No Start after a good hose/wash JD A 1948

teeteeplz

New User
Hi I'm hoping someone can steer me in the right direction here. I fired up my John Deere Model AW (I think its 1948) rolled over strong from battery power, no issues, and drove it from the barn to home for a quick wash.

After some light detailing and a good hose down, I cracked my fuel back open, opened the pitcocks underneath, choke open, and hit the starter.
I heard a pop or attempt at the starter gear and then nothing.

Grabbed the leaf blower and made sure everything was dry as possible.

Removed Seat to check battery connection, tried to start again and would get small sparks at the positive terminal.

Removed and sanded battery connectors and battery posts. Same result, small sparking on attempt to start and no rolling over. Added a boost box dedicated jumper, no change.

Ended up pull starting the tractor with a truck and it started very easily, ran like a top.

What could I have blown? Is there a fuse anywhere? any additional connections I should examine?

Thank you in advance for your help, Grandson here trying to learn the ropes with this recent gift (the tractor)
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23765.jpg
 
Could be one of number of connection problems. Check where the ground cable bolts to the tractor. Also check the battery cable at the starter. Also check the start it self it may need its ground cleaned up
 
"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">Is there a fuse anywhere?[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

If the tractor's electrical system has not been "[i:654c4848f0]altered[/i:654c4848f0]", then NO.

If you decide to look for a fuse, then you might check for an additional wire between the ammeter and battery terminal.

"[b:654c4848f0][i:654c4848f0]<font color="#6699ff">any additional connections I should examine?[/i:654c4848f0][/b:654c4848f0]</font>"

Agree with "[b:654c4848f0]old[/b:654c4848f0]" on checking both battery cables; especially the positive GROUND cable.

Hope this helps.
 
Okay excellent, I didn't know the starter would have its own ground. I will check/clean connections tomorrow and see what happens. Thank you
 
Starter grounds where it is bolted on and some times rust can cause a problem and water increases the likelihood of rust and poor grounding
 
If it sparks at a battery terminal connection when you engage the starter, there's a poor connection there, simple as that.

There is NO other reason there would be sparking at a battery terminal when cranking is attempted.

In addition to the connection between the battery cable end and the battery terminal post, it's POSSIBLE the cable end itself is not 100% connected to the actual copper cable.

Some cables are soldered to a brass end, some are made with the lead end poured hot around the cable (and can get funky over time), or (heaven forbid) you have one of the worthless "repair ends" pictured below.

<img src = "https://www.delcity.net/images/photos/450px/908885_primary_450px.jpg?v=20180201154303">
 
My first suspect is where you saw those sparks when trying to start, remove clean n wire brush and re attach.

Next to be safe I would remove, clean n wire brush shiny and re attach EACH AND EVERY battery cable and battery post and ground connection. If those up top don't help next is on the starter itself where the big cable attaches to the starter switch.

If the ground is to the seat box it improves things if you use a new good ground cable direct down on the starter itself or close thereto or even if at near the battery to a bolt in the frame (NOT the sheet metal seat/battery box) as those seat grounds can go bad.

Even new cables can go bad underneath at the termination where you cant see the problem.

I have seen loose resistive carboned ground connections where the starter bolts in, those may need removed n cleaned and re bolt the starter for a good ground.

If NONE of the above helps post back for more tips

John T
 
Had a 47 A that "sat out" all the time. One day after a rain it would not start. The "box" where the starter lives had a solid cover on the bottom and had filled up with water. The starter resented that.
If the lid under you starter does not have drain holes in it, put in several. Then put a small cotter pin in each and spread the legs down and spread just enough to keep it in. The jiggling of the pins keeps
the holes open.
 
I had no idea what repair ends were or that they stunk, i'll have to swap them out someday.

Following the suggestions of cleaning all wires and connections from the battery, battery ground, positive cables to starter and starter mounting bolts(starter grounds) did the trick. She rolled and fired stronger than ever.

I've always enjoyed my time spent with these machines, ever since I was small. Now I get to learn more about how to keep them going

Thanks for the tips on the starter cover underneath the tractor, I pulled it off and checked things out under there during repairs today, should be easy to make that drain better.

It was pretty caked with grease/oil on the back of that cover, but the starter seemed clean, thankfully I didnt have to pull it.

Thank you very much everyone for your help,I really appreciate it.
 
Here's a short celebratory vid of the A running-
[video play=false:32545499fc]http://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/videos/mvvideo23828.mp4[/video:32545499fc]
 
If you've got those "repair" ends, and had already clean the battery posts, it seems very likely the problem was loss of contact between the cable and "repair" end.
 

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