My JD 1070 has been having starting issues. It had all the symptoms of a weak battery (which I recognize from having a bad battery and from leaving the key on way too long with the motor off). You get a clashing noise as if the starter is turning but the starter drive gear is not engaging with the flywheel.
I pull the starter and bench tested it: no problems. Tested the battery with another diesel motor: no problems. Reinstalled the starter and it clashed again, but when I rapped on the solenoid, it pulled out and the motor started right away, even though the temp in the barn was 5 degrees.
Pulled the starter, brought it into the house and took apart the solenoid case. Brushes are good. But, I noticed that there are two contact points which are engaged by the solenoid plunger that were heavily worn and bashed in. The JD parts list shows them as part nos. 24 and 32 in the drawing. Ebay showed a few sellers with plunger and contact point replacement part sets. Did that mean that these things had durability problems? So, I took a gamble and ordered a kit. Meanwhile, there is a foot of snow in the driveway. So, I bent the OE contact points back a bit to perhaps make a better connection and put it back together. Twisted the key and it fired right up.
Meanwhile, the local JD dealer wanted over $1000 for a new OEM starter and $560 for a rebuilt one. Some aftermarket Denso starters available on ebay from $100 to $350, but the contact point and plunger kits are under $14.
This particular starter model and design is used on a lot of JD, Kubota, Toyota, Nissan and Yanmar motors. If you have an occasional starter engagement problem, before replacing the battery or the starter or other expensive parts, take a look at the solenoid contact condition. A simple tweak can put you back on the air until replacement parts arrive.
I pull the starter and bench tested it: no problems. Tested the battery with another diesel motor: no problems. Reinstalled the starter and it clashed again, but when I rapped on the solenoid, it pulled out and the motor started right away, even though the temp in the barn was 5 degrees.
Pulled the starter, brought it into the house and took apart the solenoid case. Brushes are good. But, I noticed that there are two contact points which are engaged by the solenoid plunger that were heavily worn and bashed in. The JD parts list shows them as part nos. 24 and 32 in the drawing. Ebay showed a few sellers with plunger and contact point replacement part sets. Did that mean that these things had durability problems? So, I took a gamble and ordered a kit. Meanwhile, there is a foot of snow in the driveway. So, I bent the OE contact points back a bit to perhaps make a better connection and put it back together. Twisted the key and it fired right up.
Meanwhile, the local JD dealer wanted over $1000 for a new OEM starter and $560 for a rebuilt one. Some aftermarket Denso starters available on ebay from $100 to $350, but the contact point and plunger kits are under $14.
This particular starter model and design is used on a lot of JD, Kubota, Toyota, Nissan and Yanmar motors. If you have an occasional starter engagement problem, before replacing the battery or the starter or other expensive parts, take a look at the solenoid contact condition. A simple tweak can put you back on the air until replacement parts arrive.