Jinma 254 wont start after running fine.

[Bob Rooks]

At this point my vote is for bad battery and/or bad cables. This is assuming the guy testing the starter motor also tested the operation of the solenoid.

 

[piper184]

Bob, That thought had crossed my mind too. What if he just connected power to the motor (bypassing the solenoid) and missed testing half of the system?
Perhaps somewhere in this story there is "a failure to communicate". Or, we both were using English but weren't talking the same language.
Hope the OP gets it sorted out

 

[Bob Rooks]

Bob, That thought had crossed my mind too. What if he just connected power to the motor (bypassing the solenoid) and missed testing half of the system?
Perhaps somewhere in this story there is "a failure to communicate". Or, we both were using English but weren't talking the same language.
Hope the OP gets it sorted out

Yep. I always know there may be syntax, esoteric, and colloquialism challenges going in when someone refers to an "ignition switch" instead of "key switch" on a diesel engine.

 

[robmc5]

Well the saga continues.... I replaced the battery, the old one tested fine but Autozone did replace it with a new one. I installed battery and same thing, the starter would click once and then do nothing, so back to the starter. I pulled it off and connected it to the battery, starter worked fine. I put it back on the tractor and nothing, even though I was getting 12.7 volts to small pin on started solenoid. I then jumped from positive battery to the small pin on the started and the tractor started!!! I let it run for a few minutes and then turned it off to see it it would start with the ignition, but it did not start. I tried jumping the positive battery to the small pin AGAIN but it did nothing, not even a click. At this point I think I am just going to buy a new starter and solenoid.

Thank again for the help, I am really just about done with this little tractor.....

 

[robmc5]

Yep. I always know there may be syntax, esoteric, and colloquialism challenges going in when someone refers to an "ignition switch" instead of "key switch" on a diesel engine.

you will have to forgive me on the terminology, this is the first diesel engine I have really dealt with like this, I am not much of a mechanic, more of a hardcore DIY'er

 

[grsthegreat]

problem is in the wiring between battery and starter. when you jumped it you provided a good, high amp available draw to the battery. you need to ohm out cables and check tightness of all cables. can you twist the battery post connectors by hand?

just seeing 12V at starter isnt enough. you need a high amp path, and that requires tight connections.

 

[robmc5]

problem is in the wiring between battery and starter. when you jumped it you provided a good, high amp available draw to the battery. you need to ohm out cables and check tightness of all cables. can you twist the battery post connectors by hand?

just seeing 12V at starter isnt enough. you need a high amp path, and that requires tight connections.

I did reconnect the battery and made sure there was a good tight connection. I did the same on the starter. At times I was seeing 13.1 volts at the starter, what confuses me is I was jumping the solenoid with a jumper cable straight to the battery, it worked once but has not since that one start.

 

[Bob Rooks]

you will have to forgive me on the terminology, this is the first diesel engine I have really dealt with like this, I am not much of a mechanic, more of a hardcore DIY'er

No worries, I just get confused sometimes. Please try one more thing before you buy a new starter - remove the battery ground cable completely and thoroughly wire brush the cable ends and where it bolts to the frame. Remove all paint from the contact area, and inspect the cable ends for tightness (twist with hands) and corrosion.

 

[grsthegreat]

Test both ground and positive battery cables. I usually ohm them out, because they can corrode from the inside out.

 

[piper184]

Absolutely put an ohm meter on the cables. From the ground at the frame to the battery terminal. From the positive at the solenoid to the battery terminal. From the small connector on the solenoid to the terminal on the key switch. You should be seeing VERY low to no ohms of resistance depending on the setting/quality of your meter.
Remember, the wiring on these tractors is of the lowest quality that will function properly when new. They do not age well and can be the source of a lot of problems.
An old farmer on another list I frequent always says: Check your grounds, check your grounds, check your grounds! This applies to ALL electrical circuits from power plants to electron microscopes. Voltage is only half the solution, you also have to have the ability to carry enough current (amps) to get the job done. Cables with internal corrosion will show high resistance (ohms) and not carry the current you need to get the job done. Doesn't matter if positive or negative cable, they both have to carry the same load.
I have seen all kinds of cables fail internally in such a way that they could not be detected by eye from the outside. Only an Ohm test would reveal the truth. Had the ground lead from the power pole to the garage fail just last year. This was a buried 220 volt A/C service entrance cable. Manifested itself in all kinds of weird ways. Even baffled the power company linemen. Split phase A/C is much more tricky to troubleshoot than the D/C on a tractor.
Think of the circuitry in terms of water.
Voltage is pressure.
Amperage is flow
Now try to fill a bucket with that in mind. Lots of pressure but a small hose will not get the job done very quickly (spin the starter).
You can have a six inch hose but with little pressure you can't get the work done. You need both pressure (voltage) and flow (amperage).
Resistance (ohms) is the same as pinching the hose. Kills both pressure and flow.
But consider the pinched hose. If you plug the open end, eventually the pressure will build up to full reading (voltage) but there won't be much flow.
Sure wish we could meet in person. It would take me less time to explain this to you than to type it out....
Bottom line, don't give up yet, you are almost there. Also "shotgunning" parts at a problem is best left to the stealerships. DYI'ers figure things out, then buy the correct parts the first time.
I bet you don't need a whole starter, Maybe a solenoid at worst and at best a good cleaning of the solenoid or replacing of a "minor" wire/connection somewhere.
As Red Green used to say: "Remember we're pulling for you, we are all in this together "