# Mahindra 4825 - Irritating me beyond belief



## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

Husband bought a Diesel Mahindra 4825 4 years ago (or so).
Its been fine.
I've changed oil twice (it isn't used much nowdays).
I've changed hydraulic once.
Its been in the shop for a 100 hour checkup.
Its been in the shop once for a misbehaving oil sensor.
Otherwise... starts, runs, life is good.

Until this summer.

Now most of the time it runs fine.
And about 1/3 of the time it fails to start after you run it for a while.
Its all warmed up. He shuts it off to have a spirited discussion with his wife (me).
We agree do do whatever he wants his way after he gives me a chance to voice my
opinion. lol (nice guy).
Then he tries to start it and its as if the starter is failed. 
Tries to the start but won't.
Its not a dead battery.
If I tap the starter with a hammer, it doesn't help.
It isn't silent, it is grinding to try and start but it won't.

However, if I put a tow rope on it, walk back across the field to get my truck, and drive back to tow it out of the field -- husband trying to start it several times, it will eventually start up.
Then I have to get out, get the tow rope off, move the truck and he continues on task til done.

A new starter is $1,000 bucks or so and I nearly fainted at that info today.

How do I figure out what the problem is?
A switch problem?
A starter problem?
A commutator problem (which I didn't know I had one of those)?

It was 103 today and I am just annoyed about this problem.
Any help would be appreciated.

JW


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Just wondering (pun intended) if the tractor is given a chance to run and cool down a little before being shut down?


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## bbirder (Feb 26, 2006)

JW,
Can't find much info on a 4825, but let's look at a few things. First, is there a compression release lever for starting and are you using it. This allows the engine to get up to speed before starting.It may be automatic and for that the valves need to be adjusted.
second, and I would probably check this first. Check all cables from battery to engine. This requires removal, cleaning thoroughly, and retightening. You are dealing with dc voltage and heat is an enemy. If the connection is bad it only creates more heat due to resistance. The ground wire to tractor or engine is usually the culprit. And remember the starter has to be able to spin the engine fast enough to start.
when you describe the starter grinding, do you mean turning the engine over or is it just making a noise and not turning?


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

If you can hear the starter motor spinning and the engine is not being turned over, I suspect that the bendix drive clutch is slipping and is failing, the bendix drive is the small gear on the end of the starter motor shaft, behind the gear is a round housing which is part of the bendix drive and this houses the one way clutch, this one way clutch is designed this way to prevent the armature from being overspun when the engine fires up and disintegrating the commutator, there is that word again, if this is the culprit, you should be able to buy a new replacement bendix for your starter.

The other is the solenoid is not throwing the bendix drive into the ring gear far enough, a lot of older starter motors had an offset adjustable pivot pin between the solenoid and bendix throw out fork, I haven't worked on starters now for close on 28 years so not up to speed on the later models.

You will have to remove the starter to check it out anyway and you will be able to bench test it with a vice and a piece of 2 inch square hardwood.


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

Pogobill ...
The tractor is not doing hard work.
This last time, he drove it from the house over to the field (1 /10 mile) leisurely to pull my 330 International off the trailer.
I hooked up the two beasts and he easily pulled it off the trailer.
I disconnected the chains and moved the trailer.
He repositioned and used the tractor (and my chains) to pull the 330 International to a better position under the shade tree.

Then turned off the tractor so we could discuss the next steps for the day, check to see if he needed some water, discussed the heat index coming for the day. Actually just giving me a break from snaking chains etc.

Goes to start the tractor and it won't start. Just grinds.

That's then I started my walk back over for a tow rope, get the truck I had just moved, and hook up to the tractor to tow him back to the house.

JW


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

bbirder :
compression release lever... I don't know. I will have to ask him.
I know he tries several things shifting knobs/levers, etc. when it starts acting up.
Making sure the brakes are on... things like that. 

Battery cables and gound wire... good observation and I didn't check either. We haven't had rain in over 2 months now; however, the humidity has been running 85% in the mornings so I should go check wiring/corrosion as well as disconnect and reconnect plugs/switches.

JW


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

FredM:
I'll have to read about how to bench test the starter.
It would surprise me if the bendix is hosed since we have so few hours on the tractor.

We actually had a couple of guys helping us about 5 years ago and they killed the New Holland tractor we had with a hydraulic fire. So we made the choice to buy a new tractor since his health was so bad and he wouldn't be able to work on vehicles much anymore.

Unfortunately through the past five years he hasn't used the tractor much. I'll have to check but I'd say the hours are around 900.

Looks like I have a few items to review/clean and learn about.

JW


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

OK, the bendix shouldn't be stuffed at 900 hours, can you hear the starter spinning and whining when your bloke tries to start the tractor ?, or is the starter silent ?.


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## bbirder (Feb 26, 2006)

That's my question. Define grinding.Starter turning? Engine turning over but not starting? If so I still would go over your wires from battery to engine. Sounds like you are not turning fast enough.
Also, your posts say that her hasn't used the tractor much in 5 yrs. Your battery may have a bad cell and you are not getting full voltage. Try using jumper cables from your auto when that happens.


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

I'll try the jumper cables next time.
Although, I've already replaced the battery a year ago when he started forgetting to turn the lights off (or rather, his knee was hitting the button to turn them on and he wasn't checking to see they were off before he came in from the field). 
Eventually, it wore the battery down to the point it wouldnt hold a charge -- it was the original that came with the tractor.
I'll check the date stamp on the battery and report back.

