electrical failure yesterday on Cub 7260

[electrycmonk]

Tractor data:
~2000 m/y Cub Cadet 7260 4WD manual shifter w/ 417 FEL & Ford 917 Flail mower

Yesterday (Saturday noonish) while building a special pallet for the transfer tank I was prepping for 1st mowing of the back yard.
Fluid levels = good
Battery = good (very recently desulfated)
Zirk fitting = just finished lubing them all

(Saturday late afternoon ~5:30PM) Sat down, turned ignition to on, glow plug light and fuel pumps came on like normal, glow plugs go off, turn key and everything "clicks off" hard and fast.

Okay. That's wierd. Goes to get multimeter...
1) Battery 12.8V at posts = Good news
2) Check fuse block on fire wall & 2 big ones next to starter in wireloom = all check good & no heat or burn marks
3) disassemble dash and unplug it
4) disconnected all wire "quick connects" and inspected, all solid & clean (no obvious corrosion)
5) removed rubber boots from ignition wires to test for voltage at terminals. All 3 showed voltage yesterday, I forgot the numbers but, will update /edit this post with these numbers later today.
- BLK/what stripe. =
- white w/red stripe =
- white w/blue stripe =

(Time now 2:30 Sunday)
I want to post this *now* and get outside and see what I can in mid day light... So here is the rest of what I did this morning.....

(Sunday morning started about 9AM)
Searched forum found these threads & read most the wisdom. FWIW I did sart reading from page 1 in all of them - posting from my phone.
Here 1st:

Tractor is dead...help

check all safty switches first IE nutural, seat , etc.🍻

www.tractorbynet.com

Massey 35 won't run after injection pump reseal.

I have a Massey 35 with the 23c 4 cyl diesel. I've been picking away at fixing things on it and have it to the point where it will start well in winter. Incidentally rewiring the tractor an increasing wire sizes to the glow plugs and ignition had the most benefit. A new timing chain and...

www.tractorbynet.com

Tractor won’t start

If the solenoid is clicking when you turn the key, it has to be either the battery, the primary battery cables/connections or the starter itself. I am thinking when you removed the cables to clean them, you flexed the ends enough to break through the corrosion for a while. A month later it’s back.

www.tractorbynet.com

Tractor Will Not Start

Maybe the pump guy will chime in, I have not heard of that way of timing an injection pump. If I were hazzarding a guess I would say that the internal plunger or piston should have been pushed up into a chamber and attempting to pressure the fuel to the injector which would have cut of the fuel...

www.tractorbynet.com

Installing Glow plug conversion Kit

I have a Mahindra 2015hst and purhased a glow plug conversion kit that extends the Glow plugs from 3 seconds to 10 seconds. However, I'm such a novice i have no idea how to install them? Any help without having to bring it to a mechanic?

www.tractorbynet.com

Mahindra 2615 Gear Glow plug conversion help.

Looking to convert from 3 second timer to 10 second timer, dual harness system. What are the part numbers for the relays/controller, and does anyone have a diagram to build the wiring harness. I don't want to spend over $400.00 if purchased from a dealer. I am hoping to buy the parts and...

www.tractorbynet.com

Oil & Fuel - 2015HST Mahindra Glow Plug issue

Okay,haven't been on forum for awhile. My searches haven't helped. I have a 2015hst I bought in 05' new. I recently had an issue with poor starting and finally had to replace 1 glow plug. So I went ahead and replaced all three. Parts guy says there is now a kit I need to replace timer and...

www.tractorbynet.com

Yet Another Mahindra Glow Plug Issue

A few days ago I posted this on another thread, but haven't received any comments. Please excuse me if this violates any forum rules. I have a similar issue as others. In this cold weather, researching the cause for difficulty starting, I've found that two of three glow plugs are open on my...

www.tractorbynet.com

Download Cub Cadet 7000 Service Manual | ManualsLib

www.manualslib.com

(Sunday about Noon)
Going to look for my previously downloaded & printed off factory service manual for wiring diagram that is referenced in thread above for being too blurry to decipher and also having wire colors documented different from their OEM wireloom.

Found manual. Yuppers, mine is also a tad bit pixelated too. I will go hunt later tonight on the NAS for this PDF and any other saved files for the Cub.

 

[electrycmonk]

/Facepalm it appears as though the positive clamp on the battery had "just enough internal corrosion" as that "clicking noise" I heard yesterday when it went dead must of been the last spot and it arched over?

As I had the ignition in the "on" position while taking off the terminals (by accident after testing all the contacts on the starter solenoid and the wires for the two control boxes under the steering column).

So after fully cleaning all surfaces of the battery posts AND replacing the battery clamp bolts and seriously scrubbing and brushing the lead clamp of all oxidation.... It is back to normal.

Just because it *looked* clean.... Does not mean the iside of the contact surfaces are just as clean!

What a dork I can be, eh?

 

[PILOON]

I have seen that situation B4 in other environments.
All voltage (volts) read OK but no joy.
Iffy connections often will allow LOW current and voltage readings but when it comes to (high) amperage that iffy connection fails to deliver.
Most often corrosion is the culprit but it also can be simply a lose fitting.
We experienced that phenomena often on older aircraft that had sat around outdoors for periods of time.

Recently my wife's car suffered from a similar problem that turned out to simply be a lose battery ground clamp that took 6 years to pop up its ugly nose.
When I did a under hood check I was able to remove the ground clamp with my fingers.
Unfortunately it still did cost me a new battery as the OEM one had sat flat for too long from inactivity during Covid 'stay at home' period and cold weather.
LOL, while essentially a factory defect I doubt that I could have made a claim but having delivered 6 years of service I really could not complain.

 

[CoyPatton]

You learn best by personal experience!
I have no issue with checking battery voltage, but the issue is always voltage under a load, which often varies greatly from non-load voltage.
Nest is to always check all connections. When you find one corroded, don’t be surprised to find others the same way. Also as you are checking all connections for corrosion, double check tightness of them.
These are the basics that for some reason often get overlooked and are what end up biting your bottom.
Glad you got it figured out and are back up running.

 

[WranglerX]

Did you put any anti corrosive grease on battery terminal?.... Helps to prevent this sort of thing in future....

Dale

 

[Toller]

I use a battery load tester on both the connections as well as the battery as a VOM aka multimeter on battery posts can give you a false sense of security when voltage is 12 + but will not operate starter motor. Have encountered same problem you have described and gone through all the same diagnostics so can empathize with your frustration.

 

[electrycmonk]

Did you put any anti corrosive grease on battery terminal?.... Helps to prevent this sort of thing in future....

Dale

Normally. Yes. I ran out a couple months back. We have 5 +\- vehicles in the household and 2 riding mowers as well as the cub. Getting ready to sell/pass on at least one of the old riding mowers....
The battery clamps and other terminals is a normal alert that I check on everyone when I pop the hood.