Starter button on H Question.

[Mild Bill]

Does the starter button on an H need to be screwed into the housing for it to work, like maybe for a ground? I bought 2 from the online parts house here. One I fastened into the housing made for it , and it didnt work. I bought 2, so the second, I didnt mount into the housing mde for it, and it dont work.

 

[wh]

They are not grounded. Check all your connections from battery to starter and even your ground cable.

 

[Mild Bill]

My Battery was bad, so I bought a new battery. I bought a new battery cable. and a new starter cable,still nothing, so I bought 2 new starter buttons, and theres still nothing. I took the cable off the starter, and pushed in the starter button. Nothing. That tells me the starter button is no good, but when I did that I didnt have the button back in its housing

 

[Mild Bill]

I took the ground cable off of the side of the H where ive had it for years, rubbed it back and forth on the side of the tractor, Put it back on, nothing

 

[used red MN]

I took the ground cable off of the side of the H where ive had it for years, rubbed it back and forth on the side of the tractor, Put it back on, nothing

Get a screwdriver you don’t care about ruining the tip on, or you could use any piece of scrap steel that has the cross section of at least a 3/8 round screwdriver shank. With it hooked up as it should be short across the two terminals on the switch, there will be some arcing. If this doesn’t make the starter crank the problem is the switch, if it didn’t you have some other problem. Very likely a connection problem.
Edit adding: It may be the starter locked into the flywheel gear as has been mentioned below. If on a flat surface put it in 5th gear and rock it back and forth pushing on the rear tires watching the fan to see if it turns. If you see it turning attempt starting it. If this doesn’t seem to work loosen the starter bolts and wiggle the back of the starter around listening for a clunk. If that is heard tighten it back up and try to start it. The clunk it the stuck starter drive retracting.

 

[wh]

My Battery was bad, so I bought a new battery. I bought a new battery cable. and a new starter cable,still nothing, so I bought 2 new starter buttons, and theres still nothing. I took the cable off the starter, and pushed in the starter button. Nothing. That tells me the starter button is no good, but when I did that I didnt have the button back in its housing

I have bought bad new battery. Are you sure battery is good.

 

[caterpillar guy]

First is this 6or 12 volt if 6 volt and you just bought those cheap little cables for a car they are about half big enough for the job. they need to have the wire part of your cable to be abouth the size of your thumb to finger depending on how big your fingers and thumb are. Then once that is solved with button connected to the cable from the battery positive ground if 6 volt and negative ground probably for 12 volt if an alternator is on it. With the button now connected using a volt meter or test light see if you light or read voltage when you push the button if not the switch may be bad . Check the cables for voltage or light if no light your connection from the battery is no good. Or bad battery I know you said you got a new battery and they can be bad right out of the parts house without doing anything. IF voltage then switch is bad if no light or voltage. Try other switch. IF not joy there either then try the cable direct to the battery if it works then you know both switches are bad. Go to a local truck parts house and get a good heavy push button switch and test it before connecting it to the battery with an OHM meter it should read open then closed or a connection when pushed. IF good then install . IF none of this wqorks see if the starter is stuck. Put tractor in 5th and rock it hard you should hear a click to s light bang as the drive gear comes free from the flywheel. then try you push button again. IT should start now. IF you can't get it by rocking then loosen the starter almost off then wiggle it and you may hear something but probably not but it will act freer than it had been before you loosened it. if none of this works get back to us with what did and didn't work.

 

[rustred]

maybe tell us what made u buy all these parts. new cables, new battery, new switch ... so whats left ... the starter. to confirm this use a set of good booster cables and connect right onto the starter terminal and battery post, hook the other one to onto the battery for ground and hook the other end on the tractor housing,... the starter will crank over. if not its either stuck in the flywheel ring gear which will make a good spark when you ground the cable. but anyhow just pull the starter bolts and wiggle it back and if its the drive it will jump back to its position. small auto cables will not cause a no crank situation, just slow cranking and heat. plus them switches are made in china and not worth a hoot. i speak from experience here. plus the terminals are smaller too.

 

[cleddy]

Some times you just have to get some help. Surely if you have a friend and a little appreciation &Gift they can help toll it in where the Garage is. I always think if you can afford toys like this you may need to PAY a qualified person to help repair it. Who buys a car or tractor thinking it will run forever without some repairs along the way??. My 2 cents worth after all this chi-chat.

