1999 JD4400 Starter rolls very slowly

[deere5520]

I have a 1999 JD4400 and this past weekend went out to use it (Had used it 2 days before with no problems) and the starter will only roll it over to slowly to start or the starter just rolls over once and starts clicking.

So far I have done the following:

- checked battery 13.68 volts on a 4 year old optima
- tried 225 amp battery charger starter
- tried to jump from my diesel pickup with 2 900 amp batteries
- removed battery from tractor and tried running from truck battery
- replaced starter (What a pain)
- checked both ground and positive cables
- jumper cables strait to starter from truck battery

Both starters do the same thing roll over to slowly to start engine and start clicking

Any Ideas would be greatly appriceated as taking it to dealer will not be cheap.

Thanks

Tom

 

[Wayne_H]

I'm curious, did you measure "13.68 volts on a 4 year old optima" while trying to crank? That sounds more like the voltage with the engine running. Anyway.... My battery in my 4400 died this winter while plowing. Click, crank barely, and click. One kind lady brought me some jumpers, but they were not real heavy duty... Nothing but clicks. Run home (well, have the wife pick me up and run me home) pick up my portable jump box, get back with a smile, hook it up, and click. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. Go home, bet me BAJC (Big arhh jumper cables I made out of welding cable, hooked them up, and bingo. Guess what I am saying is it kind of suprised me what it took to jump this over....

Wayne

 

[beenthere]

I'd be expecting it is the battery. But could be wrong, and not the first time. Just sayin..

And welcome to the forum. Hang in there for some more suggestions. There are a lot of experts here who can and will help you figure this out.

 

[mjncad]

I had something similar happen last year. It turned out to be my alternator and battery were shot. I replaced both and all is well.

At first I thought it was the starter as the symptoms my 4200 exhibited said starter problems; but when I found out how hard it was to get the starter out, we jumped it with BIG jumper cables, got it in the garage, and I pulled the alternator to have it tested as it's easier to yank out.

Two Deere dealers and the local NAPA didn't have the right adapter to test the alternator, so I took it to a place that specializes in automotive electrics and they tested it for free and told me it was toast.

I ordered a 55-amp replacement instead of the stock 40-amp alternator.

 

[Chuck on lake]

My guess would definitely be the battery. While I owned a 4400 I had similar experience. All of a sudden the battery wouldn't turn the engine over and it appeared to be fully charged when I put it on the charger. As soon as I replaced the battery off it went. I purchased 3 batteries in the 12 years I owned that tractor.

 

[deere5520]

I don't think its the battery, I tried a 900 amp battery from my truck and the same thing, slow roll. The tractor battery is only 475 amps so the 900 amps should have nearly ripped the starter off.

 

[beenthere]

Well let us know when you find the problem. We are interested to learn more.

 

[JordanFTW]

I know this is old, and probably solved. This would be for future searches... My guess would be a bad ground cable from chassis/engine to the battery. If anyone does end up having this issue try grounding your jumper cables to the engine block and your positive directly to the starter to rule out the solenoid.