Ford 1700 Starting Problem

[Francis K]

Hello. First post here. Have a Ford 1700 with a starting issue. Should say at beginning very inexperienced working on tractors or engines but since I have a 40+ year old tractor have to try.

When key is turned to on the two red indicator lights come on. Preheat will work. But will not crank. Checked fuses and checked and cleaned all the electrical connections I can access. Battery charged. Can't open hood because aftermarket loader is in the way and I can't lift loader since it doesn't run.

Carefully tried to start tractor with the screwdriver on the starter method. Starter runs but does not engage. Might that have something to do with the third, blue, wire running separately to the starter? And is there anything I can do to start it and get the hood up?

I'm guessing it might be a bad ground somewhere I can't reach or see. But that's just an uneducated guess. Tractor sits outside. I try to start it regularly but sometimes forget. Starter is only two years old.

Any help greatly appreciated. Been trying to get it going for a week now.

Thank you.

Francis

 

[Tom in Mo.]

Why would the wiring be wrong if it started before?
First thing troubleshooting electrical issue is to access the battery. You must have a hot battery and solid connections, or you are wasting your time. To access the battery with the loader you will have to crawl under the front end and unbolt the hood pivots from the frame and the hood should lift straight up in the air. Then your battery will be exposed.

 

[Francis K]

Thanks for replying.

I've tried removing the hinge pins and lifting the hood but it still catches in that area and I can't get it off myself. And I've only got myself.

If I can get it to turn over it'll start. It always has. And I can raise the bucket and the hood. Main problem now is getting starter to engage. If I can get it started everything will be much easier. I also can't push start it because of the front end loader.

 

[Tom in Mo.]

After rereading initial post it still sounds like a weak battery or bad connection. Be sure the gear levers are in neutral. There is a magnetic reed switch under the tranny cover that must be closed that goes to a relay under the dash that won't let the starter solenoid engage if not in neutral. If you can get to the positive connection from the battery to the solenoid you may be able to jump it from a hot battery there CAREFULLY because its tight in there.

 

[mhb@ufe]

Hello. First post here. Have a Ford 1700 with a starting issue. Should say at beginning very inexperienced working on tractors or engines but since I have a 40+ year old tractor have to try.

When key is turned to on the two red indicator lights come on. Preheat will work. But will not crank. Checked fuses and checked and cleaned all the electrical connections I can access. Battery charged. Can't open hood because aftermarket loader is in the way and I can't lift loader since it doesn't run.

Carefully tried to start tractor with the screwdriver on the starter method. Starter runs but does not engage. Might that have something to do with the third, blue, wire running separately to the starter? And is there anything I can do to start it and get the hood up?

I'm guessing it might be a bad ground somewhere I can't reach or see. But that's just an uneducated guess. Tractor sits outside. I try to start it regularly but sometimes forget. Starter is only two years old.

Any help greatly appreciated. Been trying to get it going for a week now.

Thank you.

Francis

Make sure the tractor is in neutral and jump the top solenoid terminal to the blue wire connection. If you just jump the 2 big solenoid terminals the solenoid won't engage.

 

[Francis K]

Thanks. I will check the switch tomorrow.

 

[Eman85]

Just by seeing a wirenut on a tractor it tells me there are wiring problems. You say battery is charged, do you have a voltmeter, 12v should be 12.6 charged. Either with absolute certainty that the tractor is in neutral or someone in the seat holding the clutch down jump the starter as mhb@ufe said to do.

 

[Francis K]

The wire nut is just because of me. The starter is very difficult to get on and off and that particular wire was almost impossible to get to once the starter was installed because of a plastic shield that protected the wires on the other two terminals from coming into contact with one another. So I cut it and put the wire on before I put the starter on.

The wire nut is just my bad. I cut off the plastic shield before I took the pic so I could get to all three terminals more easily.

 

[showcrop]

"tried to start tractor with the screwdriver on the starter method. Starter runs but does not engage". Means that when you did this you bypassed your problem point which would most likely be one of your negative cable ends.