6x4 Trail Gator will not start
kbfarm265
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 Marthasville, Missouri |
2010-06-14 171542
My John Deere 6x4 Trail Gator will not start. Several months ago while crossing my field it started to pour out smoke then died and would not restart. I did have a problem a couple of years ago with the radiator fan, it quit working automatically so I ran it through a toggle switch so I could turn it on manually and leave it run while the engine was running. Now when I try to start my gator all it does is that fast clicking noise. It has oil and there is anti-freeze in the radiator. Any ideas?
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
gatoraider
Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 544 Maryland |
2010-06-15 171548
Fast clicking is a low battery or dirty/loose terminal connections. After you fix that, there are tests you can do. When you turn the key to on, the fuel pump should run. Turn the engine over and check for spark at the spark plug. If there is spark, do the plugs get wet after turning the motor over? ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
kbfarm265
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 Marthasville, Missouri |
2010-06-15 171551
I did put a new battery, or at least a newer fully charged battery, in it but the engine still would not crank over.
When I had the original battery in it I thought that maybe the transmission was not in neutral properly so I held the key on as I wiggled the gearshift handle around, but all that did was cause smoke to come out from the back where the battery is mounted and it would not even click after that. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
gatoraider
Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 544 Maryland |
2010-06-15 171552
Your battery terminals are dirty. You need to take all the wires off the battery and clean each with a wire brush until they are shiney. The reason it's smoking back there is there is resistance in the circuit and resistance causes heat. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
kbfarm265
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 Marthasville, Missouri |
2010-06-15 171559
Okay, thanks I'll try that as soon as the torrential rains we are having quits :) ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
kbfarm265
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 Marthasville, Missouri |
2010-06-15 171564
Okay, battery terminals & wires are nice & shiny and I put in a new battery, alas, the same results. The fuel pump runs and I get the clicking sound. The clicking sound sounds like it may be coming from below the flywheel, is it possible that the starter is not engaging. where exactly is the starter and how hard is it to remove? ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
gatoraider
Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 544 Maryland |
2010-06-15 171567
If you turn the key to start and you get one click it could be the starter solenoid. If you get click click click click in rapid succession you still have a voltage problem. Could be dirty terminal on the starter or the ground terminal on the motor. Starter comes out the back of the machine. 12mm socket with long extension, one on top and one on the bottom, after you unplug the red wire from the solenoid and the hot wires on the main lug. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
gatoraider
Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 544 Maryland |
2010-06-16 171573
One more thought, does the engine turn over freely by hand? ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
kbfarm265
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 Marthasville, Missouri |
2010-06-16 171575
Yes, I am getting the click click click click in rapid succession. If you mean "can I turn the flywheel by hand?", no, not even when using a pipewrench on the flywheels bolt for leverage. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
gatoraider
Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 544 Maryland |
2010-06-16 171576
You can forget about all the " check this, check that " Your motor is locked up. Probably siezed the main bearing to the crank. thegatorguy.net for used or rebuilt motors. Can't buy a complete motor from Deere any longer. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
kbfarm265
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 Marthasville, Missouri |
2010-06-16 171581
That's what I thought & was afraid of. Thanks for all the help with this problem, I really appreciate it. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
bassman
Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 7 jackson missouri |
2010-06-18 171637
I bought a gator that was locked up. It took a 6 dollar bushing to fix it. The bushing was on the flywheel side on the crankshaft. The crank was not harmed at all as the bushing was a lead babbited type.It is a kawasaki engine so i got all of my parts from a kawasaki dealer. If you have any questions just post them. ....
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6x4 Trail Gator will not start
spyder
Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 78 East of Taihape, New Zealand Pics |
2010-06-18 171639
I had exactly the same experience. I decided that as the engine was going to be dismantled anyway I may as well put new rings in it as well. I bought all the bits from a JD dealer - cost me several hundred dollars for rings, gaskets, O rings and seals and just $12-00 for the bearing...
If you are going to do the job yourself you WILL need the technical manual - TM1518. ....
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