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Massey Harris & Massey Ferguson Tractors Discussion Forum
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MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key.

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buck01

04-25-2005 05:29:28




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I have a MF35 with a deisel engine that has been pretty much ignored as far as maintenance is concerned.

I don"t think much of the original wiring is left.

The tractor would not start off and on since I got it. It just would not turn over. When it did this I would take a screw driver and short across the terminals of the selonoid to get it to start.

well even that is no longer working.

I thought the started finally just died so I replaced the starter and selonoid.

still the tractor won"t even turn over.

I have a good charge on the battery. I hooked up a test light to the larger terminal on the selonoid and have voltage there. I even tried bypassing the neutral saftey switch.


Any Suggestions on what I can try?

I really don"t want to send this tractor to the dealer again. That is to expensive.

Thanks for your help.

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buck01

04-26-2005 04:09:00




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 05:29:28  
Thanks guys for the tips.

I am not sure of the battery cable size. I can tell you that the ground cable is larger than the positive cable.

I can't seem to find my volt meter right now that's why I am using the test light. I am going to borrow my brother's meter.

I am going to take the battery and get it load tested. My brother and I had talked about this last night. He bought the battery for this tractor a couple of years ago and on the battery it says 3 year replacement warranty.

I will give these tips a try and see what happens.

Thanks again for your time and efforts.

Joel

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Gerald J.

04-25-2005 20:28:01




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 05:29:28  
What size are the battery cables? Walmart battery cables won't carry enough current to crank a diesel. You need something like 0 gauge or fatter.

Gerald J.



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Tony C.

04-25-2005 17:59:38




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 05:29:28  
Leave the test light connected to the solenoid as you"re trying to crank; be sure it stays lit, if it doesn"t you have a bad connection, cable etc causing a voltage drop. It should dim a little but not go out.



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Rod in Smiths Falls, ON,

04-25-2005 16:04:16




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 05:29:28  
The first thing you do is try a new battery.

I learned this the hard way with my dad's old Ferguson: no amount of fooling with it could make it start. Then the same battery, apparently fully charged, wouldn't kick over my Mercury 35 outboard, either. The local marina guy put a load tester on and pronounced it useless. He said a weak battery will often show a voltage in the mid 12's, run bilge pumps and lights, but won't deliver the amps for a starter motor. The only way to tell if the battery is any good is by putting it under load.

Two new batteries later and the tractor and outboard are both running fine.

April seems to be sulfation month for batteries.

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old

04-25-2005 08:18:31




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 05:29:28  
The battery cables maybe bad but still show voltage at the ends but not be enough to turn the starter. I've seen that more then once and it will bug you to death because you think you have voltage but its just not enough



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peltsi

04-25-2005 05:49:19




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 05:29:28  
i think there's a bad connection in battery terminals, bad ground cable connection or bad connection between battety + cable and starter terminal.



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buck01

04-25-2005 06:16:22




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to peltsi, 04-25-2005 05:49:19  
I know the cables are tight and clean on both ends.

I know I have current to the starter. I confirmed this with a test light.



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kjm

04-25-2005 20:30:16




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 Re: MF 35 wont crank when I turn the key. in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 06:16:22  
A test light is a good thing, but a volt meter is a lot better.



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mtnbikerman

04-25-2005 10:52:06




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 Hit the starter with a hammer while turning key in reply to buck01, 04-25-2005 06:16:22  
I had the same problem with my original starter. New one from dealer was $220 plus core
If that don't work look at your wiring to the ammeter and ignition switch



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Buck01

04-28-2005 04:20:34




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 Re: Hit the starter with a hammer while turning ke in reply to mtnbikerman, 04-25-2005 10:52:06  
I guess I had 2 problems. One was the wire to the wrong terminal on the solenoid. The other was a bad wire going from the big terminal on the solenoid to the switch.
After moving the neutral saftey switch wire to the correct terminal the tractor wouldn't start. I would put the meter on it and it would show 12 volts.
I would pickup the switch ( I had it out of the dash) and turn the key and nothing. After several attempts and checks. I found I sometimes had 12 volts other times had none. I took the wire off and found the end on the wire was loose. I guess when I would pickup the switch the wire would move just enough that it wouldn't make contact.
After I fixed the loose connection and put it back together it started. I started it about 10 times just to make sure.

Thanks everyone for your tips.

Joel

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