Hi everyone I have a Ford 4500 backhoe - 1975 I think - and I stopped to check and retie the load I was carrying and I thought it was in neutral. When I let off the clutch it stalled and then after I made sure it was in neutral it would not turn over. Batteries good, it has fuel but it will not crank. Any ideas, thanks Bill
When you say it won't "turn over/crank" you mean the starter won't turn right? Do you get any noise when you try to start it? Are there any other electronics working that would show you the voltage is still getting past the batteries. Lots of ways to go about this. I'd start at the batteries with a volt meter and work your way to the starter, see where the power goes and doesn't go when you try to crank it.
Thanks for the input Delmer - let me run past you what I've tried. I have an external voltage meter mounted and it always shows a V drop as I crank the engine, nothing there. I checked the battery and it's good, jumped the solenoid and the starter spun but was not engaging the flywheel, got that whirling sound and kinda' ran out of ideas there. Do you recommend a next step? Thanks again. Bill
if you are jumping from 1 big to other big wire you are bypassing pulling the soliod in jumper from big hot wire to small wire and should pull starter drive in
Exactly. You want to jump the battery cable at the starter to the small terminal on the solenoid (usually next to the two big terminals). Do this with test leads from the seat, unless you can be COMPLETELY sure that it's in neutral. If that causes the starter to crank the engine over then the starter is working, and you need to look at that small wire going back to the starter switch. The neutral switch is a good place to start. Are you getting voltage your your external meter now?
Thanks guys I'll check in the morning and see what I get.
Wildbill; Yesterday I had the same problem on my T/L/B. With the switch in the start position I did not have any voltage on the starter post. I installed a new wire between the two and the problem was fixed. I did leave the original wire in place. I don't know if that was a good decision or not. I don't know if your starting problem is the same but I thought it would be something that may help you.
If that machine has a mechanical transmission there will be a neutral safety stat switch on a shift rail. Make sure that you have a connection through the switch when its supposed to be in neutral. Do you have power at the key switch?