Tractor died - now trying to troubleshoot - issue seems to be electrical

[Helloworld88]

Hey all. Maybe my second or third post here. We own a Kioti CK30HST tractor - 2nd year of ownership. After a miss-hap with a broken lower boom piston on the backhoe, we decided to do our regular maint. while we had the time. Changed out all fluids and filters, and even replaced a burnt out light bulb (! not a big deal - but will come back to this). Started the tractor up, rechecked fluids and the new brake light and sent the wife on her way. 10 minutes later, the tractor shuts down - just stops - and a turn of the key gets us NOTHING - Dead.

We try jumping the tractor - which allows the engine to turn over (very slowly) and then click click click. Took the battery home over night and put it on a trickle charger. This morning, with charged battery - back to NOTHING! not even a click. Again - attempted to jump the motor using my F-150 (avoid the jokes here) and again, it turned over slowly then click click click. Not enough power to crank appropriately.

Back to what changed...... New fluids (should not have any impact), new filters( same) and the new light bulb (????) I have taken the bulb out at this point - did so before attempting the jump starting yesterday. Looking for any guidance on troubleshoothing.

I'm an accomplished DIY (Changed out two engines before) but not super familiar with the start up process of the diesel engine. What should I be looking for and testing?? Thanks in advance for the help here!!

 

[ptsg]

Sounds to me like a typical bad ground issue.

Locate all the grounds on the tractor, pull those off, clean and reinstall. Don't limit yourself to just make a visual inspection since it can look good but still have a bad connection.

 

[3gunr]

I would have the battery tested also , could have a bad cell . Jumping does not always work either. Like ptsg says check all connections. My cub cadet battery cables come loose all the time no matter what i do to them , my other tractors never do.

 

[WM75Guy]

I have a similar deal and I am changing the battery as it appears to have a shorted cell. The Texas heat gets them. I just tried to start my TC40DA. Turned key on, glow plug light cycled on and off. When I turned the key it clicked once and now is dead. Will not jump off with a 200A charger, starter will click. Will not show taking a charge. Wife is stopping and getting a new battery now on her way home. Will let you know how it turns out.

 

[MountainBuck]

The engine suddenly shutting down and difficult to restart are both a symptoms of the fuel system needs bleeding.

 

[Helloworld88]

Thanks for the quick feedback! Here is more info and some follow-up questions..... Battery was tested and seems to be fine. When you mention fuel system needs to be bled out - what would the issue be? How do you bleed out the fuel system (I'll google it - but showing that I don't know off the top of my head). My brother in-law speaks of some solenoid issue. What I'd love to have is the process flow of turning the key, indicator lights flash one, glow plugs cycle, and then...... all of the steps and electricity flows that happen to engage the starter and turn over the engine. ???

 

[dirttoys]

Thanks for the quick feedback! Here is more info and some follow-up questions..... Battery was tested and seems to be fine. When you mention fuel system needs to be bled out - what would the issue be? How do you bleed out the fuel system (I'll google it - but showing that I don't know off the top of my head). My brother in-law speaks of some solenoid issue. What I'd love to have is the process flow of turning the key, indicator lights flash one, glow plugs cycle, and then...... all of the steps and electricity flows that happen to engage the starter and turn over the engine. ??? View attachment 756883

Fuel causes many problems. No crank, and slow crank with jumpers are neither of those.

New battery, check battery to ground, and battery to starter connections.

Take all safety precautions, and try jumper to starter directly. Let us know if you need additional detail, and do let us know what you find.

Best,

ed

 

[beowulf]

I am not the person to rely on re this issue - what I know I learned here. But, I recall that when this happened to me - i.e., tractor just would not start and I went through the usual suspects (battery, connections. . . ) - I finally figured out that it was the neutral switch (until then I didn't know WTH that was or even that it existed). Anyway, I managed to find it, and some wiring had disconnected - I fixed that and it started and has ran fine since. Just a suggestion - others will know more.

 

[dodge man]

There are safety switches that might be causing the problem. For example seat pressure switch, tractor in neutral switch, pto off switch, HST pedal not pressed switch etc. From the symptoms I’d say it’s a battery or cables, ground problem. Maybe a bad starter. I know you had the battery checked but just for grins and giggles I’d pull the battery from your F150, eliminate the tractor battery and hook up the F150 battery directly to the tractor. This will 100% eliminate the battery as the problem.

 

[dirttoys]

I am not the person to rely on re this issue - what I know I learned here. But, I recall that when this happened to me - i.e., tractor just would not start and I went through the usual suspects (battery, connections. . . ) - I finally figured out that it was the neutral switch (until then I didn't know WTH that was or even that it existed). Anyway, I managed to find it, and some wiring had disconnected - I fixed that and it started and has ran fine since. Just a suggestion - others will know more.

Good info, interlocks can be a booger, I can't think of how an interlock can cause slow crank though..............

best,

ed

 

[WranglerX]

Slow cranking issues are usually caused by:

Bad Battery
Dirty/corroded terminals on battery cables.
Battery/ground cable with corrosion under insulation (no visible indicators).
Poor/corroded ground cable (from battery) connection at chassis/engine.
Starter solenoid (high amperage contacts) beginning to fail.
Starter beginning to total fail. Bad winding or bearings in starter.

Maybe more but these would be things I would check first....

 

[WM75Guy]

Update mine was a bad battery with a dead short. New battery and I am good to go.

 

[paulfun9]

Sounds to me like a typical bad ground issue.

Locate all the grounds on the tractor, pull those off, clean and reinstall. Don't limit yourself to just make a visual inspection since it can look good but still have a bad connection.

I was shown years ago that sometimes you can use a good set of jumper cables to ground the starter directly to the battery and get home in an emergency
Might be worth a shot and could prove one of the grounds is bad.

Janet

 

[ptsg]

I was shown years ago that sometimes you can use a good set of jumper cables to ground the starter directly to the battery and get home in an emergency
Might be worth a shot and could prove one of the grounds is bad.

Janet

That's indeed a good suggestion that can troubleshoot very easily and quickly if it's a ground issue or not.

 

[paulfun9]

That's indeed a good suggestion that can troubleshoot very easily and quickly if it's a ground issue or not.

My Dad showed me that when I was failing miserably at learning to drive. I stalled the car more times than I can count and it started getting hard to start. He had someone jump start it but it didn’t work and that’s how he got it started.
He drove home with the Jumper cables hooked up as grounds and He never tried teaching me to drive again, said I was just too scared and panicked too easy.
It wasn’t until I met my Husband that I learned to drive.

Janet

 

[hornett22]

I was shown years ago that sometimes you can use a good set of jumper cables to ground the starter directly to the battery and get home in an emergency
Might be worth a shot and could prove one of the grounds is bad.

Janet

Yep, I've used that technique several times on Nissan Titan/Armadas. People didn't believe it was the crappy ground to the valve cover. Jumper from battery to frame,wallah!

 

[stso9d]

I think you have caused a wire to ground out against the frame. I would be very careful trying to start it until you know for sure...

 

[rv7charlie]

To the OP, do you have a volt meter? That's the best way to troubleshoot electrical stuff. Track one down (Harbor Freight usually has one for less than $5) and we can walk you through the troubleshooting process. Not complicated, but you have to be orderly and systematic.

 

[JWR]

Sounds to me like a typical bad ground issue.

Locate all the grounds on the tractor, pull those off, clean and reinstall. Don't limit yourself to just make a visual inspection since it can look good but still have a bad connection.

That and the battery. Get the battery load-tested.

 

[dodge man]

He load tested the battery but I’m not convinced it still couldn’t be the problem.