 

[46m]

Yep starter stuck .

 

[560Dennis]

I suggest buying quality volt ohm meter to do your troubleshooting testing. Get a Farmall H wiring schematic from reference .learn how to do voltage drops test from YT resources, and other well written troubleshooting techniques in resource s ,

 

[Mild Bill]

Starter cable $40The batt cost $80. I got both cables from NAPA. Batt cable $15, Starter Cable $40. Altinators not on it.I put a tester on the side of the button going to the END, NOT the starter stud itself. Got reading, but couldnt see it while holding starter button which is not on its holder on the steering post the batt AT the button. Got nothing. Put tester on side going to starter, got reading 12.? at button. Couldnt see reading holding tester on batt END, NOT on starter stud. It read 4.?? Best bening.s I at 78yrs old could see. H is in the field with plow on it. Had 4in rain 2 weeks ago, and I cant push nothing . Ill try loosening the starter this evening. RUSTED. Batt wouldnt start H so I took it ti WM, and they said it was bad. 80 i TRIED JUMPING THE BATT CABLE TO THE STARTER CABLE AND BURNT UP BOTH ENDS, reason for new cables. also the starter button origionally on it didnt work, so I bought 2 from the parts here. burnt up one

 

[used red MN]

Starter cable $40The batt cost $80. I got both cables from NAPA. Batt cable $15, Starter Cable $40. Altinators not on it.I put a tester on the side of the button going to the END, NOT the starter stud itself. Got reading, but couldnt see it while holding starter button which is not on its holder on the steering post the batt AT the button. Got nothing. Put tester on side going to starter, got reading 12.? at button. Couldnt see reading holding tester on batt END, NOT on starter stud. It read 4.?? Best bening.s I at 78yrs old could see. H is in the field with plow on it. Had 4in rain 2 weeks ago, and I cant push nothing . I’ll try loosening the starter this evening. RUSTED. Batt wouldnt start H so I took it ti WM, and they said it was bad. 80 i TRIED JUMPING THE BATT CABLE TO THE STARTER CABLE AND BURNT UP BOTH ENDS, reason for new cables. also the starter button origionally on it didnt work, so I bought 2 from the parts here. burnt up one

Maybe others can make sense of what you’re saying. Telling us the price of items such as a battery cable doesn’t tell us if it the appropriate size. To me to get you help you are going to have to focus on one step or thing at a time and then get a reply.
Seeing how it is in the field and you got 4” of rain there could be another problem. Even if the exhaust was covered the exhaust pipe that comes through the hood threads in the manifold. Those threads like to let water leak past them. So the engine could have water on top of a piston locking it up. If you don’t find a problem with the starter drive being locked in the flywheel I would suggest pulling the spark plugs and trying to crank it. Might even have to loosen the oil plug to check for water in the oil pan. Just back it out enough to drip, if it drips oil it is good, water then it will have to drip long enough for that to be drained out from below the oil.

 

[rustred]

Starter cable $40The batt cost $80. I got both cables from NAPA. Batt cable $15, Starter Cable $40. Altinators not on it.I put a tester on the side of the button going to the END, NOT the starter stud itself. Got reading, but couldnt see it while holding starter button which is not on its holder on the steering post the batt AT the button. Got nothing. Put tester on side going to starter, got reading 12.? at button. Couldnt see reading holding tester on batt END, NOT on starter stud. It read 4.?? Best bening.s I at 78yrs old could see. H is in the field with plow on it. Had 4in rain 2 weeks ago, and I cant push nothing . Ill try loosening the starter this evening. RUSTED. Batt wouldnt start H so I took it ti WM, and they said it was bad. 80 i TRIED JUMPING THE BATT CABLE TO THE STARTER CABLE AND BURNT UP BOTH ENDS, reason for new cables. also the starter button origionally on it didnt work, so I bought 2 from the parts here. burnt up one

i think your wild bill, now mild bill. burning stuff up like this. you not grasping what i suggested. you hold the last booster cable clamp in you hand and if you getting no action turning the starter just quickly unhook it as your hand should still be on the booster cable clamp. and yes if the starter is jammed you will get lots of sparkies. so why didnt you loosen loosen the starter yet? before all this rig a ma roll . even take it out and bench test it.

 

[Jim.ME]

The problem has been solved, as he has since posted on the Tractor and Farm talk Forum, the starter was hung in.

GOTTER FIXED