4400 will not crank.

[Mick Oz]

A friend has a John Deere 4400. A year 2000 model,

so not antique but 22 years old.
He is having trouble starting it.
Turn the key and all that happens is a very soft Click from behind the dash.
Battery has 12.7 volts and the same at the starter. Both the small white wire and the large terminal on the side.
I tried to check the neutral safety switch, by putting a circuit tester on the two wires that come out right infront of the Forwards and Reverse pedals. These showed a complete circuit, in the two wires coming from the loom and the two wires coming from the pedals.
Can you point me towards a wiring diagram, or any other suggestions.
I know he had the starter solenoid replaced about 3 months ago, which seemed to solve the problem. But then it started the same No Crank fault again.

 

[Roadworthy]

Check the battery voltage while trying to crank. See how much it drops. A failing battery may have the proper voltage but when asked to provide current the voltage may drop in half or less. Will the tractor start by jumping the starter? Your solenoid may be bad or getting inadequate voltage through the key. On some tractors owners have put in a relay energized by the key but with a separate, heavier circuit to the solenoid. Of course you should clean and tighten battery connections and not neglect the ground at the frame.

 

[beenthere]

Agree with Roadworthy
Sounds like the battery.. clean all cable connections, and get the battery load tested.

Then go from there if more testing is needed.

 

[Mick Oz]

Check the battery voltage while trying to crank. See how much it drops. A failing battery may have the proper voltage but when asked to provide current the voltage may drop in half or less. Will the tractor start by jumping the starter? Your solenoid may be bad or getting inadequate voltage through the key. On some tractors owners have put in a relay energized by the key but with a separate, heavier circuit to the solenoid. Of course you should clean and tighten battery connections and not neglect the ground at the frame.

Jumping the starter produces a decent spark, but no crank.

 

[Mick Oz]

Agree with Roadworthy
Sounds like the battery.. clean all cable connections, and get the battery load tested.

Then go from there if more testing is needed.

I will load test the battery

 

[Richard001]

Jumping the starter produces a decent spark, but no crank.

OK I'm confused. What do you mean by "no crank" ?

Are you saying that you get arcing when you touch the jumper to the starter terminal ?

Richard

 

[Mick Oz]

OK I'm confused. What do you mean by "no crank" ?

Are you saying that you get arcing when you touch the jumper to the starter terminal ?

Richard

No arcing when I mistakenly touched, starter hot to ground. Sorry for the poor discription

 

[Mick Oz]

No arcing when I mistakenly touched, starter hot to ground. Sorry for the poor discription

No crank, the starter does not turn at all

 

[Richard001]

No crank, the starter does not turn at all

Are you using a seperate battery to test the starter ?

Your best bet to see whats going on with the starter is to use a seperate battery, like from your car, no you don't have to take it out, just jumper it to your tractor using some heavy duty jumper cables.

Connect the negative battery terminal from your car to the tractor engine block. Then connect the other jumper cable to the positive battery terminal on your car. Make sure that the other end of that cable is not touching any part of the tractor.

Put the tractor in neutral and then touch the cable to the the large terminal that you show in your first photo. If maybe best to wear some safety glasses. If the starter does not run, then your starter is bad and is in need of repair.

Richard

 

[Mick Oz]

So I finally got back to the Tractor with a load tester for the battery.
Unfortunately the battery is good.
I then ran a small wire from the Hot/Positive post on the starter to the exciter on the Starter solenoid where I had disconnected the white wire in photo from.
This made the starter spin the engine very nicely.