# Tractor will not crank



## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

Hello,

I am new to this forum and this lifestyle. I recently purchased a 1996 New Holland 6635 tractor and until 3 days ago things were going great. Now the tractor will not start, not even turn over.

The situation:
When the starter is engaged, there is one "clunk", the engine does not crank. Safety devices are engaged.

What I checked:

Inspected and cleaned both battery terminals, same results.

Cleaned the ground connection to the frame.

I checked the battery voltage before and while the starter was engaged, 12.3 volts prior and a drop to 8 volts when the starter was engaged, so I replaced the battery with a new one. Still no crank, just one clunk.

Checked the cable from the positive terminal to the starter, 0 ohms. Did a voltage drop check of the same cable during starter engagement, over 1 volt drop. This led me to believe the cable was defective, so I removed the old one and used a heavy duty jumper cable as a replacement to rule in or out that theory. Same results, one clunk and no cranking of the engine.

All of this leads me to thinking the starter or solenoid is bad. However, the previous owner said both were replaced about a year ago. 

I would appreciate any advice before I pull the starter, its location and the current weather here in SD make that not so appealing if not a high probability of it being the cause.

Retired pilot trying farming appreciates any help.

Dave:usa:


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

It sounds like you've covered many of the electrical "bases" here with no appreciable results. Since you are the one hearing/feeling the "clunk," one can only guess from out here just what might be going on. Perhaps you could employ a helper to operate the starter while you observe from ground level what's actually happening under the hood. Does the engine make ANY attempt to turn when the starter is engaged or does it seem totally locked up? Can you turn the engine by hand at all in either direction? Sometimes this can be done by pushing on the fan belt and pulling on the fan blade. Doesn't need to turn very far. Just enough to prove the crankshaft is able to rotate. If it turns at all then you probably have a starter problem. If it's totally solid then you have other problems.


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

I had my wife hit the starter while I was standing on the starter side, just the same clunk sound with no other sound or movement that I could observe.


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## Fedup (Feb 25, 2014)

I think at this point I would attempt to rotate the engine BACKWARDS manually by whatever means necessary. just to make sure it WILL turn. Going backwards might free up any possible interference between a mangled starter drive and ring gear teeth. If it can be turned(in both directions), then I'd be looking next at the starter.


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

So in order to attempt manually rotating the engine do I simply but in neutral and rotate the fan?


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Put the trans in neutral, set the brakes, push in on the belt with one hand and turn the fan blade with the other. Reverse rotation is CCW as you are looking at the front of the engine.


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

Update:
I did as suggested above, I am able to rotate the fan in both directions.

Since I was able to rotate the fan I decided to jump the solenoid and the starter motor spooled up but did not crank the engine.

What would be the next step?

Dave


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Dave,
If you jumped the starter between the large posts it will only "spool up". The solenoid will not engage the drive gear if the solenoid is not energized.

If you jump the solenoid from the battery terminal post to the small post, it should engage the solenoid and the starter should turn the flywheel. Be VERY careful doing this. If the engine starts and the transmission is in gear you could be seriously injured or killed. Jumping the starter this way bypasses pretty much EVERY safety feature built into your tractor.

If you jump from the battery terminal post on the solenoid to the small post where the wire comes from the key switch and still get just a "clunk" I would say the solenoid is bad. The internal disc in the solenoid or the internal posts may have a burnt spot on them and not making contact the way they should.

HTH,
Mark


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Sounds more like a hydro locked cylinder,to me.
Could be the injector leaked,and filled a cylinder!
If the starter won't turn it, I'd be pulling the injectors,and see if it rolls over,then.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

dhoten said:


> Update:
> I did as suggested above, I am able to rotate the fan in both directions.
> 
> Since I was able to rotate the fan I decided to jump the solenoid and the starter motor spooled up but did not crank the engine.
> ...


Not sure if you understand, but when you do as sixbales mentioned, and put pressure on the fan belt to make it somewhat tighter and rotate the fan..... you should see if the crankshaft will turn or not. If the engine will turn over like this, then that eliminates the possibility that the engine itself is locked up. To be safe make sure the key is off, and perhaps disconnect the battery before you try this.


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

> Not sure if you understand, but when you do as sixbales mentioned, and put pressure on the fan belt to make it somewhat tighter and rotate the fan..... you should see if the crankshaft will turn or not. If the engine will turn over like this, then that eliminates the possibility that the engine itself is locked up. To be safe make sure the key is off, and perhaps disconnect the battery before you try this./QUOTE]
> 
> pogobill,
> Yes I was able to keep tension on the fan belt and rotate the shaft.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

OK, Great. Sounds like your problems may revolve around your starter, or even the key switch? When you tried to jump the starter, did you cross the two terminals , the battery post and the keyswitch terminal as TraderMark suggested? if so, I would think it was the solenoid as well. How easy is it to pull the key switch out of the back of the dash to check the wires, or even jump across the posts to see if you get lucky?


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

Yes that is what I'm thinking as well. Going to test the key circuit to rule that out, then it looks like I'm pulling the starter. I appreciate all the input.

Dave


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Good luck and keep us posted!


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

pogobill said:


> Good luck and keep us posted!


Well I connected a cable to the positive terminal of the solenoid and then to the small terminal that runs up to the ignition, one clunk, same as using the key. Sounds like the solenoid to me.


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## dhoten (Mar 28, 2017)

*Bad Ground*

Update:

So after a three hour round trip to pick up a starter, it turns out that wasn't the problem. I removed the old starter and put in a brand new one, still just a "clunk" sound.

Some additional information I should have shared at the start:
This problem all started while working on two sheered bolts that connects the loader frame to the tractor. With a bucket full of dirt while working in the garden, two bolts sheered so we removed the loader and was working to get the bolts drilled out. During this process we disconnected the cross bar underneath the tractor in order to raise one side of the loader frame to gain access to the troublesome bolts. For whatever reason, a previous owner connected the battery ground wire to a portion of the loader frame and when we disconnected the crossbar underneath the tractor, the ground circuit was interrupted. 

After a trip to a parts store for a replacement cable long enough to reach the engine block, started right up! Then I took the new starter off and reinstalled the old one, one more trip to Rapid to return it.

I= V/R

A costly (time and money) for a simple poor ground connection. Thank you all for the great advice!


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Thanks for posting again and letting us know what you found. All too often we never hear what the solution turned out to be.

Mark


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