Help me troubleshoot 140 starting problem

[seamajor]

1975 140
Started up, cold, quit.
Turned the key, got nothing. This has happened twice in as many weeks.

Replaced the solenoid and ignition switch.
Coil is new. Voltage regulator is new.

Turn key, get nothing. Amp meter does move slightly to the discharge.

Rocked it in gear to see if the fan was moving, starter does not seem to be stuck.

Battery is charged.

Maybe I have a short? Need to take voltage meter and check.

Do you have any other ideas?

[tst]

1st make sure battery fully charged, make sure you have good ground connections, and battery cables ends are clean, put a meter on the starter to see if it sees contact signal from the key, this is a 75 so it has a clutch switch to prevent it from starting with clutch out ?? see if the solenoid is working with a meter should have battery voltage on one side, and when you turn the key should have battery voltage on the cable to the starter

[inairam]

About a week ago I had a 140 no start at all and the engine was free. It was the Bendix did not slide back. I did the things Tim suggested first and was left with the starter. I pushed the Bendix back and it started.

[inairam]

I had this problem again. It turned out the terminal on the battery cable (behind the dash end) from the battery to the starter button was rusted and broken. So some current could get through but not enough. I crimped a new terminal on and was back up.

[seamajor]

Well, it took over a month of weekend trips to the farm to get it figured out. As we originally thought, it was the solenoid. We replaced it with a new one from NAPA, no start. Then we exchanged that one with another new on from NAPA. Again, no start. Had to get one from the local Deere dealer and now she fires right up. Now we are wondering if NAPA received a bad production run. At least the 140 is back at work.

See video on YouTube. https://youtu.be/q7qQI4fjwoE

[SamsFarm]

Had to get one from the local Deere dealer and now she fires right up.

Nothing runs like a Deere!

I just had to say that!

[Gary Dotson]

While those solenoids all look very similar, they are not all internally wired the same. In all likelihood, your NAPA counter person was selling you the wrong solenoid.

[Dennis]

Hi seamajor,

Don't take this the wrong way, but there are some safety concerns few members have expressed regarding your linked video:

1. Disconnect battery before changing out electrical components.
2. Use the correct tool to tighten nuts. There was a ratchet on the hood.
3. Always shake hands with the shift lever before starting.
4. If that stump had not turned out to be completely rotted off, we would have had a ring-side seat to a rollover accident.
5. What if the tractor had quit when the stump made it into the fire?

We always enjoy videos and photos of our working tractors, but we also want to encourage every safety measure when using these old tractors and equipment. Obviously these antiques do not have all the safety features of newer equipment and our younger generation may not have the experience in operating equipment manufactured long before OSHA was an acronym.

I encourage everyone to visit our Safety Forum (viewforum.php?f=33) and importantly the Circle of Safety Test (viewtopic.php?f=33&t=68084)

Thanks, have Fun and Stay Safe!
Dennis

Well, it took over a month of weekend trips to the farm to get it figured out. As we originally thought, it was the solenoid. We replaced it with a new one from NAPA, no start. Then we exchanged that one with another new on from NAPA. Again, no start. Had to get one from the local Deere dealer and now she fires right up. Now we are wondering if NAPA received a bad production run. At least the 140 is back at work.

See video on YouTube. https://youtu.be/q7qQI4fjwoE

[seamajor]

Thank you for sharing. Please see my responses in parentheses.

Hi seamajor,

Don't take this the wrong way,(thanks, I'll try not to) but there are some safety concerns few members (Private message could work for anyone who has questions-I am a nice guy) have expressed regarding your linked video:

1. Disconnect battery before changing out electrical components. - (He did. What you saw was a last minute adjustment. He knows how to jump the posts to bypass the solenoid and start the tractor, and he knows what he did. As a matter of fact, he had to jump them to get the tractor off the trailer and under the shelter - apparantly many folks have done this)
2. Use the correct tool to tighten nuts. There was a ratchet on the hood. (Agreed - I am not sure why he used the pliers. He had used the ratchet already. Noted.)
3. Always shake hands with the shift lever before starting. (We always do...and we knew it was in neutral, I even asked him. I learned that lesson myself when that same tractor ran over a family friend when I was younger)
4. If that stump had not turned out to be completely rotted off, we would have had a ring-side seat to a rollover accident. (Not a problem...he knew it was rotten. You don't get to see everything on video here. He has pulled more trees and stumps than I have - with equipment of various sizes. I trust him here....and we always have an implement on it to help with weight...usually the heavier box blade.
5. What if the tractor had quit when the stump made it into the fire? (The tractor has new pistons, rings, coil, voltage regulator, and a bunch of other odds and ends. If it were in such a shape that I could not depend on it, we would not use it.)

(I post videos because I am proud of my son and his accomplishments and skills with the older equipment. We live 140 miles from our farm so time is always limited on our weekend trips. Back home, He and his grandfather have done the majority of work on that 140, and the cub. He also has hours and hours of experience on A/C 5030, A/C D12, and A/C 180, as well as our JD 5300. He has been driving and working with older equipment for at least 7 years.

While I appreciate concerns over safety, you don't get to see the details in a short video. I could have edited the moment where he jumped the posts, but I did not. It may serve someone else as a reminder to keep the battery disconnected until you are finished. My son certainly knows that, knew it before he did it, and has now been reminded. I do not believe for one minute that I was putting him in a life threatening position. Thank you for checking out the video and voicing your concerns. I hope I have provided a bit more detail that perhaps was not clear before.)

We always enjoy videos and photos of our working tractors, but we also want to encourage every safety measure when using these old tractors and equipment. Obviously these antiques do not have all the safety features of newer equipment and our younger generation may not have the experience in operating equipment manufactured long before OSHA was an acronym.

I encourage everyone to visit our Safety Forum (We may check this out together)
(viewforum.php?f=33) and importantly the Circle of Safety Test (viewtopic.php?f=33&t=68084)

Thanks, have Fun and Stay Safe! (Thank you)
Dennis

Well, it took over a month of weekend trips to the farm to get it figured out. As we originally thought, it was the solenoid. We replaced it with a new one from NAPA, no start. Then we exchanged that one with another new on from NAPA. Again, no start. Had to get one from the local Deere dealer and now she fires right up. Now we are wondering if NAPA received a bad production run. At least the 140 is back at work.

See video on YouTube. https://youtu.be/q7qQI4fjwoE

[seamajor]

While those solenoids all look very similar, they are not all internally wired the same. In all likelihood, your NAPA counter person was selling you the wrong solenoid.

I did not know that. I will try to return it this week and see what they say.