Can anybody help? I bought a case 1835 on CL and the wiring is all messed up, I ordered repair book on ebay, waiting on it to arrive. Machine worked fine for a day ,but not won't start. Cranking the starter results in the starter wire getting red hot and actually burning. I took off the starter, tested it, works great, solenoid, starter spins and no issues with wires getting hot. Mount it back on the machine, and same thing, it cranks very very slow, even though connected to running car battery, so it's not lacking amps. Almost immediately the red thick wire gets hot, turns red and catches fire. The wire is very thick too. What can be causing this? I was told to check if there is a hydraulic release valve, maybe motor is too hard to turn? I'm able to turn the flywheel with my hands, barely. Other suggestions I got is bad starter, which shorts out under stress? Again, I took it out and tested it over and over, solenoid and starter work great. I disconnected all electronics to rule out any shorts, connected battery wire to solenoid and battery negative to starter case bracket, in order to take any faulty electronics which might be shorting, out of the loop. Still same issue!! Can anybody help? I'm at the end of the road and ready to junk yard this thing.
Hmmm, reminds me of a fire I started once. Good times. That one was a bad starter, but a pickup not a Case. When you say you can turn the flywheel barely, is that with one finger through the starter hole? If you can get a few fingers on it the leverage at the ring gear should turn the engine easily, at least an inch back and forth with no compression involved. If you're using one hand on the crankshaft pulley then it will be much harder to turn because there's less leverage. Of course just cause the engine is tight doesn't mean the starter isn't fried too. And I'm a little suspicious of the cables that "almost immediately" got red hot, if there wasn't too much resistance to start, there IS now. In my lighting up the F250 the cable JUMPED when the solenoid clicked, wouldn't crank over, and a terminal flared up, but the cables weren't that hot, and those cables are tiny compared to what I'd think you have on a skidsteer.
I think the starter has a short in it. Worn bushing, brushes, contacts on the solenoid lugs internal. If the cable is that hot when the solenoid is engaged it's going to ground, or the lug at the starter for the cable is bad. Starters can sometimes spin good off the machine and seem like they may be ok, but the smallest load and they are done. Does your machine have the extra hyd valve in the floor and is it in the neutral position.
Resistance will create heat.Check and clean all of your connections and retry and then check for voltage drops.
I can't say what your problem is, but running a starter free on a bench with no load is not equivalent to running the starter under load turning the flywheel. If you're saying the battery cable going to the starter gets red hot, that puppy is pulling some amps. My best guess is the starter brush plate and/or commutator/armature is in poor shape, really requires some juice to work the starter under load. Just my best guess.
Sounds like hydraulic lock, this model uses foot rocker pedal and valve under the footrest where it gets stuck due to the valve is in a nasty spot for rusting up. Make 100% sure your auxiliary hydraulics are not locked partially on!
Poor ground connections from starter will also cause high amperage. I would check wire size and connections on the ground circuit to eliminate that. If you still think it is hydraulic lock disconnect the aux pump drive and try again.