3510 electrical question

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

This weekend I was working along, punching holes in the clay and setting posts for my new pole barn.
I turned the tractor off and an hour later when I went to restart it to clean up the jobsite for the evening, the battery was dead as a doornail.
Yesterday after the rain stopped and the ground dried enough to not be soup any more I tried to jump start it with my Dakota. It would start to turn over, but obviously I don't have enough alternator on that 3.7L v6 to do enough good.
I've heard other folks have had alternator problems with their 2810 & 3510's, but never with this few of hours (had it 6 months, under 60 hours on the meter)
any advice or suggestions other than "buy a battery charger and see how long it'll go this time"?

thanks!

 

[Secret Squirrel]

This weekend I was working along, punching holes in the clay and setting posts for my new pole barn.
I turned the tractor off and an hour later when I went to restart it to clean up the jobsite for the evening, the battery was dead as a doornail.
Yesterday after the rain stopped and the ground dried enough to not be soup any more I tried to jump start it with my Dakota. It would start to turn over, but obviously I don't have enough alternator on that 3.7L v6 to do enough good.
I've heard other folks have had alternator problems with their 2810 & 3510's, but never with this few of hours (had it 6 months, under 60 hours on the meter)
any advice or suggestions other than "buy a battery charger and see how long it'll go this time"?

thanks!

I have heard of alternator problems as a key concern on these TYM made tractors, although I never had such a problem on my 2005 3510. It sounds like you are still under warranty and this is a quick and painless fix. I'd charge it up and get it to the dealer as soon as possible.

Rusty

 

[Sergei]

This weekend I was working along, punching holes in the clay and setting posts for my new pole barn.
I turned the tractor off and an hour later when I went to restart it to clean up the jobsite for the evening, the battery was dead as a doornail.
Yesterday after the rain stopped and the ground dried enough to not be soup any more I tried to jump start it with my Dakota. It would start to turn over, but obviously I don't have enough alternator on that 3.7L v6 to do enough good.
I've heard other folks have had alternator problems with their 2810 & 3510's, but never with this few of hours (had it 6 months, under 60 hours on the meter)
any advice or suggestions other than "buy a battery charger and see how long it'll go this time"?

thanks!

Sounds more likely you have a battery with a shorted cell, take it out and see if it will take a charge or have it tested. You've got more than enough alternator in the Dakota to do the job.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

thanks, guys - and I also emailed my dealership to see which way they want me to jump. (more testing or bring it to them)

 

[jpm]

check your cables for corrosion and or loseness.i had the same problem and after a new battery i found the real problem

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

that was the first thing I checked - and would have been very surprised to find problems along those lines on a machine that I took delivery on 5 months ago.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

I got some 4 gauge jumper cables (just in case the ones I had weren't up to snuff), hooked it up to the Dakota, and it fired right up.
Ran it for about 45 minutes taking care of some chores, parked it where I could get a charger to it with no problems, turned it off and tried to fire it back up -- dead.
Obviously it's not charging, which suggests an alternator issue, so I hooked it up to a charger and will check it tomorrow to see if it will start.
If it starts, I will trailer it into town and see if I can get Autozone or O'Reilley's to hook it up to their diagnostic machne to tell me which part of the starting or electrical system is acting up before I haul it the 150 miles to the dealership I bought it from.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I got some 4 gauge jumper cables (just in case the ones I had weren't up to snuff), hooked it up to the Dakota, and it fired right up.
Ran it for about 45 minutes taking care of some chores, parked it where I could get a charger to it with no problems, turned it off and tried to fire it back up -- dead.
Obviously it's not charging, which suggests an alternator issue, so I hooked it up to a charger and will check it tomorrow to see if it will start.
If it starts, I will trailer it into town and see if I can get Autozone or O'Reilley's to hook it up to their diagnostic machne to tell me which part of the starting or electrical system is acting up before I haul it the 150 miles to the dealership I bought it from.

Good luck Eric. Sounds like you are on the right track. Let's hope that 150 mile trek can somehow be avoided.

Rusty

 

[Sergei]

I got some 4 gauge jumper cables (just in case the ones I had weren't up to snuff), hooked it up to the Dakota, and it fired right up.
Ran it for about 45 minutes taking care of some chores, parked it where I could get a charger to it with no problems, turned it off and tried to fire it back up -- dead.
Obviously it's not charging, which suggests an alternator issue, so I hooked it up to a charger and will check it tomorrow to see if it will start.
If it starts, I will trailer it into town and see if I can get Autozone or O'Reilley's to hook it up to their diagnostic machne to tell me which part of the starting or electrical system is acting up before I haul it the 150 miles to the dealership I bought it from.

