JD 4400 don't turn over

Cory Schmidt

Well-known Member
Let me start with its a 6 cyl. diesel engine. Went to get it out for the year, no go. Charger on, then turned it by hand with a pry bar a few times started right up. Got it out of shed and shut it off now don't do anything.

When you turn the key, fuel pump clicks (Like its suppose to) and all the rest of the electronics work(lights..) When you go to start everything else seems to die. Hooked the jumper cables up, hit switch or jump the solenoid(thinking switch was bad), darn near stalls the truck its that much of a draw. Yet the engine don't turn over. If the engine does turn it goes maybe a couple inches around(maybe less then 1/16 rev). Got a pry bar on one of the pulleys and the engine turns just fine, 3 or 4 full revolutions(when we stop turning).

We did pull the starter out,hook up the jumper cables right to it, jumped it, and it spun right over. Even took it to a shop, they said it was fine too. Now this is where we are lost: all connections look good, have power(not sure if enough) where needed, and starter turns great by self but not in the machine. Where would it "lock up" or draw that much?
 
My Deere's - a 4420 and a 6620 always need some attention regarding the battery terminals and posts. Seems like if a connection at a terminal is weak it will not charge right and it will not crank right. 4420 wouldn't start two weeks ago. Put the charger on and it says it is charging. Charged over night. Still not enough rpm's to get it going. Took the time to clean all terminals and posts and it started right up. Not the first time for that situation. 6620 wouldn't start after cleaning the connections and charging the batteries. Noticed once battery was extremely hot when charging and it also had a "bulge" in the case. Internal plates must have broken. Recommended to replace both batteries with new at the same time. New batteries and it starts like new. I think your problem is related to what has also plagued me - terminal maintenance and a possible weak battery (one or both). Another thing to remember is that if the battery terminal has a bad connection and you put the charger on the terminal it isn't going to charge - one battery might get charged. Good luck.
 
neighbors 9500 one morning decided it wouldn't going to run that day, it sit all day while they tried to get it started,after trying several attempts to jump start it they put in new batteries, starter repaired nothing would speed up the starter until they went and got a part time mechanic he started working on the grd connections and it fired right up
 
It still could be your starter. Tests fine but won't work under a load. Check all your connections first even the starter. I had an alternator that would test fine @ deere but wouldn't charge when on the machine.
 
*Update* When I was typing that (last night) my pa and brother pulled off the solenoid it was badly pitted. Replaced that now it turns over just fine, no heavy draw, as long as you jump it (don't work with key). Batteries do hold charge, connections are good. Now, what would be the next thing to check over?, we are thinking either the relay or a safety switch someplace.
 
When you tried to crank it with the jumper cables,did the starter get hot,as in too hot to touch?If so,it is bad.If not,measure the voltage at battery and then at main starter terminals while trying to crank it over.If the voltage is high at the battery but low at the starter(below 8v or lower),you have bad cables or bad connections from battery to starter. If it is trying to crank and the voltage drops at both battery and starter then starter is bad.It ought to be about 11v at battery and starter when trying to crank in warm weather. If it has 2 batteries don't forget to check the jumper between the 2 batteries.From your description I'm betting bad starter.Mark
 
Check the neutral safety switch. It is a small two knob switch on the side of the transmission. The plug slides on the switch side ways. Unhook it and jump it with a clip on jumper wire. The switch just screws into the side of the transmission and the shifter rails pass it by.
 
I am betting it is a bad battery. If you live in a cold climate the batteries can freeze and develop an internal short. A shorted battery will pull all of the power from the circuit and cause a dead battery symptom. Even if you have a charger hooked to the system the bad battery will cause a loss of cranking power. I had this happen on a JD 4400 combine I once owned and I solved the problem by replacing both batteries.
You can test this by replacing each battery {disconnecting one battery at a time and replace with a good battery] or replace both batteries at the same time. Happy farming!
 
I should of said it starts(not just turns over) when jumping the solenoid, no need for jumper cables now, but the key does not engage starter, yet. May have to crawl under it and jump the safety on the transmission.
 
I had trouble like that to. I jumped the neutral safety switch and it worked, but one day while I was starting it a small ground wire from the cab to the engine block lit up like a christmas tree. I went at the battery cables, cleaning everything and replacing anything that looked slightly bad, and now it starts much better.
 
Didn't do anything else to it since my last post. Now it starts fine with the key. Till next time, maybe.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone
 

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