I went out the other day to start my 1984 Case 580E after running it the night before. I went to start it as usual... it turned over then quit. I checked the starter by jumping it and it seems fine. I disconnected the alternator to rule that out too and it still won't start. I pulled out the console and can here a clicking sound from one of three relays. I bought one new relay and attempted to replace one at a time but still nothing. Sometimes I get power at the three red wires going into the back of the relays (and to the key switch) and sometimes I don't. Is there a breaker or timedelay fuse somewhere? Could it be a loose or worn out connection somewhere? :Banghead. This is a true farm tractor that hasn't seen a city road and never will. Any help will be greatly appreciated before the snow starts piling up and I can't plow my road!
So you turned the key and the starter turned over the engine then the starter quit working? Then you jumped the starter and the starter works, did you jump the big terminal to big terminal or big terminal to little terminal? Wouldn't hurt to check the volts while cranking, attempting to crank, at the battery and at the starter also, stranger things have happened than a loose connection "popping" in the middle of a load.
Hi Delmer, I jumped the big terminal to little terminal. I have 12.7 volts at the battery and starter with no load. I will check and see when jumping the starter what volts I get. The one big terminal is the power line from battery, I assume the small terminal is from the key switch, what is the the other big terminal for?
The other big terminal is the power to the starter from the solenoid, those terminals are on the end of the solenoid which is working if the starter cranks when you jump to the little terminal. Ignore the starter for now and start checking voltages at the starter switch, do the accessory functions work on the key switch and can you identify the start terminal and check it for power when in the start position. On second thought, first try the key several times, hold it in start and wiggle it around, hit the dash a few times for good measure. If that checks out you need a Case guy, or a wiring diagram to figure out where the relays and neutral switches are.
Welcome to HEF JJG! The 'clicking' you are hearing, does that just happen all the time when the ign is on? Those three 'relays' behind the dash cluster, do they have just two terminals? If so, they are circuit breakers (#20;21;22). If one of them is 'clicking', you have a short circuit somewhere. Look at the harness around the bellhousing area, they often rub through around there. Item #10 is a power relay/solenoid located under dash - check it as well. The neutral start switch is located on the RHS of the shuttle. They often play up, if it is still in use, you can pull the plug & make a small jumper wire to join the 2 female connectors together at the plug end. This will allow the machine to start when in FWD or REV - so be careful. :drinkup Edit - can a mod move this thread to the backhoe section please?
Thanks everyone for the helpful hints and the wiring diagrams.... in my investigations in found several burnt wires that I replaced, a burned out breaker #21, the neutral start wires were corroded and when I touched them they fell apart, several weak connections on a relay switch. So as I found these problems I repaired and fixed them. When I was all done the Back-hoe still wouldn't start! By a mere fluke, when I was testing the voltage at the alternator as we attempted to turn it over I wiggled the heavy ground cable to the engine block and she turned over. So I undid the bolt and cleaned it off (alot of oil and carbon around) and PRESTO she fired right up! I put the cluster and dash back together and many of my gauges that didn't work before are working now. I learned alot about the backhoe the past two weeks. Thanks for all your help alrman and Delmer!