Tractor hard to start

[SusanO]

When you turn the key the glow plugs and other lights turn on but when the glow plugs go out and you turn the key the rest of the way nothing happens.

A little history - last Friday I replaced the battery because the battery was 2018 and my problem seemed to be solved. But now the problem is creeping back. Sometimes nothing happens after the first attempt but if I try again it starts up. It is not cold here - almost 70 degrees yesterday and the tractor lives in the barn so it is not out in the elements.

So yesterday it started on second attempt and I drove some stuff in the bucket up to my house. The tractor sat there for an hour or so. Would not start on first attempt. You turn the key and nothing. No clicking noises. Then the second attempt it started right up. Drove back to barn turned it off and opened gate to go haul off some fallen tree trash. Tractor would not start in four attempts. Glow plugs go out and nothing happens when you turn the key. I go chase the horse down that ran out the gate and is now grazing in the back yard, put some stuff up and come back to try again. Tractor starts.

It reminds me somewhat of when my riding mower had a bad solenoid but I think there was a clicking noise with the mower.

I can’t remember but I don’t think I had this problem before I got the tractor stuck in the mud. Maybe I knocked a wire loose getting it out? I don’t understand why it was fine after the new battery and is now reverting to the prior problem. I can’t take it to the tractor place - my trailer has a whole bunch of hay stored on it and they don’t do pick-ups. TSC rents trailers but I don’t think they are big enough to haul a tractor on.

[clanter]

my thoughts are a defective/failing ignition switch or one of the safety switches whose connect is corroded

I am guessing this is a compact tractor which usually have four safety switches…the for the seat ay be the issue

here is a YouTube video on tracking down the safety switched

https://asktractormike.com/blog/help-my-tractor-wont-start/#:~:text=There%20are%20four%20safety%20switches,right%20into%20the%20seat%20itself.

[SusanO]

Yes it is a 22HP Mahindra EMax. I will check the switches. I am glad I got a new battery because it was time for new one but I am bummed I still have the problem. I will watch the video and check the wiring. Thanks!

[SusanO]

I am thinking it might be the seat switch because sometimes when it won’t start I am parked on a slope and off center on the seat. At least this gives me things to troubleshoot.

[Annie10]

it could be either the seat switch or there is a cable in there from the battery and dont ask me what it’s called but my tractor did the same thing last year. Once the guy fixed the cable it was fine.

[LCDR]

You can bypass the seat swirch if you have access to it. Unplug the connector to the seat, and stick a piece of wire to connect the two wires in the unplugged cable. The tractor will then think that someone is in the seat. Honestly, most everyone I know and I just leave the little jumper cable in place.

Then a CYA statement - do not bypass safety switches as this may result in injury or death. You are just doing this to diagnose the source of a starting problem.

[Mango20]

Since it’s intermittent, the first thing I’d check is to make sure your battery cables are attached tightly.

[SusanO]

I put the new battery in last Friday myself. I did not notice the old battery had loose or corroded cables and the tractor was doing the same thing only worse. I was very careful to tighten everything up and put that battery grease stuff (forgot what it was called) on the terminals. I had somebody check my work before I put the hood back on. It could be loose but I sure tightened everything up really well. I can re-check that if it is not the seat switch. That is probably too easy to be the cause - things are never that easy for me!

[endlessclimb]

First thing I do if it hasn’t already been done. I’m a one-man-band most times and don’t want my tractor to shut off every time I have to get down to pick up trash, adjust a load, etc.

[clanter]

usually, at least all small tractors I have used, the seat safety switch is bypassed/ignored if the PTO is not engages and the Parking brake is set allowing a person to dismount with unit still running

Back to battery, make sure the battery cables are not corroded internally, there was a poster a few months back that their problem was the ground battery cable corroded internally

[SusanO]

OK. Maybe it is not the seat switch because I can get off the tractor with it running just fine. It is just starting the tractor is the problem. I did find the switch and the seat cables did not seem to be corroded. I am not sure about the battery cables because they were put on a few years ago when the tractor was serviced. The original cables were crap and literally dissolved when I replaced the battery last time and the auto parts stores did not have any battery cables that were short enough to fit in that space so I had to jerry rig some long cables. The tractor place replaced those with cables that fit. I can always order new cables. Maybe I can find some shorter ones somewhere?

[clanter]

the battery cable Maybe corroded internally using an ohm meter the cables could be tested resistance

How to Measure Resistance with a Multimeter

that meter the guy is using is a cheap one from Harbor Freight that would work fine

[Pepsy]

Hi, this is Pepsi’s husband. We had the identical problem with our Kubota tractor. I replaced the battery, the solenoid, the starter, all the safety switches and the key switch to no avail. I also located where the ground wire connects to the frame and made sure the connection was clean of corrosion. You may want to check that given your stuck in the mud problem. I replaced the battery connectors. I had it in for service three times and they “were never able to reproduce the problem in the shop” so could not fix it. We found that just by hooking up a battery charger to the battery allowed it to start without actually charging it. The extra juice overcame the resistance in the wiring defect. Kind of like what happened with your new battery.
I brought the tractor to a different dealer and begged them to fix the problem. They located a voltage regulator under the dashboard that tested OK but the connections to it were corroded. They cleaned them off, reconnected them and we have not had the problem since.
I do not know much about your tractor but I bet you will find a corroded connection somewhere in the ignition wiring system.
Good luck in finding it!

[SusanO]

That sounds logical. I will check all that stuff. I wish I didn’t have so much hay on the trailer so I could take it in because they are pretty good at finding stuff. But I may have somebody that could check the connections past what I can figure out.

[SusanO]

I am making a run to TSC and the auto parts store is across the street. I will see if they have an ohm meter.

[Annie10]

@endlessclimb

First thing I do if it hasn’t already been done. I’m a one-man-band most times and don’t want my tractor to shut off every time I have to get down to pick up trash, adjust a load, etc.

Put it in neutral and use the parking brake