Electrical Problem - JD 455

[Glenn9643]

I had to cut around about sixty trees a few days ago and just as I finished the tractor shut down as if I had turned off the key.
There is no indication of power from the switch key... no guages or lights. Seems to me that when I had a problem with one of the safety kill switches I had guages/lights but it just wouldn't start so I'm thinking it's something else. Not positive about that though...
Battery is hot.
Any idea where to start troubleshooting short of the dealership?

 

[mtman399]

check your main power fuse, usually located near the starter on the firewall,

 

[Glenn9643]

There's no firewall as such... the radiator sits between the engine and steering column area.
Only located three fuzes. Two 15a and a 10a. All appeared to be good.

 

[beenthere]

Calling it the "firewall" is just to help you have an idea where to look. Not a real firewall as such, but was being helpful to find the fuses .
Here is a possibility, that it being the fuel shutoff solenoid. You can prolly watch it (or listen for it) to click in when turning the key on.
From the tech manual CD (might be good to get ahold of one, either eBay or the dealer, if you want to do the work yourself), here is the diagnosis procedure.

 

[beenthere]

check your main power fuse, usually located near the starter on the firewall,

:welcome:
Do you have a 455?

 

[Glenn9643]

You can prolly watch it (or listen for it) to click in when turning the key on.

There's no sign of life when I turn the key on. No lights, guages, or anything. Otherwise I would have thought it to be one of the safety kill switches.

 

[beenthere]

Then I 'd start with cleaning the battery cables and re-attaching them to be sure there is a good connection.
Then with a light or volt meter, start following the power.

You said the battery was hot, but that didn't explain much (at least to me )

 

[LongDistanceRider]

I would have to go with battery cables as well. I have a 455 and it will also stop running if the screen for the radiator plugs causing the temp to rise but that certainly doesn't knock out all of the power.

Also, check both ends of the battery cables to make sure the ground is good on both ends as well as the power cable still being attached to the starter. Those diesels rattle and wriggle around and the strangest things work themselves loose. I have found bolts completely backed out of air cleaners and other attached items.

Also, if you have new fuses laying around, put them in as sometimes the fuses go bad where they are hard to see. Besides, they are cheap........

I would take a rattling and wriggling diesel anyday with their outstanding power and fuel effeciency.:thumbsup:

 

[Glenn9643]

Thanks for your thoughts and input. Unfortunately the mower is in a field about a quarter mile from the house, separated by a bottomless ditch. Trying to recover it with my loader I sunk the tractor a few days ago and had to get my neighbor's Lull to get it out. I have been too busy to get help to tow it back around by the road so it's not in the best place to work on it.
I did get a service manual CD. Hopefully it's just a fuze or fusible link.

 

[Fallguy1000]

Check for a bad keyswitch. If your machine gets some weather, they can corrode bad ez. I don't specifically know how the 455 is setup, but I had switches fail on 2 machines last year. If it was outside; its a good bet. Check for discoloration/corrosion.