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Bud
Advanced Member
Username: Budtx
Post Number: 103
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.180.114.97
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 - 09:49 pm: | 
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2003 Max II with 18hp Briggs. It has *maybe* 40 hours on it.
I got the Warn replacement module in for the winch, and decided to do my spring maintenance and replace this part while I was at it. The Max started up just fine when I pulled it out of the barn to work on it.
I lubed the bearings, jackshaft, etc., and disconnected and removed the battery to replace the winch module. I did not cross any wires. Before I replaced the battery, I topped the water off with distilled water, and then tried to start it up, and just got a single "click." Wondering if the battery was dead, I hooked up a portable jump starter to the battery and tried again. I was met again with a single "Click"; it would not even turn over.
I disconnected the battery and removed the new Warn module and put the old one back in. Reconnected the battery and tried to start it again, only to be met with a single "Click" with the turn of the key. I pulled the battery and put it on the charger, and replaced the Warn module with the new part.
Put the newly charged battery (it didn't need much of a charge, but I left it on for 6 hours just to be sure) back in, and tried to start it again. "Click".
As a last resort, I turned the key on and tried the pull starter. It fired right up. The ammeter did not show any unusual discharge. I tried the winch to see if the new module worked. Everything worked fine.
I drove around for about 30 minutes and turned the Max off. I then tried to start it again, only to be met with that same single "Click" and no start. The lights and accessories all work fine with the motor running, as well as with it off.
Why can't I get this thing to start with the key? The key works the lights just fine. Could the starter have gone bad so suddenly? Am I missing something else?
Thanks in advance for any guidance.
Bud |
Bud
Advanced Member
Username: Budtx
Post Number: 104
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.180.114.97
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 - 09:52 pm: |
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I forgot to add that I also pulled the entire winch connections and tried to start it without any winch wiring hooked up to the battery at all.
Still no luck; just that single "Click" with the turn of the key. |
Paul Fritz
Junior Member
Username: Iceman
Post Number: 14
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 68.78.42.236
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 - 10:09 pm: |
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Bud
Its either the battery or starter. Seeing you added water to the battery I would start there. I'm a mechanic and have had that happen on many occasions were you add water and suddenly it goes dead especially if it was real low on water. Even if it shows its getting a charge if the battery has a short in it its DOA. Thats the cheapest way to go if you can also get someone to turn the key and while holding the key in the start position tap the starter with a hammer and see if it kicks over sometimes there is a bad spot in the starter also. |
Rogersmith
Advanced Member
Username: Rogersmith
Post Number: 289
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 70.234.148.247
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, May 18, 2007 - 10:14 pm: |
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Find the starter relay. Follow the positive battery cable to it. Off the other side of the relay the large cable continues to the starter. Jump across the two large terminals of this relay. If the engine cranks, the relay is probably bad. The ignition switch energizes the other small terminal on the relay. I'm guessing the relay is your clicking sound. |
Bud
Advanced Member
Username: Budtx
Post Number: 105
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.180.120.37
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 19, 2007 - 08:35 am: |
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Thanks for the suggestions, gentlemen. The battery is nearly 2 years old anyway, so I'll start there and then on to tapping the starter and then a check of the relay.
I really appreciate the help!
Bud |
Bud
Advanced Member
Username: Budtx
Post Number: 106
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.180.120.43
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 01:17 pm: |
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Well, heck; no luck on any front.
I replaced the battery with a brand new one (it's a 30 mile round trip to town), came home and put it in. When I tried to start the Max, it did the same thing - just a click.
Hoping that it was the connections at the battery, I scrubbed the connections nice and bright and tried again. Click.
I got my wife to turn the key to Start while I held a screwdriver across the terminals on the relay. I could feel the click, but that's it.
I also tapped on the starter with a hammer handle while she tried to key; no change. I even tried tapping on the relay, but no luck.
I pulled the relay out (it was a job getting the bolts out from inside the frame rail).
Is my next step replacement of the relay, or is there something else that I should check?
Thanks,
Bud
BTW, I checked the fuses. |
isaac eisenman
Junior Member
Username: Tropicjungleboy
Post Number: 10
Registered: 03-2005
Posted From: 201.224.139.175
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 02:22 pm: |
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bud:
a relay replacement is a good choice, but you can jump both sides of rely with jumper cable to doublecheck if rely is the problem. maybe bad conection between rely termials. after that test you should check for proper ground or positive terminal on the starter. otherwise pull out the starter and try it on bench |
liflod
Advanced Member
Username: Liflod
Post Number: 146
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 151.201.211.103
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 02:29 pm: |
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Take jumper cable from + on battery to the stud on the starter. If the starter doesn't spin, its probably bad. You may want to jumper the - of the battery to the engine block while your at it. |
Bud
Advanced Member
Username: Budtx
Post Number: 107
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.180.120.55
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 03:20 pm: |
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I think that I have it figured out.
Brandon and I spoke on the phone, and he suggested that I re-check the ground from the battery. I reinstalled the relay and then pulled the braided ground wire and scrubbed a ground on the frame and reconnected everything. Still nothing but a click, so I attached a big ground wire that I have to see if that helped. Still nothing, but I think that I have ruled out a bad ground.
I jumped the terminals on the relay with a screwdriver just to check again. It fired right up, so I pulled the relay (I am getting pretty good at R&R now) and am off to the parts house to see if I can find a new one.
As an interesting aside, I called a mower shop up in town and the guy there had no idea what I was talking about. I read him a part number, gave him the specs and numbers off of the engine, and all that he kept asking was "what kind of mower is that again?" and "would a recoil start work instead?" I gave up.
Thanks, everyone, for all of the good advice.
Bud |
Bud
Advanced Member
Username: Budtx
Post Number: 108
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 4.180.120.94
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 06:49 pm: |
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Got it!
For anyone interested, the NAPA part number is 7-01861-1 for a replacement solenoid/relay. It also fits a 1975 Ford.  |
philip w.cox
Advanced Member
Username: Philipatmaxfour
Post Number: 334
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 199.246.2.9
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 21, 2007 - 10:13 pm: |
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I don't know what a 75 Ford has in common with an 18 hp Briggs and a 2003 Max II. But they all sound like a nice group. Seems we have learned that the process of elimination will always get us where we want to go in the end. I think Liflod's system might have got us there a little quicker. Glad you solved the problem , congratulations Bud. W. Philip Cox |
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