tractor won't start

[Anonymous Poster]

tractor won\'t start

My tractor won't start- when you turn the key, all you get is the solenoid clicking rapidly. I charged the battery, checked all the connections. Tractor (Case-Ingersoll) had a problem with the starter gear- ring gear teeth adjustment being off, but that was supposedly fixed by the dealer.
If you have any suggestions as to what the problem is, this little lady would really appreciate it!

 

[MChalkley]

Re: tractor won\'t start

Vicki - The clicking sound could really be the ring gear teeth misaligned again and ticking as they brush past the flywheel. Or the gear could be spinning on the shaft.

If it really is the solenoid clicking, you should check to be sure the battery is ok. Have somebody measure the battery voltage while you crank it. If it's stays above 10 or so, check it again at the starter while cranking it. That'll let you isolate whether it's the battery or cable. If it's neither, it could be the solenoid itself.

Mark

 

[TomG]

Re: tractor won\'t start

I guess the dead battery solenoid sound is pretty unmistakable to everybody who has tried to stretch a battery through one more winter. If the battery is known to be good, I'd check the ground connections where the battery cable connects to the tractor and also the starter & solenoid grounds. If you haven't already, that's at least a pretty easy thing to do before getting into more serious 'electricals' and 'mechanicals.'

I think of the starter/ring gear adjustment as something that is done at installation. Shims are used to set the starter pinion gear clearance. Adding shims can reduce excessive clearance. However, excessive clearance after installation usually is an indication of excessive wear and that something needs to be replaced. I wonder what the dealer did and why?

 

[Bird]

Re: tractor won\'t start

I agree with Mark, if it really is the solenoid clicking, I'd suspect a weak battery or a bad connection. Sometimes a connection can look good and feel tight, but needs to be disconnected and cleaned thoroughly. And if it's the teeth on the gears misaligned, well, just hope they haven't been damaged yet.

Bird

 

[geneP]

Re: tractor won\'t start

vicki, If the previous suggestions don't help, and since you have had previous problems with the starter alignment on the engine, it is possible that the ring gear is worn/damaged and the starter drive is wedged in the damaged gear. If the tractor is a manual transmission, put it in the higest gear and rock the tractor back and forth. If the starter is stuck, this should free it. Otherwise, have someone turn the engine manually.

 

[W5FL]

Re: tractor won\'t start

I would sure suspect the battery. Has to be fully charged to pull in the starter and that sound usually indicates a bad battery or connection to the battery terminals. My old tractor once did that after I power washed it and got water in the starter solenoid. Worked ok after it dried thoroughly. The other two times it was a battery on it's last legs.