I installed a new battery and new ground cable. I cleaned the ground point and have power to the panel. The lights work and when pushing the "Start" button a "Click" can be heard in a relay or solenoid. I just got it and don;t have manuals yet so I'm not sure of the exact part name. But it is mounted just above the starter and is about 2" in diameter and 1" deep with several wires attached - two larger ones each with a rubber boot and 2 small smaller ones uncovered. Please check me on this. I am thinking that a 12 volt system is standardized and can probably use modern 12 volt auto parts. Or do I need to buy specifit parts for the year and model of the dozer? We've taken off the wires and cleaned the connections. It was working fine for the past few days then all of a sudden started this. Very appreciative for any feedback.. Thanks, Dan
Id say the relay which is the round thing you are looking at is bad have someone try to start it and you check for power to the large terminal going down to the starter
Check voltage drops at the connections and if OK, you probably have a bad solenoid. It's pretty common on those machines. Inside the solenoid there is a coil with a rod through the center of it that pushes on a big plate. Whe the coil is energized the rod pushes the big plate into two lugs. One lug is connected to the battery and the other to the starter motor. The rod also pushes the starter pinion gear into the flywheel. The plate and the lugs get a spark everytime the coil is deenergized when the key switch is returned to the run position. Each time a spark happens it leaves a mark on the lugs and the plate. The marks insulate or prevent big amounts of electricity from flowing through to the motor and eventually stop it all together. You are hearing the solenoid engage but there isn't enough current to turn the motor. It used to be you could take the solenoid apart, pull out the rod with the plate and turn it around. I used to file the lugs flat with a file and put the thing back together. Later it got so the solenoid cost so little that changing it was the best option. Now days you can't take the things apart. You should be able to get one through any auto parts store. There are probably numbers on it that they can cross. Good Luck!
Thanks John for your help. I'll get a new one from an auto parts store. Dan
Just replaced one on a cow tipper yesterday. The poor cow was stuck in the tipper till I jumped it with a spare battery cable to lower her down. It was a very simple 12v motor running a hydraulic pump similar to a tailgate lift.
I replaced the solenoid and now the switch does not activate it. While taking the old one off I accidently hit the large stud while taking the other one off. The engine cranked. After installing the new one I have to cross them with a screwdriver to start. I'm going to check the oush button start button and save my original solenoid for a backup. Weird thing is that I got a click before but now nothing.. Dan
Take a length of wire and jump from the positive battery post to the small post on the solenoid. If it cranks then you are not getting good voltage from the start switch to engage the solenoid.