# John Deere l130 will not start



## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

I have a John Deere L130 that is having trouble starting. I have new sparkplugs , full tank of gas and battery is charged up. I go to start it up and all I hear is a clicking noise with no effort for the engine to turn over. I checked all the safety switches and all are working. Please share your thoughts as winter is here and I use it to plow ,y driveway.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Welcome to the forum !
It sounds as if the starter isn't getting full voltage.
Check to make sure the battery is good,and is fully charged. Then,if it still just clicks,check the battery cables,both neg.,and pos. ,for being clean,and tight.
A quick test is to run a jumper cable from the battery +,directly to the stud on the starter. If it rolls/starts,it's a cable or the solenoid.If it doesn't ,it's probably the battery.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

i forgot to mention in the original post. I did take the starter off and "jumped" it with jumper cables and it worked. I have another battery on charge right now that I will give a shot tomorrow during the day . I will let you know what happens. I appreciate the help also


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

I just took the starter off the machine and using jumper cables with a freshly charged battery I was able to get the starter to "jump" .. what I did notice was that the fly wheel was not moving .. should it move free on its own?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

If you can't turn the flywheel by hand,there's a problem in the engine .
Remove the spark plugs,and try to turn it by hand. If it still won't turn,the engine is probably seized,and will need to be checked further.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

what would you recommend to do to safely unseize the engine


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Did any oil/liquids come out,when you removed the spark plugs? If not,and the cylinders are dry,try this:
Spray some PB Blaster,or Marvel Mystery oil into the cylinders.Let it set for 10/20 minutes. Use a socket on the flywheel nut,and try to see if it turns forward or back.
If it breaks loose,spray it ,again,and turn it over 4-5 times.install the spark plugs and try to start it.
Check the oil in the engine,and change it if needed.
If it doesn't break loose,or only turns a little ,it could have something broken,inside the engine,and will have to be removed fro the tractor ,and torn down.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

When I did originally take the spark plugs out there was no oil coming out I will give what you recommended a shot during the week and let you know what happens


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

Hi JH sorry for the delay in getting back to you. has been a busy week and weekend. I finaly got to attack the machine. I did spray into the into the cylinders and let it sit. I also took the fuel lines off and flushed them thinking they might have been frozen with gas. I did have gas flush out of the carb after 3 seconds of putting air into the line to the carb. Now I am able to get some movement out of the fly wheel yet it still just does the clicking. I also did a jumper line from the positive terminal on the battery to the prong on the starter were the purple wire plugs into and got some jumping out of the starter .


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

It sounds like you didn't get the engine freed up. If so, there is no use trying to start with starter until it turns over freely all the way around. Still if you get it freed up, a starter can turn over fine when bench tested but still be too weak to turn over an engine.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

then skunk what do you recommend


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Remove the spark plug(s).
If you can turn the flywheel ALL the way around(2 turns),by hand,the engine is freed up.
Then,WITH THE STARTER INSTALLED ON THE ENGINE,Connect a battery jumper cable to the + post of the tractor's battery,and touch the other end to the cable stud,on the starter (not the solenoid). If it rolls over,then you have a bad solenoid. If it doesn't roll over,it's probably the starter.
NOTE: A battery can show good voltage,and still not be good! So make sure it is a good battery,or jump it from a KNOWN good battery !


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

patrick100909 said:


> then skunk what do you recommend


I get the impression you think I am trying to stick my finger in your eye. That is far from reality. It is important to keep on track and not go off on a tangent trying to fix something that may not be broken when it is obvious you have an issue with the engine. You could go out and spend lost of money on a replacement the starter, change the battery, solenoid, and cables but it still would not crank if the engine is stuck. 

If the engine is still stuck you have to free it up. It should turn easily full circle with the spark plug removed. You just have to put first things first. If the engine turns easy then locks up something is broken and the engine will have to be opened up to see what is blocking rotation. Once you get that sorted out then you can determine if the starter is any good.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

ok got good news and bad news.. good news is....I got the fly wheel unseized . funny thing is it only turns freely when the spark plugs are out. IS that normal? Bad news is with the sparkplugs and everything reconnected.. still will not start. I even took a jumper wire and put it on the positive terminal and then put it to the stud on the starter and it did jump. My guess is the solenoid? would I be correct


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Before you condemn the solenoid be sure all the leads are clean and tight, then try taking a jumper wire from the positive pole of the battery and touch the small "signal" terminal on the solenoid. If the engine doesn't cranks over then the solenoid is bad. If however the engine does crank over there is an issues keeping power from getting to the small solenoid. That could be any of the safety switches, ignition switch, associated wiring or the main fuse.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

