[JasonHovell]

It's just starting to snow...so I thought I'd go out to the garage and make sure the 446 w/ snowblower was ready to go. Haven't used since the 9th-10th of December when we got the 22 inches...maybe once since then to push some snow banks back about 3 weeks.

I went to turn it over, and it wouldn't turn over. I put battery on trickle charger for 2 1/2 hours and tried again. All I get now is a one "click", along with the noise of the electric fuel pump.

Below I've listed things I've done to this machine as far as upgrades in the last 8 months...only things that isn't "new" is the solenoid and starter...

Since April I've done the following-

April- Rewired electrical & replaced key switch
May- Changed Hydraulic oil & transaxle oil (15w40 Rotella).Also nought new belts for mower & snowblower.
June- Changed SAE 30 Oil & purchased new battery w/ 365 cranking amps (300 cold cranking amps)
September- adjusted carb & replaced gaskets
October- Sick of recharging new battery, replaced ammeter and rectifier to fix charging issues.
Nov- Installed lights to cab, but haven't had to use them yet. Changed motor oil to Shell 10w30

Oct. 15 up to today- Has run like a top and move snow beautifully like a champ. Ammeter has been discharging and charging as it should.

Now I get that "one click", and nothing as far as engine trying to turn over.

The snow is coming! The snow is coming!


The other 446 is 30 miles away at work and won't help me at home. Help!

Any ideas here?

Jason
Help!

 

[Snotrocket]

2.5 hours probably isn't enough on a trickle charger. I would let it sit over night and go from there in the morning.

Your battery could just be toast. Sitting in the cold for a month without running isn't going to do the battery any favors. :thumbsup:

 

[CASE 220/4]

Id say the battery is toast too. Mine did the same thing and it as less then a year old. I just let it sit there for over 9 months without starting it. Id just go to Walmart and buy a new one if you have one close to you. THe last thing you want is the tractor to stall in the middle of pushing snow.

 

[Nutcase446]

If you don't have any test equip, try jumping it off your car. If it starts, you have a bad battery.

 

[wrench644]

You DO know the old tricks of jiggling the PTO lever and the Travel control lever, sometimes the neutral safety switch can be tempermental. Just covering the bases.

 

[CASE 220/4]

He said he is getting the "click" so that means the starter is attemtping to engage the gear into the flywheel but it just dont have enough juice to spin it.

 

[Nutcase446]

The click could be coming from the solenoid or the starter. Without a test light it's difficult to tell what is happening.

 

[CASE 220/4]

The click could be coming from the solenoid or the starter. Without a test light it's difficult to tell what is happening.

true.

 

[mikebramel]

Get a multimeter, theyre cheap and after you have it youre gonna be plugging every hole and connector in sight. You want atleast 12.5V across the battery. A tricle charger, 2A or whatever times 2.5hrs is only 5 amp hours. In translation thats enough to run 2x30W light bulbs or 60Ws at 12 volts for one hour. Not enough to get the engine started. Somebody propably left something on or there is a drain somewhere. A battery that big should last a month no problem. Also, with multimeter take the +, put it on the starter side of the solenoid and the - and put it on the neg side of the battery, put in START position. that will tell you if the solenoid is good. but you said it clicked so........

 

[TROY448]

Try using a jumper wire from the positive side of the battery to the post on the starter, bypassing all switch's and solenoid. If it rolls, the battery is fine and something already posted is the problem.

 

[Bart]

Jason,

I suggested that you get the trouble shooting guide on another forum. Have you worked through that and, if so, what did you find? There are a lot of people offering suggestions on both forums but they need feedback to be helpful.

 

[JasonHovell]

Battery I had in the tractor tests out at 12.4 volts. Single click is coming from solenoid. May be some corosion/dust by solenoid. Have not cleaned any wires as of yet.

Took multimeter from + side of battery & connected to solenoid- 12.4 volts

Took multimeter from + side of battery & connected to coil- 12.4 volts

Took multimeter from + side of battery & to connected where black cable connects to starter - 12.4 volts

Today Brian H sent a solenoid to me for the other 446 and I can swap that in to see if that helps at all.

Had to brush the dust off of the old 5 horse toro and blow. Blew it pretty well for a light and fluffy 2 1/2 inches...been nice to have the Onan though to really send it flying...

Jason

 

[Bart]

If you're using the multi meter to check the voltage you should connect the negative lead to the neg side of the battery and use the positive lead to trace the power from the battery to the solenoid and to the switch, etc.

Did you put a jumper from the pos battery to the solenoid to see if it turns over?

If the solenoid is making a clicking sound but not turning over the engine there is a good chance you've got a grounding problem.

 

[gator_rider2]

Good job testing that little click should pull plunger in silonoid and connected big termials inside silonoid so current went into motor. This is most causes silonoid failures.

 

[JasonHovell]

Went outside again,

Front PTO is in neutra land rear hydraulic is still locked out in neutral position. Cleaned contacts of wires.

Redid multmeter test, per Bart's sugesstion- Everything still tested w/ 12.5 volts. Then took a hammer to starter to see if that would do anything. Get a "RA-RAH" of it trying to turn over- looks like flywheel spins about 1-2 revolutions now...

Coincidence?

Looks to me like progress. ???

 

[JasonHovell]

Jason,

I suggested that you get the trouble shooting guide on another forum. Have you worked through that and, if so, what did you find? There are a lot of people offering suggestions on both forums but they need feedback to be helpful.

I didn't get a chance to look at any posts from either forum today until about 6:45pm tonight, as it's frowned upon doing that where I work. Something about occupying the 24 high school kids..anyway... But will go look for that troubleshooting guide, as I haven't ran across that in the files section yet, as I haven't needed it...yet.

You're a good man, Bart!

Jason

 

[gator_rider2]

Do one test with meter check voltage at termial goes into starter motor with key in start position if reads 12.5 its in motor of starter if not still in silonoid. That termial sometimes get arc around nut washer loose contact. A little cleaning may get voltage down in motor sometime may haveto put new washer are turn nut over so surfaces are clean.

 

[JasonHovell]

Well, I swapped out identical battery from the 155 which I bought the same day this summer as the one in the 446 (365 amps, 300 cca) and still the same result of engine cranking real slow 2-3 times. Same results on multi-meter prior to turning lights on, w/ lights on, and attempting to start, so I'm ruling the battery out. Should be getting a new solenoid today for my other work in progress (another 446) and will swap it in and see if that cures the problem... and will report back...

Jason

 

[Bart]

Jason,

Are you using 30 weight oil in the engine? When it is cold like it is now in Wisconsin even a new battery and engine will have trouble turning over unless you're using 10W-30.

If you have some heavy jumper cables try jumping from the + side of a known good battery to the stud on the starter and if it turns over then that will narrow the problem down considerably. If you do this make sure you have good contact at the starter and a good ground connection or it won't work. If you have the correct oil and it won't turn over with the jumpers then you've got a problem with the starter.

 

[JasonHovell]

10w30 oil.

I was out of town all weekend... I'll get to it in the next day or two.