Starting Issue

About three out of four times I start the IH 826 D, turn key touch starter button and vroom, starts right up. About one in four, key on, dash lights red and/or flashing, push starter button and no sound; maybe hit starter button 8 or 9 times and it starts. Bad solenoid maybe? bad connections somewhere. May be a related problem: The fuel shut-off valve seeps a bit. It is near the solenoid. I tightened the nut as tight as I thought I should, valve still wet, not a major leak, but always damp. I've looked for a new fuel shut-off valve and can't find one. No IH dealers in s.w. Pa. (posted these issues on the IH board, thought more ideas might happen here). Thanks in advance for any ideas.

When it's dead,what happens if you wiggle the shift?

The starting issue, can be several things. Like rrlund says, could be the neutral switch, high resistance, loose connections, loose in the transmission.

Before doing any tests, be sure transmission is in neutral!!! The engine could crank at any time during a test!

It could be the starter brushes. The solenoid windings ground through the starter brushes. If they are worn or greasy, the solenoid will not pull in. Connect a test light from the starter lug to ground. Try the starter until it fails. If the light is glowing, the brushes are not making connection.

Could be the solenoid. If the above test passes, connect the test light to the "s" terminal on the solenoid, try the starter. If the light glows bright, the solenoid is probably weak. Carefully try jumping from the battery terminal to the "s" terminal with a screwdriver. If the solenoid doesn't pull in, only sparks, and you know the battery is hot, it's the solenoid.

If jumping the solenoid with a screwdriver makes it pull in, the problem is likely voltage drop from the ignition switch. This could also involve the neutral switch. If the neutral switch checks out, a simple fix is to add a starter relay. A Ford type fender mount starter solenoid is mounted near the starter. The wire to the "s" terminal is used to energize the Ford solenoid, it in turn supplies power to the "s" terminal, eliminating the excessive voltage drop.

Could be as simple as the starter button is going bad or a poor connection from it to the solenoid. No sound say either one of those. If you heard the solenoid click then could be the solenoid but no click means it is not being told to kick in

Check your clutch safety switch. They can get sticky. Don't think this one has a NEUTRAL safety switch

Most likely neutral start switch but can easily be push button as well. When I run into that (and it is very common), I will hold the push button down, and push and release clutch several times. If no response that way, I do the opposite and hold the clutch down and maneuver the push button around and around with thumb to see if that is the culprit. If that does not pin it to one or the other, I get out my test light or volt meter and check to see how far I have power in that starting circuit.

Never though of the shifters as I always park it in Park. I'll release the park lever and jiggle the Low-High-Neutral lever. Good thinking.

My first guess would be neutral start or clutch switch, but you need to troubleshoot and not guess.

(quoted from post at 21:25:52 07/05/15) Never though of the shifters as I always park it in Park. I'll release the park lever and jiggle the Low-High-Neutral lever. Good thinking.

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You can jiggle all you want but it won't make any difference. The only safety switch is operated by the clutch pedal.