DK 40 starting issues

[pa7025]

Just bought a used DK 40 2003 model with 810 hours, ran it about 3 hours, stopped to check on something and would not start. Only a buzzing sound from the relay box for the heaters. Thinking a dead battery I jumped it off and after two or three tries it started. Had battery checked and it was good, just low on cranking amps, 550 verses 650 cca. Tightened the alternator belt and check the charging volts at 13.7. Over the next week started every day and ran it for 5 minutes and everything seemed ok. Went to use it this weekend and nothing, no lights, clicking or anything. After about 3 or for tries power came on and starter had a loud clicking sound. Hit starter about 10 times and it started, so I drove it about 10 minutes now key would not shut it off, I had to use the manual kill to shut it down. Now would not restart, starter just clicks rapidly. I hooked up a 200 amp starter booster, still just clicks rapidly. So is the starter or the switch, or both, or maybe a relay?

 

[murphy1244]

Just bought a used DK 40 2003 model with 810 hours, ran it about 3 hours, stopped to check on something and would not start. Only a buzzing sound from the relay box for the heaters. Thinking a dead battery I jumped it off and after two or three tries it started. Had battery checked and it was good, just low on cranking amps, 550 verses 650 cca. Tightened the alternator belt and check the charging volts at 13.7. Over the next week started every day and ran it for 5 minutes and everything seemed ok. Went to use it this weekend and nothing, no lights, clicking or anything. After about 3 or for tries power came on and starter had a loud clicking sound. Hit starter about 10 times and it started, so I drove it about 10 minutes now key would not shut it off, I had to use the manual kill to shut it down. Now would not restart, starter just clicks rapidly. I hooked up a 200 amp starter booster, still just clicks rapidly. So is the starter or the switch, or both, or maybe a relay?

You might have ignition switch problems. Take it apart and clean then coat with fluid film.

 

[ritcheyvs]

Recommend you check your battery chassis ground connection for corrosion and battery cables for hidden corrosion damage under the insulation. That (bad connection with battery) would also explain the failure to shut off. You have the first version of the stop solenoid which requires power to stop the engine. As Murph mentioned, it could also be the key switch. Cleaning the switch is free and can't hurt unless you lose parts in the process (which is easy to do). I usually recommend against just swapping parts but a new set of battery cables might be a good idea: they are cheap and it may be hard to isolate the exact problem with these intermittent symptoms.

Assuming you find a battery connection problem, check the alternator after it's fixed. Intermittent battery connection can blow alternator diodes.

 

[pa7025]

Update: check the battery cables for corrosion, they look ok, reattached ground to frame so that is good. Then I started tractor with switch everything worked except switch would not kill engine. Chocked engine with manual kill. Went to restart and just clicking at the starter. So I disconnected the switch from the starter and jumped directly across the switch to the positive terminal on the solenoid, cranked right up. So I killed the tractor and repeated this twice more. Feeling sure my problem was the switch I ordered a new one. Went out the next afternoon and removed the old switch and cleaned it to see if that would help, tried to start the tractor and clicking with smoke at the battery thermals, tried to jump across like I did the day before and just clicking with more smoke and hot cables. SO I guess I will remove the starter and get it checked out. Any more suggestions would be helpful.

 

[ritcheyvs]

If the battery cables got hot at just one point, it may be a bad cable/battery connection. But if they got hot everywhere the starter is suspect.

 

[pa7025]

I had the starter checked out and it is good, drawing 140 amps when running on the bench. So I am going to reinstall it and run a ground wire directly from the battery to the starter mounting bolt, am also going to put in the new starter switch. If this does not fix it I will be dead in the water.:confused2:

 

[ritcheyvs]

FYI, several owners reported battery cable problems where the copper corroded under the insulation where it is not visible and those cables look fine on the surface. Also, the start relay could be bad (some owners experienced this) but that would not cause hot/smoking battery cables.

 

[murphy1244]

FYI, several owners reported battery cable problems where the copper corroded under the insulation where it is not visible and those cables look fine on the surface. Also, the start relay could be bad (some owners experienced this) but that would not cause hot/smoking battery cables.

I would look for bad Grounds.

 

[pa7025]

Final update:
I remounted the starter and hooked it directly to the battery with jumper cables, installed the new switch and it started with help from the starter booster. So I replaced the cables, bought an 850 cca battery, and grounded the tractor to the frame, (was grounded to frame thru hood). Everything is working except the kill switch, but I can do work now.:thumbsup: Thanks to everyone and there help on this.:cool2: I will tackle the kill switch later.

 

[ritcheyvs]

I believe you have the external stop solenoid that operates through the manual stop linkages. Check to be sure the wires to the solenoid are intact. You can test the actual solenoid by disconnecting the wire and applying 12v from the battery. This model has a timer relay that is supposed to apply 12v to the solenoid for a few seconds AFTER the key switch is turned from on to off. This timer relay gets power through a 15 amp fuse, which should also be checked. The circuit is pretty simple so it's the solenoid, the timer relay, the fuse, or the wires connecting them.