Ford 4500 Starter Issue

Posted by x-angel on July 14, 2013 at 07:16:51 from (75.1.80.166):

(I have been trying to post pictures for this post, which I think will help, but since this is my first post, it won't let me. I will post pictures when I am allowed to)

First post here, and I hope that this is in the right place.

I borrowed a Ford 4500 backhoe from the father of a friend of my wife. The owner had obviously not performed regular maintenance, and I am unsure of the year model of this tractor.

I was able to drive it from his place to mine with very little problem. (About 4 miles)

When I got it here to my home, and commenced work, I noticed that the starter was acting very weak. I really didn’t think anything of it because I just needed it for a short time to do some scraping, and then use the actual backhoe. Well – as soon as I started to use the backhoe part, one of the hydraulic lines busted.

So I pushed forwarded, and finished up some scraping work that I needed to do. I shut down the tractor, came out the next day, and the starter sounded like crap.. refusing to engage etc.

Long story short: The owner paid for a new starter after the company that I took it to rebuild it condemned it within an hour of looking at it.

So – I install the new starter, but the key refused to engage. I could jump it, and it would try to start (there are also fuel line/pump issues here, but I will save that for another post) – but it would not try to turn with the key ignition.

I removed the starter (this is key, I think), and broke out the voltmeter. The two main posts on the starter were receiving 12 volts. I checked the posts on the key ignition, 12 volts on the first two posts (with the double spades – see picture), but nothing on the third terminal. Turn the key, nothing. So I took the wire off the 3rd post that was not receiving any voltage, and touched to a known hot post, and the starter engaged.

So I immediately condemn the ignition switch. I reattach the starter to the engine back onto the block. Test Starter Post 1 and 2, getting 12 volts. Go back to the ignition switch, and try to “hot jump” the starter from the ignition switch (which had just worked), and got nothing. I test Switch Post 1 and Switch Post 2 – which were just getting 12 volts, and they were dead. At this point I was asking: What the heck?

So I drop the starter AGAIN – break out the voltmeter, and the starter posts were AGAIN getting 12 volts, BUT back at the ignition switch, Switch Post 1 and 2 were AGAIN getting 12 volts, with the starter OFF the engine block.

So here is what I am facing:

STARTER OFF THE BLOCK: All the posts except the starter solenoid spade get the 12 volts, key switch not engaging, but able to “hot jump” the starter at the ignition key switch.

STARTER ON THE BLOCK: The Starter Posts getting 12 volts, but the ignition switch is dead, and I cannot hot jump the starter at the ignition switch.

So what is this? A Ground issue? A wiring issue? It just doesn’t make sense to me that it would be able to engage while OFF the engine block, but put it on the engine block, it’s as dead as Julius Caesar.

So I know this is a lot for a first post, but I am at my wits end. I just needed this tractor for a couple days, and now I am performing maintenance that should been performed by the owner.

Any help GREATLY appreciated!

Replies:

• Re: Ford 4500 Starter Issue JMOR 07:42:08 07/14/13 (0)

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