I'm not sure by the posting if you've removed the battery and had it tested because that would be the easiest thing to do, a shorted cell may not show itself until a load is put to it. I had a battery which was three years old that failed this way. Took a charge but then failed the minute the key was turned and jumping from another vehicle made no different.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

so far I've checked all my connections & wiring.
jumped the tractor to make sure it really would start.
after jump starting it I ran it for about 45 minutes so if the alternator was going to do anything it would, turned it off, then tried to restart immediately after - and it wouldn't.
then I hooked it up to a charger and let that run it's diagnostic - and it said the battery was OK. (did not remove the battery from the tractor)
When fully charged, the battery supplied 12.8 V (not under load)
Then I waited 3 days to see if it would hold a charge -- and it did. Started right up like there had never been a problem. This suggests to me the battery does not have a bad cell.

At this point my next step is to haul the tractor the 20+ miles into town and have the charging system checked at an auto parts store, because they provide the service free - and that should give me the information I need to talk to the folks I bought it from for my warranty repair claim, since they're 150+ miles from home and I'd be pretty unhappy if I got it there only to find out I had a bad cell on the battery or a bad connection.

 

[LAWALLSTRACTOR]

Eric,
Start the tractor and run the lights for a few minutes, and then check the voltage at the battery while the tractor is running. If the alternator is working, you should have 13 plus volts, and if you don't then the alternator isn't working. Just checking, is your fan belt tight.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Thanks, Galen -
I haven't gotten around to checking voltage while running, and hadn't thought to check tension on the fan belt, since temp wasn't climbing.
Good suggestions.

 

[Redneck in training]

If you don't have a voltmeter start it after dark and turn the light on. The lights should get brighter when you increase rpm.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Sorry so late in replying - in case anyone is curious about the solution.
First - my dealership was slow in responding because they apparently never got my first round of emails, then the dealership manager died.
Once I got ahold of them, they were very supportive and basically their answer was "you're covered -- go buy a battery, fax us a copy of the receipt, and we'll mail you a check." This was also the answer they got from Mahindra. (they were willing to eat the cost of the battery even if Mahindra hadn't OK'd it)
Apparently the batteries in the 10 series machines come from Korea with the tractors - and it has a 12 month warranty.
If anyone needs to replace theirs, a group 31 (commercial/industrial) 110AH 850CCA battery will fit in the tray just fine for a 3510 or 4110. So will a group 49 or 93 truck battery - but they may not survive the stresses driving a tractor on uneven ground, loader work, etc... delivers

The solution was much cheaper than replacement - and I kicked myself for it.
Corrosion on the negative post under the terminal where I couldn't see it until I pulled the battery and took it to town to be tested by a battery shop. (I had checked all my connections for tightness, but hadn't actually pulled the terminals and reset them - and all tests pointed to a bad cell)

wire brush the terminal, put battery back in, and the tractor fired right up. (sprayed terminal protector on it before closing the hood this time)

anyway, I felt stupid, the dealer and I had a good laugh, and he was happy I didn't abuse his generosity to go buy a spare battery.

 

[rback33]

That's kinda funny actually... Glad you got it figured out though...

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

me, too!
so when are you and the sprout coming up so you can help put the skin on the shop - and she can play with the puppy?
I'll feed you smoked or grilled meat & bad beer out of a silver can!

 

[rback33]

me, too!
so when are you and the sprout coming up so you can help put the skin on the shop - and she can play with the puppy?
I'll feed you smoked or grilled meat & bad beer out of a silver can!

Actually making a flying trip this weekend... Leaving around 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.... Supper at Famous Dave's at the track... Football Scrimmage at Olathe to watch tomorrow night.... hauling tree limbs off for the FIL in the morning.... fun times ahead... probably drink Guiness or Becks.... Hauling a mower, ladder, and stuff home with me

 

[wallace]

Actually making a flying trip this weekend... Leaving around 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.... Supper at Famous Dave's at the track... Football Scrimmage at Olathe to watch tomorrow night.... hauling tree limbs off for the FIL in the morning.... fun times ahead... probably drink Guiness or Becks.... Hauling a mower, ladder, and stuff home with me

must be nice

 

[rback33]

must be nice

I bet you can get a direct flight from Philly to KCI... I would even pick you up personally....

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

there's a Granite City brewery near the airport - I'd be willing to buy the first round!