tractor won't start... help me troubleshoot it.

[MikeS_in_GA]

My '96 M5400 wouldn't start this past weekend.

When I turn the key, the glow plug light comes on, the tractor lights will work, but the starter does nothing. Not even a click.

I put the battery booster on it and nothing changed. I put jumper cables on it from my truck and it did the same thing.

At first I was thinking my battery was bad, but with a low battery shouldn't the starter at least try to engage?

Any ideas on this one?

Thanks!

 

[Mikefromcny]

Clean your battery terminals thoroughly

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

Clean your battery terminals thoroughly

I checked those and they are in very good shape.

 

[Mikefromcny]

With the tractor in neutral, can you jump the start post on the solenoid to the positive terminal on the solenoid?

 

[xcgreene]

The starter relay should be pretty easy to check, and sounds like it may be the culprit here. I'm not sure where the starter relay is located on your particular tractor, but it should be pretty easy to find.

* If you've got 13~ Volts at the battery, then move to the starter relay.
* If you have 13 volts on one side of the relay, then hold the key over to start and see if you get voltage on the other side of the starter relay.
* If still no voltage on the other side of the relay, while holding the key over, then the starter relay or ignition switch may be bad.

If you don't have a voltmeter to check this, and you are still stumped, just purchase a new relay. Take the old relay into any autoparts store or the dealer, they should have a match in stock as its a pretty common item, they only cost a few dollars. Even if this winds up not being your issue, its something good to have on hand.

Let us know what you find out!

 

[RedNeckRacin]

check and make sure your pto lever is not partially engaged.

 

[scdeerslayer]

Check any sort of PTO and Neutral safety switches you have.

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

Thanks! I
Made sure it was in neutral, and the pto was off, but I haven't looked at any of the contacts associated with a safety switch.

I have always heard about the starter bypass mode, but I have never done it. My starter has a positive and negative terminal with a second small wire near the positive terminal.

 

[dalola]

I checked those and they are in very good shape.

Not sure what your version of checking is (just looking at them for signs of corrosion?) , but I would take them off and scrape or wire brush the lugs & terminals. Sometimes a clear, hard glaze can form blocking a lot of the current flow, and it's not obvious just by looking.

 

[BX23S-1]

Have your battery fully charged, have a load test properly performed.
Make sure your tractor is turned off for this test.... Connect a POS+12 volt jumper wire from your battery in the tractor into the small terminal on the starter, if it turns your starter over, your problem is electrical somewhere from the key switch on forward. Wiggle ALL levers, and check EVERY neutral safety switch. You can always by-pass the switches to see if those are faulty as well.

 

[JRobyn]

Sounds like a "safety switch" blocking the circuits to the starter. As others have mentioned, check PTO, neutral, also the seat. Mine (HST) also has a clutch switch. The safety police MUST protect us at all costs!!!

 

[BX23S-1]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH, the good ole safety police..... RRRRRRRRRRRRR..... lol

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

I took the starter into AutoZone and it tested out as fine. I'll have to look for all the safety switches the next time I am out at the farm.

Thanks for the tips everyone!!

 

[BX23S-1]

Take a multi-meter with you. Make sure all your neutral safety switch's are working properly... check for continuity on the safety switches. Use your multi-meter to see if you have battery voltage coming out of your ignition switch when ignition is turned far enough to activate the starter. If your ok there, trace down thru to the fuse box/circuit breaker/main fuse, that goes to the starter relay. Be sure to check your fusebox for faulty or loose or blown fuse`s. Pull each fuse and check them.

I`m no expert on kubota tractors, but i do know automobiles very well with 40yrs experience turning wrench`s for a living... take a look into the fuel pump circuit. Automobiles today have a circuit that cuts power to the starter if the fuel pump is not working properly. Its a longshot, but worth thinking about.

 

[MikeS_in_GA]

Take a multi-meter with you. Make sure all your neutral safety switch's are working properly... check for continuity on the safety switches. Use your multi-meter to see if you have battery voltage coming out of your ignition switch when ignition is turned far enough to activate the starter. If your ok there, trace down thru to the fuse box/circuit breaker/main fuse, that goes to the starter relay. Be sure to check your fusebox for faulty or loose or blown fuse`s. Pull each fuse and check them.

I`m no expert on kubota tractors, but i do know automobiles very well with 40yrs experience turning wrench`s for a living... take a look into the fuel pump circuit. Automobiles today have a circuit that cuts power to the starter if the fuel pump is not working properly. Its a longshot, but worth thinking about.

Thanks.

the battery failed its test, so I put in a new one today. Still didn't start. I did find that a rat ate through a headlight wire, so I am wondering if it didn't get another wire somewhere else. I'll bring the multi meter next time.

 

[Tx Jim]

I checked those and they are in very good shape.

Did you clean/tighten where negative cable attaches to frame? My guess is faulty neutral start switch or associated wiring.

 

[bspeedy]

Use a pair of heavy duty jumper cables and bypass your ground wire from battery to frame and the positive wire to the starter. My L3710 had the same symptoms and it was an internally corroded positive cable. Everything looked fine, but it was corroded inside.

 

[areid]

Not sure if someone mentioned it but you must make sure none of the ptos are engaged. Also my B3030 hydrostatic unit will not start if the pedal is not exactly in the center position. I often have to juggle the pedal to get it to start otherwise there is nothing, not even a click.

 

[BX23S-1]

Mike,
how are you making out with your dead bota.

 

[Spanner]

It's really important, for armchair diagnostics, to differentiate between "Tractor Won't Start" (TWS) and "Engine Won't Crank" (EWC). They are different situations.

You have already gone to major work by removing the starter motor for testing. Let's slow down...

One of your posts alluded to the fault being "EWC"

Start with the Battery. Well, we now know it failed the "Test" so a new battery is fitted.

The connections need to be clean, shiny and tightly secured.

From there trace power to the Ignition Switch, Fuse Block and check all safety interlock switches. Clutch or Brake switches and PTO and Gear Range Shift switches are all candidates for checking.

Now this is important: Take someone with you who is capable of stomping on the brake and can shut the tractor off if it starts by chance while you are working at ground level with Jumper Cables and/or bypassing wiring etc. Soldier B could save your life.

Otherwise always be sitting on the seat when you turn the ignition switch to "Start".

Tractor manufacturers installed Safety Interlock circuitry to protect operators from themselves. Too many were run-over by their own tractor when starting from the ground.

Now, if the fault is the other TWS (i.e. The engine will crank but not fire-up and run) you are probably looking for a fuel issue or a fault to the electric fuel stop solenoid.

Diagnostics is following a logical path in sequence. Pulling the starter motor before checking battery power/connections is not smart Diagnostics.

Regards,
:wrench: