QuestionQUESTION: I've got a ford 4630 that always starts just fine. Suddenly, the starter is only clicking, the engine is not turning over. Just curious about what I need to look at first. Thanks
ANSWER: First make sure the battery is good and that all the battery cable connections are clean and tight. If you turn the lights on and try to start it, the lights should not get dimmer or go out. If they do, you are losing power to the starter. If the lights stay on OK when the starter just clicks, the starter solenoid is probably bad.
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QUESTION: Ok, the battery is good. When I try to start with the lights on, they do dim but they don't go out. The cable that attaches to the post on the starter goes straight to the negative post on the battery. I tried a new battery cable to see if it is bad. Still just get clicking. I know you said it is probably the solenoid if the lights stay on ok, but they don't, so where should I look from here. Thanks.
Answer Doesn't sound right. The cable that is attached to the starter should go to the positive battery post, not the negative. The negative should be the ground. Check where the ground cable from the battery attaches to the frame of the tractor. Sometimes these connections get rusty and don't make a good connection. It's also possible that the starter is getting enough power but that the starter itself has failed, and is drawing excessive power causing the lights to dim because the starter can't turn. You can try hooking up jumper cables directly to the starter which would bypass everything else, and see if the starter will turn. If it does, then there is still a power or ground problem on the tractor. If it still only clicks, then the starter or solenoid is defective.
