FMD ,battery is not contacting the starter.

larbear

Member
I have a FMD probably from the mid 50's. I use it quite a lot. As of late it has been sluggish in turning over. I had cleaned up the terminals and was better for a bit. After using it for a day I went to start it and it would barely turn over. On keeping the starter lever engaged the wire from the battery to the solenoid was smoking and melting the plastic coating. I've switched solenoids, maybe not the right one, and I have no charge getting to the starter. The battery is a good one. It tests at over 12 volts. There is the same voltage at the start switch with the key turned on and the same voltage, that being in excess of 12 volts to the small post of the new solenoid when the starter lever is engaged. The starter was serviced a few years ago and deemed to be in good shape. When I jump across the terminals at the solenoid the starter runs. As I jump across the solenoid terminals with the starter lever engaged the engine will turn but the wire heats up like nobody's business. My tractor has a decompression lever and jumping those terminals with the lever up the engine turns freely. Is this a case of a wrong solenoid? I had replaced the solenoid a few years ago with one off the shelf at TSC and seemed to do the job till now. We have a 61 Dexta that still has the original solenoid. Any help is appreciated, thanks.
 
[Replying to my own post. The problem was the connection on the cable coming off the battery. Though it looked good it wasn't and there was enough resistance building up to heat the cable up and melt the plastic covering. After brightening the metal end and squashing it in a vice it seems that the connection is good for now.quote="larbear"](reply to post at 04:47:37 09/01/15) [/quote]
 
It is a manual throw starter, but though the tractor is quite straight and original it has been switched to a negative ground with the generator looking very original. I have a 1961 dexta my Dad bought new which is positive ground. Changing the contact at the solenoid seems to have done the trick. Thanks for the reply.
 

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