Won't Start...Sometimes

[fenneran]

Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Guys,

I'm sure this is an easy one for you all. My YMG1800D will sometimes start and sometimes won't. When it doesn't, I turn the key and hear a click (starter soleniod?) and then nothing. Every turn of the key afterwards does nothing. No sound, no turn, nothing. If I bring the truck over and jump start it, it normally starts up after charging for a minute. But other times, I jump on, turn the key and she fires right up. I'm not highly mechanical, but it seems to me it is either the battery, the alternator or the solenoid. Any first guesses before I head off to the parts house? What would be the best way for me to test for the true problem? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

-Frank

 

[dmccue]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Make sure your battery posts are clean and the connections really tight. It's amazing how much this can affect the starting capability.

 

[Marv]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

sounds to me like you have a bad ground. Clean all ground wires & battery cables & see if this helps

Marv

 

[pennwalk]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Is there some kind of stuff that you can put on the wires and contacts to improve conductivity and keep it good longer?

Chris

 

[pruntyc]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Most likely not the battery, don't believe it even could be the alternator, or the solenoid, or it wouldn't start with a jump. Like the man said check the connections, ground cable, power cable, battery post, even where they connect to the frame, and each place till you get to the starter. Any one of them can cause it not to get enough power to start. But most likely back at the battery, for the jump start kind of says that. Of course I would check the battery first, before I did anything else.

 

[msuttner]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Check the battery voltage when it wont start. It should be about 12.6 volts if it is charged and good. If the voltage is less than that it could be a bad battery or you might have a short somewhere that is draining your battery.

 

[YanmarFever]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Im not a betting man /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
(BUT) I would say your battery cables are loose!
Take them off and wire brush them real good , & put them back on nice & tight.
If that doesnt work, check where they connect to the frame & starter.
This seems to be happenig to a lot of yanmar owners lately.

 

[JohnMiller3]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

<font color="blue">( battery cables are loose! ) </font>

Great place to start... especially on an intermittent problem such as yours...

...or if your battery is near the end of its useful life... replace it for gp's... and do all the connections (clean up/retighten) down the line to the starter itself...

 

[fenneran]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Thanks guys! I knew if I started the day with a question I would end the day with, if not an answer, at least a good start. I hope it is the battery as it would be the easiest/cheapest thing to fix from my perspective. Will report progress tomorrow (if it doesn't rain /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif)
-Frank

 

[fenneran]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Seems to have worked like a charm. I pulled the battery, cleaned the terminals and connectors and put it all back together and it started like a champ. Turned it off and started it a few more times and no problem. The terminals weren't that corroded, in fact they looked pretty clean (compared to some of the car batteries I've seen), but it must have been enough at the right place to foul it up. Thanks again for being a great resource!

-Frank

 

[normde2001]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Frank, I would still make that trip to the parts store, and pick up a cheap volt/ohm meter. It will save you a lot of agravation and guesswork in the future. As said before, a good battery will maintain 12.6vdc, good charging voltage is 13.5-15vdc at a fast idle, and good continuity in your wiring is at or near "0 ohms" on the ohms scale.

 

[fenneran]

Re: Won\'t Start...Sometimes

Norm,

Good advice. I've actually got a small multi-meter. Just need to go get those darn batteries!
-Frank