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My Deere won t start

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eflaig
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 2 Charlestown NH
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2006-02-11          124384

My deere won't start. I went out this morning and heated the glow plugs then went to crank it over. It did crank over but slow. It was maybe 5 degrees in the barn so I got the battery charger out to give it a boost. Now it does nothing. I turn the key on and the idiot lights light up, but as soon as I go to the start position I hear a click and everything goes dead.
It stays dead until it decides to click again then the lights come back on and it stays that way untill I try to start it.
The start will work if I jump it. I figured I would ask before I tear the whole tractor apart to see why. This is a John Deere 790
Thanks
Eric


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My Deere won t start

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wingwiper
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 676
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2006-02-11          124388

Well quite possibly it could be the Starter Solonoid, for you seem to indicate you have enough power for the Lights and that means AMPS and yet you only get a click when you try to start it. In the Old days we use to take a hammer and tap the starter a few times to disengage the Solonoid or Bendix. It usally takes a good amount of voltage and a good load of AMPS to set that Bendix back. Jumping will do that. If the Battery was Frozen, you wouldn't have the current to operate the lights and if you did you would have enough juice to engage the bendix. So my guess is the Starter Solonoid. I do not know if the JD Started mean you have to get a whole NEW starter, in the old days 3 screws and you were holding the $5.00 part in your hand.
Something else you may try, if you have a Saladmander heater, have it blow directly onto your starter and that might wartm it up enough to cuz the Bendix to engage.
My other guess is a weak battery and maybe a dead cell or two. That is easy enough to find out, disconnect your current battery and run jumpers from the disconnected battery cables to another battery, that is NOT conncected to a running engine, now see if it starts, if it does, replace the battery, if not look at the Starter.

Good Luck and it is only an opinion. Have you ever noticed that all Tractors work great abd flawless in Warm weather? and only in the Cold when wrapping a knuckle against an engine block hurts the worst do tractors seem not to want to run....... My observation... ....

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Iowafun
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 955 Central Iowa
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2006-02-11          124390

Before replacing the starter with a new one from a deere dealer, check around to see if there is a cross reference to another "brand." Deere buys the starters from soemone who sells to many customers. So you may be able to find teh same thing from someone wanting less margin. Saves you a few bucks. There are several postings on that topic here.

Good luck. Nothing like problems in winter. 2 winters ago it was a flat tire on the old tractor. Boy did that make life miserable with all the snow we had that winter. On the other hand, got me a new tractor before the next winter... ....

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My Deere won t start

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Tom
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Posts: 1
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2006-02-11          124392

This is going back aways, but the old starter solenoids (that small cylindrical unit attached to the starter motor) used to have a copper contact washer that could be reversed and would then provide a clean contact for more current flow. The solenoid itself was operated by current through the starter switch and it would pull in the solenoid and attached copper washer which acted as a conductor to carry the starting motor current.

I agree if not the solenoid it is probably a shorted battery cell.

I used to not mind working on this stuff in the winter (and 5 degrees is winter) but no more. ....

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My Deere won t start

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Tom
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Posts: 1
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2006-02-11          124393

This is going back aways, but the old starter solenoids (that small cylindrical unit attached to the starter motor) used to have a copper contact washer that could be reversed and would then provide a clean contact for more current flow. The solenoid itself was operated by current through the starter switch and it would pull in the solenoid and attached copper washer which acted as a conductor to carry the starting motor current.

I agree if not the solenoid it is probably a shorted battery cell.

I used to not mind working on this stuff in the winter (and 5 degrees is winter) but no more. ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
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2006-02-11          124394

If you have already verified that you have good clean solid battery cable connections at the battery, starter, and frame. Sounds to me like your battery is "kahput". It could be sulfated or one or more cells may be shorted out due to the cold and just plain old age, the plates inside can warp. Have you pulled the battery out and tested it with a hydrometer? ....

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eflaig
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 2 Charlestown NH
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster

2006-02-11          124399

Thanks for all the help
I got it fixed it was a bad ground conection on the chassis
I unbolted it and took a dremel to get to good steel then bolted it back together with a new bolt and it started like a dream. This was after I towed it into the heated garage.
Thanks again
Eric ....

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Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee
TractorPoint Premium Member -- 5 Tractors = Very Frequent Poster  View my Photos  Pics

2006-02-11          124407

Glad you got the problem whipped. Its always nice when it is something simple AND CHEAP! ;O) ....

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Art White
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 6898 Waterville New York
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2006-02-13          124449

For this type of problem the first thing that needs to be done is to clean all terminals. When you get inconsistant results like this it most often is a bad ground or faulty wire. Glad you checked before spending the money! ....

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