your tractor will not start? read this

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   if it sounds like it is electrical. find the solenoid. there will

be two red cables, one from the battery, the other to

the starter. you can jump these to see if the engine

runs. if not, then check the black wire on the battery

to be sure the terminal is clean and tight, and follow

it down to where it connects to the frame or engine

block to be sure its clean and tight there.

if it does fire up when you jump the two cables, then

romove the small power wire on the side of the

solenoid. some solenoids have two small wires. one

would be ground and the other power from the ignition

switch. use a volt meter or test light and check for

power going to this wire when you turn the key. 

if there is none, then pull the plug on the back of

the ignition switch and make sure all the terminals

are clean and rust free.

if none of the above works, then pretty much all that

you have left is the safety switches. and for these

you will need to do some investigating. there are

several, and they can be located in various places.

seat

brake pedal

transmission

pto

each switch is either normally open or normally closed

depending on how the tractor is designed. you need to

locate, and test each switch with an ohm meter or

powered test light to determine whether or not the

switch is working when depressed. most switches only

have two wires, so testing them is not too hard. you

can unplug each switch, then try to start the tractor,

and if it wont start then put the wires together and

try to start the tractor. but do one switch at a time,

and if the switch you just tested does not start the

tractor, put it back together if you are sure the

switch is good and move on to the next one.

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donp Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Master Regional Rider Joined: October/27/2003 Status: Offline Points: 8563	Post Options Post Reply Quote donp Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: your tractor will not start? read this Posted: November/06/2006 at 2:13am
	if it sounds like it is electrical. find the solenoid. there will be two red cables, one from the battery, the other to the starter. you can jump these to see if the engine runs. if not, then check the black wire on the battery to be sure the terminal is clean and tight, and follow it down to where it connects to the frame or engine block to be sure its clean and tight there. if it does fire up when you jump the two cables, then romove the small power wire on the side of the solenoid. some solenoids have two small wires. one would be ground and the other power from the ignition switch. use a volt meter or test light and check for power going to this wire when you turn the key. if there is none, then pull the plug on the back of the ignition switch and make sure all the terminals are clean and rust free. if none of the above works, then pretty much all that you have left is the safety switches. and for these you will need to do some investigating. there are several, and they can be located in various places. seat brake pedal transmission pto each switch is either normally open or normally closed depending on how the tractor is designed. you need to locate, and test each switch with an ohm meter or powered test light to determine whether or not the switch is working when depressed. most switches only have two wires, so testing them is not too hard. you can unplug each switch, then try to start the tractor, and if it wont start then put the wires together and try to start the tractor. but do one switch at a time, and if the switch you just tested does not start the tractor, put it back together if you are sure the switch is good and move on to the next one.

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donp Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Master Regional Rider Joined: October/27/2003 Status: Offline Points: 8563	Post Options Post Reply Quote donp Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: November/04/2006 at 2:45am
	few questions first. do the engines spin when you turn the keys? how old is the gas in them? are the batteries fully charged? did you find and check the fuse on each tractor? did you check for spark at the spark plug, and install a new plug/s? there are numerous things that can keep a tractor from starting. once you eliminate the obvious easy stuff, then you can move on to more technical stuff. if the engnes crank but wont start, spray some carb cleaner in the carb throat. then try to start it again. if it fires up briefly, you have a fuel problem and need to clean the fuel system from the gas cap vent on down thru the carb. if it does nothing, then you need to check for spark. if you don't have spark, you will need to either replace points and condensor if your machine has them, replace the coil if your machine has electronic ignition, or check all the safety switches on the pto, brake pedal, seat, and anything that would prevent the machine from starting if certain conditions are not met. usually tho if a safety switch is not activated, the engine will not crank. if you have spark and the engine cranks, then you need to check compression with a guage. every engine is different, so a good rule of thumb is; 2 stroke must have 120 lbs or higher. 4 stroke side valve should have 75 lbs or higher. 4 stroke ohv can have as low as 50 lbs if it has compression relief. check your engines specs to determine how much compression you need. if the engine will not crank at all, then there are numerous switches you must check. first start with a fully charged battery. make sure the fuse is good. make sure the terminals on the back of the ignition switch are clean and tight. it is common for the power supply terminal to rust. then look for and test each safety switch to ensure they are moving, and either have continuity or no continuity when they are operated. every machine uses different tupes of safety switches.