2520 starter issues

[sheibult]

I have a 2520 that after sitting will not start with the starter button. If I jump across the solenoid (even momentarily) then it will start fine as long as it is started regularly,(every few days). If it sits, it will go back to needing to be jumped across the solenoid.

It appears to have a new solenoid on it, so I imagine the previous owner was having issues as well

Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Jim.ME]

Correct. The only time I have voltage on the S terminal is when the starter button is pushed with the key on. I am however only getting 6v. I installed a new wire to the coil in place of the resister wire (will need to install an inline resister) and am getting 12V to the coil with the key on.

Jim, Key on, no voltage at S terminal, Key on and starter button pushed = voltage at S terminal (6V)

Is the 6 volts with the wire connected to the S terminal? If so, unhook it and see what the voltage is on the wire when it is disconnected from the S terminal.

As I posted before, If so, you have bad contacts in a switch, wiring connections, or a bad wire. Only having 6 volts when the start button is pushed, instead of battery voltage tells me something is causing high resistance, and the wire heating is a sign of that.

The relay Tx Jim posted about lets the start button circuit energize the relay which takes less current. The relay coil closes contacts which can supply battery voltage to the S terminal and give it power as seen when you jump the terminals at the solenoid.

 

[matthies]

You should not have voltage on R terminal with the key on. Only should have power during the cranking of the engine. When the solenoid closes during cranking is when the R terminal should have power. Unhook the wire from R term and see if there is power at the R or the wire.

 

[Jim.ME]

You should not have voltage on R terminal with the key on. Only should have power during the cranking of the engine. When the solenoid closes during cranking is when the R terminal should have power. Unhook the wire from R term and see if there is power at the R or the wire.

They may have been someone's rewire but I have encountered a couple that had the wire from the ignition switch (switch with the resistor or a resistor wire) to the R terminal then a wire from the R terminal to the coil. The key would be two wires on the R terminal or if the coil has two wires on the + post. It will do the same thing wired either way.

Enlarging his starter picture it does appear to have two wires on the coil terminal. With the key on, the ignition power will go from the coil down to the starter R terminal since that wire is connected on the same terminal of the coil as the ignition wire. During cranking it should send voltage from the starter to the coil, when the relay has pulled the plunger in.

If the R terminal has power with the wire unhooked and the key on, there is a problem at the solenoid. If the wire has power when it is unhooked from the R terminal with the key is on, it is ok.

 

[sheibult]

They may have been someone's rewire but I have encountered a couple that had the wire from the ignition switch (switch with the resistor or a resistor wire) to the R terminal then a wire from the R terminal to the coil. The key would be two wires on the R terminal or if the coil has two wires on the + post. It will do the same thing wired either way.

Enlarging his starter picture it does appear to have two wires on the coil terminal. With the key on, the ignition power will go from the coil down to the starter R terminal since that wire is connected on the same terminal of the coil as the ignition wire. During cranking it should send voltage from the starter to the coil, when the relay has pulled the plunger in.

If the R terminal has power with the wire unhooked and the key on, there is a problem at the solenoid. If the wire has power when it is unhooked from the R terminal with the key is on, it is ok.

Jim / Matthies, There is 12V to the wire that lands on the R terminal with the key on.....no power on the terminal with the wire removed.

 

[used red MN]

The relay Tx Jim posted about lets the start button circuit energize the relay which takes less current. The relay coil closes contacts which can supply battery voltage to the S terminal and give it power as seen when you jump the terminals at the solenoid.

Sheibult, sorry for the misunderstanding. I think the above relay mentioned by both Jim’s is probably your answer to the intermittent starting problem. And yes, if you are running a 6 volt coil and you removed the resistor wire in the harness a separate resistor is required.

 

[used red MN]

no power on the terminal with the wire removed.

The power is sent to the R terminal when the solenoid is engaged and pulls the contacts together.
Edit to add: Look at my reply 112 in this thread it shows the internal contact tab that contacts the contact washer in the solenoid when it is energized in the start cycle. The video shows the solenoid internals. Previous YT thread

 

[sheibult]

The remote relay did the trick.....starts well now, even when the battery is not freshly charged.
Thank you all for your insight.