What do you mean "it only turns freely when the plugs are out" ?
Does it not roll over,or just turns part way? 
Is it an OHV,or flat-head engine ?
The reason I ask,is that flat-head engines generally use a plug with short threads,and the OHV uses the longer thread plug.
Putting a long-thread plug in a flat-head,can cause it to not turn over.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

it is a OHV... as far as the spark plugs I matched them up to the previous ones from before I have issues so they are the same plugs.. Yea when I take the plugs out the wheel moves by hand great. Once I put the plugs back in, it is almost like the fly wheel is seized up again.. there is little to no movement. Yet it still wont start up ugghh getting frushtrating


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

??? I thought you said it would turn over when you jumped over the solenoid to the starter. Are you saying that it is impossible to turn the engine over a full revolution? It should be stiff on the compression strokes but still able to run.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

have been a bit busy but just a thought could the ignition switch be bad... if possible how to I test it


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

My question is this:
Does it roll over with the plugs in,but not start,or does it not roll over at all,with the plugs in?
If it rolls over,but doesn't start,check for spark from the coils(s).
If it doesn't roll over,or just turns a bit,and stops,check the valves,and camshaft for damage,or out of time,or a broken compression release(if equipped).


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

with the plugs in and out it makes a clicking noise like it wants to turn over and start but does not. the battery is fully charged, the head lights come on. when I took the spark plugs out I am able to move the fly wheel by hand with no problem once I put the plugs back in I can move the fly wheel by hand about a quarter of a turn before it stops.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Take the spark plugs out,then remove both valve covers,and turn it over SEVERAL TIMES,by hand,and watch the rocker arms ,to see if the valves are moving.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

patrick100909 said:


> have been a bit busy but just a thought could the ignition switch be bad... if possible how to I test it


The ignition switch might be bad but it would not prevent the engine from being rotated full revolutions by hand. You need to check and see if the spark plug is the one that is supposed to be in that engine. Just because it matches the one you took out doesn't mean it's right.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Sorry, fellas I'm using the new app and haven't figured out how to pull up the latest posts.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

JH ..yes the rocker arms are moving when I turn the fly wheel.... Skunk I took the same plugs out and got matching ones..


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Can you post a picture of the plugs? 
If not,post the make and number of them.(AC,Champion etc. RN12yc,etc).


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

You say the flywheel will turn about 1/4 turn with the plug in. Is that dead stopped as if it is hitting something or is it just getting stiff as if it is making compression? Did this engine ever run for you?
If you have the Kohler engine the plugs should be Champion RC12YC or equivalent. Cross reference chart for RC12YC. http://www.sparkplug-crossreference.com/convert/CHAMP_PN/RC12YC


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

yes its a kohler engine ..I have those spark plugs in it...Yes the engine ran. In fact it ran perfect for years till this winter. Yes it is stiff like its making compression


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

You tried jumping directly from the battery to the starter, correct?


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

yes I tried to jump from battery to starter


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

And the starter could not turn the engine, correct?


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

that's correct lights come on


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Did you use just a jumper from the battery +,to the starter stud,or did you also run a jumper from the negative battery terminal to ground ?

Use a good set of jumper cables,and connect the negative clamps to the negative battery post,and a good ground on the engine.
Then clamp the red clamp to the battery + post,and touch the other end to the starter stud.


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

only did it from + to starter stud and there was a clicking


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Retest it with the jumper cables,as I posted .
It will ensure a good ground.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Well the clicking would be the solenoid switch. I am not sure what you mean by start stud but it sounds like your only energizing the signal post which tells the solenoid switch to close, sending power to the starter. 

Is there any way you could provide photos of what you have and maybe we would be better able to determine the difference in lexicon. 

It has taken me two pages of communications to realize that the flywheel isn't locked up, just taking up compression. If you hold against it it would eventually allow you to push past the stiffness because the seals on the piston are not perfect.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

If it has the solenoid mounted on the starter,as my Kohler does,the jumper wire from battery + post should go to the large stud that the battery cable attaches to.then when the key is turned the starter should turn the engine.
Basically you're running a second battery positive cable.
If it still only clicks,it probably has a bad starter solenoid.
According to the John Deere listing,it has the CV23s Command engine,which has a SEPARATE solenoid,so the jumper cable should connect to the starter lug,or stud,that the battery cable connects to,as with most others,such as Briggs.
Connect the black jumper cable to the negative battery post,and the other black clamp to a good engine ground.
Connect the red jumper cable clamp to the battery positive post,and touch the other end of it to the stud on the starter that the battery cable ,from the solenoid, connects to.
It should roll the engine over.
If it doesn't roll over,the starter is bad.
If it DOES roll over,it's probably either the solenoid,or a bad cable.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

I guess I am right in assuming that turning the key gives you, Patrick, the same result as jumping to the "start stud". You hear a clicking sound and nothing much more. That would indicate to me that the ignition switch is doing what it is supposed to (supplying a signal to the solenoid) and the safety interlocks are working properly (otherwise there would be no sounds).


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## patrick100909 (Feb 21, 2015)

Gentlemen I appreciate the input . I am just trying to see if my guesses are correct before I put money into the WRONG thing. I will check it either later today and get back to you or some time during the week. Have a good weekend


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