I'll pay more attention to the sound and see if I can describe it better when it happens again.
Engine is not turning over. This is more like the starter is turning but thats it. It definitely is making noise (not silent, not just clicking as if the battery were dead).

It would be lovely if this was just a bad or dying battery.

They say tomorrow will be below 100 so maybe I'll brave the day in the afternoon when all our errands are complete.

JW


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## gman51 (Mar 22, 2016)

Take the battery out and have a local auto parts store check it. If it is good then check wiring cables and connectors for corrosion and poor contacts. That checks ok then I would take the starter off and take it to a local starter/alternator re-builder shop. They can bench test it for load drag or bad bendix. It could be the starter drive gear teeth are worn down really bad. When you remove the starter look in the hole and check the flywheel starter ring gear for being loose or bad worn teeth. I had a similar problem and it tunred out being the ring gear was slipping on the flywheel. I ate up several starters before finding that problem.

A local rebuilder would wish he could get $1000 for a starter. That's my guess anyway. Look on the starter for an I.D. plate or decal showing model number so you can check prices on replacement. Starters are usually fairly easy to remove if its not in a really tight spot on the tractor.
Usually having the battery or starter tested are done for free.


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

My husband went back and researched the starter, part number I was given, and costs.

I think the counter guy just wanted me to leave.

A replacement starter from the Mahindra/New Holland catalog is $150.

Why he said $1000 is beyond me.
It was very effective at making me leave.

I'll have the battery checked this weekend and set my tent back up so I can check the connectors without frying in the sun.

Will report back.

JW


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

I never made it to town with the battery.

Truck has wheel bearings going out so I'm restricting our household to one car until I get that fixed. 

By the end of the week, I'll have doctor appointments completed and the truck fixed and can continue this journey.

JW


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

You know J W, with the amount of battery in vehicles that you are looking after, you would do well to invest in a battery load tester, you should be able to get a hand held model for around the $100 US, this would save you a lot of labour of having to haul batteries from motor vehicles and tractors because you test them in situ.

If you have a multimeter you can do a cell test with this and it is as easy as, as long as you can unscrew the cell fill caps or covers.

Place the positive probe onto the positive pole and the negative probe into the first cell beside the positive pole,(the probe only goes into the acid and not the plates) set the multimeter to the lower DC volts and you should get a voltage reading from 2 volts DC to zero, zero being the cell is stuffed or flat battery, and in between will show how good the cell is, -- to test the next cell -- place the positive probe into the cell where the negative probe was and move the negative probe to the next cell and work the 6 cells like this until you get to the last cell where you place the negative probe onto the negative pole and the positive probe into the cell beside the negative pole.

Of course if the battery has had it, you will have to drag it out anyway !!.


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

Christmas is just around the corner... sounds like I have something to put on my list.

JW


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

And seeing that the load tester has a volt meter built in, you can also use this to read generator and alternator outputs with the engine running.


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## DanielCT230 (Apr 17, 2018)

Your solutions are very simple - 

1. If your battery is no good then replace the battery, and
2. If your starter motor is no good replace the starter motor.

Both items are very easy to diagnose.
Grinding always means the engagement mechanism is stuffed and its always best to replace the entire starter motor anyway especially as they are so cheap.

900 hours is more than enough work and for a battery replacement (and a starter motor replacement especially at $150).

A diesel engine should always be left running so if the boss is turning it off to just talk to you then knowing how many times women like to talk he has probably shut down and restarted the tractor equivalent to 9000 hours!  That has for certain destroyed both the battery and the starter motor!

Locally in Australia a starter motor may cost $500 but I imported some direct from India for $50 plus delivery charges. The battery will more likely be the expensive part!


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

Oh Lordy you made my day Daniel ....
9000 hours .... I'm laughing out loud.

I think the problem is the lack of hearing aids.
He accidently dropped his in the trash earlier this summer and while I did go dumpster diving for them I was only able to come up with one of them and the hearing aid guy said it was a lost cause.

He gets his new hearing aids in 2 days so hopefully he can leave the tractor running in the future when he decides I need an education while he's on the tractor. lol

His birthday is in November and I'm thinking new hearing aids in September, new battery and starter in October, and November I'll just back him a Cherry-go-round and call it done.

That dang budget keeps dragging things out, don't cha know. 

JW


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## Just Wondering (Mar 25, 2018)

Sigh ...

I do hereby formally apologize for this thread.
The Mahindra electric system, starter, and battery appear to be working well.

The problem was two fold.
1. Asking my husband if he checked the battery and he says yes does not mean the battery was checked. It means he put a charger on it and it was properly charged before the last time he started it.

2. Neglecting to check the battery myself indicates that I trust my husband understood what I meant but did not specifically say when I asked if he had checked the battery. (that old saw about assume making an a$$ out of u and me).

This was a water filled lead acid battery.
He assumed it was a gel battery.
I assumed he popped the caps and checked the water level.

Doh!

After I added 24 ounces of distilled water, it seems to have stopped acting up and now starts well each time. We have a doctor visit next week and will pick up a bottle of battery keeper (sulphuric acid) and top it off properly.

My thanks to each of you 
and, of course, 
my apologies.

JW


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

No apology needed, that's for sure. There is a lot of good information here that may very well help other folks work through issues that they are having with their tractors. Besides, my wife has a husband just like yours!


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