came on strong, I was able to operate the glow plugs, but when I tried to engage the starter there was a click and the instrument lights and gauges all went out and no starter. I turn the key of and on - nothing on the instrument panel comes on. If I wait 10 minutes all the lights come back on -with the same results over and over. I don't know if it's important, but I accidentally left he key in the ON position for the night with the uncharged battery still hooked up. I replaced all the fuses on the firewall (7.5,7.5,20,15,15). I also replaced the alternator. Still the same symptoms. Any ideas what would cause the everything to go dead for 10 minutes then come back on? Relay? I swapped the relays around thinking if one was bad, I might see a change-no difference.
Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[dqdave1]

Did you swap out the battery? You may have a bad battery with a shorted cell. Check all battery connections. Make sure you clean BOTH ends of the ground cable. You may have a ground issue. Starter switch is another suspect.

 

[RickB]

Did you swap out the battery? You may have a bad battery with a shorted cell. Check all battery connections. Make sure you clean BOTH ends of the ground cable. You may have a ground issue. Starter switch is another suspect.

Additionally, the positive battery cable is notorious for internal corrosion and premature failure.

 

[OhioCowboy]

I swapped out the battery with a "spare". I will have the battery checked. I remember hearing that standard batteries do not last long with constant complete discharge and recharge. It's time for a gel cel! Plus I'll disconnect and clean the cables.
By starter switch do you mean a relay or the ignition switch?
Thanks for your advise guys.

 

[jinman]

Your symptoms are the classic for dirty terminals, internally corroded cables, or loose connections. If you have a voltmeter or test light with a sharp probe, you should be able to puncture the insulation on both cables to find the problem during that 10 min lull between the lights going off and coming back on. When looking for problems, hold one lead on a terminal of the battery and probe the opposite polarity cable. I'd start with probing the positive cable as RickB suggested and then look at your ground cable.

Another thing to do is to leave your lights turned on and jiggle the cables. When the lights come back on, you know you have found the location of the problem. That's using your headlights as a kind of test light.

 

[OhioCowboy]

I tried using the instrument cluster lights as a probe, but after 10 minutes of wiggling and poking, the lights always came back on while I was wiggling a different wire.
I've got a probe I can use to follow the power from the battery until I find the dead spot. What causes it to shut down completely when I turn the key to the start position and then allow current through later? The corrosion or poor connection is acting like a switch when it heats up?

 

[RCannon]

I have a similar problem with my TC33D. If I let it sit w/o starting for 3-4 days and go to turn it over, it just clicks. After I try 4-5 times it will "catch" and start like normal.
So far I have just cleaned the battery terminals.
Do this one step at a time to try an eliminate things. Next is the starter cable and then the starter itself. I hate elec problems.

 

[SteveInMD]

I had all sorts of electrical problems with my TC33D until I modified my starting circuit. Ever since then I've not had any problems. Let me know if you want to see a diagram of the modification I did.

 

[farmacist]

Be sure to remove the negative cable from the FRAME. Clean the frame and the end of cable with sandpaper and tighten bolt tight, good luck

 

[OhioCowboy]

I had all sorts of electrical problems with my TC33D until I modified my starting circuit. Ever since then I've not had any problems. Let me know if you want to see a diagram of the modification I did.

Steve
I had already downloaded your diagram from a previous post of yours-Thanks.
I have a few 30 amp relays lying around. Do you know the amp capacity of the relay you used in your modification?
Am I correct in thinking that your mod. eliminates any ground problems from the system between the battery/switch/safety interlocks and solenoid?
Good idea!