for John T and others. 2510 won't start

docgrt

Member
I have a 2510 gas that I have to jump
across solenoid to start. How do I
tell if the solenoid is bad or it is
my starter switch? Thanks, George
 
When it comes to New Generation (I heard a nasty rumor Deere started making engines with MORE then Two Cylinders) I defer to Tx Jim. That being said and NOT familiar with your tractor, I still have some thoughts FWIW nothing.

Typically (again no idea on your tractor so don't anyone have a calf) when you turn a start switch to the START position, it sends 12 volts down to the small S activation terminal on a start solenoid. If you put a test lamp on the solenoids small activation post and hold the dash switch to START, see if 12 volts appears on the solenoid????????????

A) If so, but the solenoid don't click in, the solenoid could be bad or the other terminal (or frame ground???) isnt getting a current return path.

B) If theres NO voltage to solenoid with switch in START position, switch is bad orrrrrrrrrrr a wires open from switch to solenoid orrrrrrrrrrrr as Jim says, maybe a safety interlock like a Neutral Switch isn't making contact to close the Switch to Solenoid circuit?????????????

If you use a small jumper wire and touch 12 volts (such as from big cable up to battery) to the Solenoids small activation post, does it engage and start?????????????? If so, the Solenoid is okay but its just not getting 12 volts down from the start switch to and through any interlocks or neutral safety switch etc.

Best I have to offer not knowing the tractor or its starter or solenoid

John T
 
Well if your jumping big post to big post on the solenoid your start is good but either as Jim says a safety switch if bad or the solenoid is bad. If your jumping form the battery post to the small wire that should come from the ignition switch then a bad safety is more likely
 
Thanks for the replies. Test light is bright on battery post but dim on activation post. Can I assume that I'm not getting enough voltage to solenoid so therefore the switch is bad?
 
Pull the small wire off the solenoid and use a volt meter and make sure your getting the same voltage there as you have at the battery. You cna also try running a hot wire from the ignition side of the battery to the small post and see if it will turn the engine over. If it will turn it over with the hot wire then the problem is from the solenoid back to the ignition
 
(quoted from post at 13:44:30 07/18/16) Thanks for the replies. Test light is bright on battery post but dim on activation post. Can I assume that I'm not getting enough voltage to solenoid so therefore the switch is bad?

Yes sounds as if activation wire has bad connection. JD introduced a starter relay kit similar to one in photo below to alleviate starting problems. The relay by itself is RE164448 Starter Relay ADD 25.37 USD

38129.jpg
 
Thanks for the update

QUESTION

"Test light is bright on battery post but dim on activation post. Can I assume that I'm not getting enough voltage to solenoid so therefore the switch is bad?"

ANSWER

YES you can assume your not getting enough voltage to the solenoid !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO you cant be absolutely sure its due to the switch, as it may be a resistive neutral safety switch or a connection problem

The voltage sent down to the solenoids activation terminal when the start switch is in the START position should be near battery voltage (light as bright) so if its not, the switch has a bad resistive contact orrrrrrrrrrrrr theres a wiring problem from switch to solenoid orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr theres a resistive connection in the Neutral Switch.

If you measure the voltage off the switches START terminal (when in start position) and its near the same as battery voltage THE SWITCH MUST BE OKAY AND NOTTTTTTTTTTT DROPPING VOLTAGE. If the voltage AFTER going through any Neutral safety switch is still good, the safety switch is okay, but if NOTTTTTTTTTT then the safety switch is resistive and dropping voltage across its contacts.

IF THE VOLTAGE ON THE SOLENOID ACTIVATION TERMINAL IS LOW WHEN SWITCH IS IN START POSITION AND DRAWING CURRENT, YOURE DROPPING IT SOMEWHERE, but it may be the switch or a safety switch or a connection???????????????

You must be dropping voltage across a resistive connection, but from here I cant say if its in the switch or a safety switch I cant say from here.

As I already posted, if when you jump the solenoids activation terminal to good hot full battery voltage (like on big battery cable post) and she starts fine, then solenoid and starter is okay.

Sounds like you have a bad resistive voltage dropping connection in switch or safety switch or the wiring or a connection in that circuit from switch to solenoid.

John T
 
I've been chasing much this same problem in a 3020 Gas for over a year!

Sometimes when I press the starter button the dash lights drop significantly in intensity but it does not crank. That hinted to me it was something between the main switch & the battery or the main switch. I inspected the harness & plugs. Nothing was found ailing but the dash lights still drop to about half brightness & the solenoid makes small noise but it does not actually pull in and crank. A screwdriver from post to post across the solenoid makes the solenoid pull in & start cranking right away every time! Everybody says look at the park sensor switch. It tests fine but I jumpered 'round it anyway & still the same thing. When I would open the kick panel to investigate. sure enough it would crank soon as I poked the button. Figuring the only thing disturbed was that big plug behind the kick panel, I opened, inspected, cleaned & put the big plug back, took the jumper off the park switch & it worked well. For a while.

A few weeks back when it was being a pain, instead of opening the kick panel, I took the cowling off from over the dashboard exposing the push button starter switch from above. This time I didn't move ANYTHING. I took the coil wire out of the distributor so it wouldn't start on me. I thought it was my lucky day because it was being relentless refusing to crank!

I connected a test lead to the battery & fabricated a long probe on the other end I reached down to the starter button switch with the key off. If I put my probe on one post it cranked without pressing the button. It did nothing when I put the probe on the other post until I poked the button. That's exactly what it should do! It also verified the problem is NOT the push button, the solenoid, or the park switch. It still refused to crank with the switch on. I ran out of time, used a screwdriver & away we went.


Just this past Saturday it was cranky enough I was able to remove the kick panel exposing everything & it still failed! By checking voltages with the button depressed I've found it's some place between the circuit breakers above the starter (which always show battery voltage no matter what) and the key switch. Voltage on the battery IN lead at the main switch falls from 12 to about 6.2 when I poke that starter button. From what I saw Saturday I has to be one of the two main wiring harness plugs or a splice INSIDE the wiring harness (if there is one) is going south. A splice or a nick in the insulation allowing corrosion seems quite unlikely because those issues rarely come and go! Once they're bad enough to be a problem today they, only get worse as opposed to being fine for a few weeks then coming back to haunt you when it's really cold & the lane is drifted shut!

I've had the hood off to work on the plug on the engine side of the fire wall 4 times. Same with the plug at the kick panel. They both look good. Tight. No burns, no green or black, no melted plastic. I cut a thin piece of sheet metal so it would slide in & release the connectors from the plastic housing ports. I cleaned 'em & made sure they had enough spring left in them to still hit each other. Even re-soldered some connectors to their wires. Still would not crank.

My next step is to remove the battery cable from the battery side of the solenoid to kill the starter function but NOT the solenoid function. Then I can put a test lead on the ignition switch's battery feed wire. Since I know it's between the battery and the ignition switch I'll try to back probe those two big plugs looking for the change in voltage when I push the button.

Will let ya know what I find.

Never having such problems with the '44 hand crank A is appreciable but the 3020 sure is a peach once he's running!

Later.
 
Timely post, I am chasing the same issue on friends 3020. So far I have replaced the ignition switch and improved grounding of solenoid and bracket. But, it is still an intermittent problem. It never happens when I have the volt meter near by. Next time I get that tractor in my shop I will be looking deeper. Paul
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top