Starter trouble to30

[gtmci84s]

My tractor will not turn over. I removed the starter and tested it using the same battery that's on the tractor, and it spins fine. I put it back on, it will only click. I bypassed the switch, still only clicks. I took the starter to an Amish guy who works on them and he said he sees no problems with it. The tractor has always turned over extremely slow. It's a 54 To30 6v positive ground. The motor seems to be free. I also tried turning it over with the plugs all out, and the starter still only clicks. Any advise?

 

[Duner Wi]

"The motor seems to be free" quote

Really need to know for certain if motor is free or not.

 

[gtmci84s]

It is free.

 

[Richard L]

Take the wires off and clean the connecting end going to starter. Also clean the metal block & the starter where they meet.

 

[gtmci84s]

Already done.

Also, wouldnt running a cable from the battery directly to the post on the starter with the same results would eliminate the possibility of a bad connection being the issue, on the negative side anyway? I did clean the ground really well with a wire wheel.

 

[CKain(MI)]

Can you measure voltage ? I would connect voltmeter to starter terminal & ground, activate the starter switch, hold it long
enough to see what amount of voltage is at the starter terminal. IF IT IS A FULL 6v , then problem is inside the starter.

 

[miner09]

Will engine turn over by pulling it? Sounds like something has it lock-up.

 

[gtmci84s]

I'll check the voltage in the morning. The motor does spin, I put a pipe wrench on the front shaft that spins the hydraulic pump for my Wagner loader, I did a few full rotations.

Thanks for all of the replies. I'd like to get it running so I can get it back in the barn and out of the weather!

Anyone have luck with having these starters rebuilt or should I just buy a new one if that's the problem?

 

[Bruce(OR)]

Since the engine pulls through by hand, it is not locked up. The problem being the ground side. You might have too much rust
where the starter mounts to the tractor. Bench test shows fine. Mounted in rust is not so fine.
Just for the fun of it. Run a jumper cable from the main body of the starter to the tractor engine. Basically your just adding an
external ground cable. Now does it spin? Fix it.

 

[gtmci84s]

(quoted from post at 18:00:37 12/29/17) Since the engine pulls through by hand, it is not locked up. The problem being the ground side. You might have too much rust
where the starter mounts to the tractor. Bench test shows fine. Mounted in rust is not so fine.
Just for the fun of it. Run a jumper cable from the main body of the starter to the tractor engine. Basically your just adding an
external ground cable. Now does it spin? Fix it.

I already tried this with the jumper cables. Also already took a wire wheel to the contact where the starter mounts to the tractor. There wasn't any rust, just a film of old oil. It's clean and shiny now.

 

[Ron(Ont)]

(quoted from post at 12:05:36 12/29/17)
Already done.

Also, wouldnt running a cable from the battery directly to the post on the starter with the same results would eliminate the possibility of a bad connection being the issue, on the negative side anyway? I did clean the ground really well with a wire wheel.

To be clear, you have taken jumpers from the battery, +ve to an [u:a50645b525]engine bolt[/u:a50645b525] and -ve to the starter connection, and the starter will not turn over? Is that correct?

Just for fun, have you tried spinning up the starter with a 12 volt battery( even jump from your car)? Do make sure that it is in neutral!! I used to do this all the time, especially in winter.

If you do find it to be a starter problem, get it rebuilt!!

BTW, have you moved the ground strap from the dash to a transmission or engine bolt?

 

[steve19438]

do you one of these gizmos? i use mine alot to start dead tractors.

 

[gtmci84s]

(quoted from post at 05:24:41 12/30/17)

(quoted from post at 12:05:36 12/29/17)
Already done.

Also, wouldnt running a cable from the battery directly to the post on the starter with the same results would eliminate the possibility of a bad connection being the issue, on the negative side anyway? I did clean the ground really well with a wire wheel.

To be clear, you have taken jumpers from the battery, +ve to an [u:d010b12046]engine bolt[/u:d010b12046] and -ve to the starter connection, and the starter will not turn over? Is that correct?

Just for fun, have you tried spinning up the starter with a 12 volt battery( even jump from your car)? Do make sure that it is in neutral!! I used to do this all the time, especially in winter.

If you do find it to be a starter problem, get it rebuilt!!

BTW, have you moved the ground strap from the dash to a transmission or engine bolt?

Yes, that is exactly what I did with the jumper cables. First thing after putting a battery charger on it over night.

I will try jumping it with my truck this morning. Maybe I'll get lucky and the battery is just that weak, it has had a charger on it for a few days though.

I haven't moved any ground straps.

Jumping it with 12 volts won't damage anything?

 

[steve19438]

as someone once told me the starter does not care. just don't spin it too long.

 

[steve19438]

when i use my battery pack and after connecting to starter and then connecting to a ground (usually gearshift lever) the battery pack will hum when i get a good connection. then i flip the switch on the pack and away we go.

 

[gtmci84s]

So when I jump it with the truck, should I hook the jumper cables directly to the starter, or put them on the tractor battery?

 

[dsm137]

Ran into similar problems with a couple of mine. Went through every protocol, bench test, the whole 9 yards. Same thing.
Wound up replacing them. BE CAREFUL when buying. Had good luck with the ones from YT and the ones made by Atlantic. Sometimes you may have to change the nose cone to get it in, but overall ok.
Sometimes it pays to just junk all the old wires and switches, the starter too.
Chains or a rope and a tug to jump it might help the gettin it in the barn issue.

 

[gtmci84s]

Jumped it with the truck and it spins! I don't think the battery has been taking a charge... Played with the battery charger a bit and it seems to be charging it now. Also noticed that the wire going to the starter from the switch had a crack in it, and I think was arching on the bell housing. Now I'm thinking the timing is off from removing the distributor to pull the starter... She pops and floods but won't fire. Once it's running, I'm going to move it into the garage and replace all of the wireing that I haven't yet replaced, which is most of it.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Jeremy in DE]

(quoted from post at 13:35:46 12/30/17)
Now I'm thinking the timing is off from removing the distributor to pull the starter...

If everything is still original, then the starter can come out without removing the distributor. I know it doesn't look like it at first glance, but the starter will slide right out once both bolts are removed (and the wire).

Now, if the starter or distributor are not original, maybe not....

 

[John Deere D]

I finely "CLEANED" and changed my Ferguson 6 Volt Starter leads as per this picture I located on the Internet. Now the STARTER spins the Engine perfectly:

 

[John Deere D]

OK second try:

No battery connection to any part of the DASH:

I finely "CLEANED" and changed my Ferguson 6 Volt Starter leads as per this picture I located on the Internet. Now the STARTER spins the Engine perfectly:

Bob..

 

[phil(va)]

Put one cable on starter top connection and touch other cable to good ground, but make sure tractor is out of gear first. Don't hook 12
volt battery to your 6 volt battery or it will damage the ignition.

 

[marloweg]

are you using the gear shift lever starter switch [oem] if so that switch will get burnt and not carry the currant