Battery/ starting issue AC170

    Howdy,

    AC 170 gas barely started today. Parked for a hour and no start. Starter wants to turn over but can not. Now and then lucky it cranks enough to start. Battery has 12-13 volts but only 4 volts at starter when cranking. So where do I start?

Thanks Kurzy

and JOE is right about the cables... I know this is probably not your problem, but MOST starting problems are due to dirty cables... Dont "LOOK" at the cable and say its clean.. Run a reamer or  40 grit sandpaper over the batter terminals, cables, ground clamps.. They have to be BARE and SHINNY...Not just LOOK OK.

   HowdySteve,

  I know what you fellows are saying, my cables are clean as can be, yes shiny just like new lead inside and out. Post too.

    Howdy Steve,

  My charger showed the battery full charge. Car quest just charges battery before testing. The battery they borrowed me also was full charge but did not turn the starter enough to start. After repeated attempts to try start the tractor it did it  start twice barely. But jumping battery to starter took right off.  Will check regulator tomorrow.

Thanks Kurzy

  Howdy Steve,

  You could be right, solenoid, alternator and voltage regulator could all be junk. Battery cables are like new, put on when I restored tractor not so long ago. But tomorrow I am going to take them right off and start from scratch. Need to at lest eliminate that issue.

Thanks very much Kurzy

I just bought a loader from a man who was having the same problem. He had bought a new starter, same problem. I noticed that every time he hit start. the ground cable moved. It then started smoking where it attached to the frame. In this case the radiator frame.

I always run my grounds to one of the starter bolts.

 Undersize cable will get hot and self distruct under the covering or inside the terminal attachment on cables.

 Check every stud the cables are attached to to see if they have been heated or rusted or corroded.

  Yup, jumper cables can help find electrical issue, attach red jumper to batter + post and take other end of jumper and go down the line attaching other end to each connection till your at the Starter.  Have some body push the start button for each spot you start hooking up at... and if foot safety switch is in line yet, hold that down too... check for juice to starter solenoid to activate too...

  Easy check for alternator charging, if there is magnetism at rear of alternator center... Or put a small jumper from F post on alternator to Bat terminal on alternator and see if it makes the headlights shine bright... or the ammeter show charge.  Ammeters can be burnt out inside and not let charge through. 

yes, but ONLY providing the 'regulator' in built into the alternator and is a 'one wire' unit.

But you said 'wires' and that implies you've got a '3 wire' alternator ( 10SI,CS130, etc.) so no....

Not to sure why you want to do that though. Normal test is measure the battery now, write down the number(say it's 12.5), now start run tractor at mid throttle, measure the battery, write down the number(say it's 14.3). Since 14.3 is bigger than 12.5, alternator IS working. Now whether it's working 100%,you'd have to read the AMPS going from it into the battery.

PS, be sure the fan belt is tight ! MY FL alternator slowly unfixes itself...so just-a-bit-loose belt doesn't allow alternator to put FULL charge into battery. Takes about 1/2 year...one day I gotta fix it right as it's a royal PITA to retighten....one day, maybe,...

And  when everything is off, there should be no draw between BAt post on alt. and bat wire.  If there is, diodes are possibly bad.

 and like Doc said, check the ammeter because they can go bad... but since you have voltage at alternator bat wire, it should be alright. The ammeter needle does move when turning lights on ...correct?

   Howdy All,

   To let you all know where I am on this starting issue on My Ac 170 gas. I restored this tractor 3 - 4 years ago. When done everything working and up to snuff.

   After much checking found loose connections on almost everything on dash. Push in connectors to threaded studs with small nuts. I hardly use this tractor so how in the world can that happen!

  Ok heres the good part, Took that new at the time ground cable right off. I remember I had to drill the ring connector out to 1/2 inch for the mounting stud. When I took that end off the ring was broke in half. Due to drilling out left little material around ring. Plus a little too much paint behind connection. Looking at the battery end of this cable didnt look right. Pot holes so to speak in the lead end. I cut this end into pieces, looked like a big empty hole around the wires coming in! How can that make a good connection?? So that cable when back to carquest and got a heavier one with a larger ring on other end. Back together and starts right up, still working on charging. I can start this tractor and start this tractor, leave the lights on high, still get 12 volts and no more. Lights are bright, no trouble turning over and for right now I am a happy camper! Will keep eye on volts as use this tractor. Might just be charging at 12 volts but it works!

Thanks all Kurzy