My new to me 318 has had a problem since I bought it. It would click when you turned the key, but on the second or third try, it would start. Now it clicks and and about every 10th time, it will turn over about 1/2 a turn. I have cleaned the battery cables and replaced the battery. It is a 1990 machine with a serial #18xxx. When at the local dealer, they told me the solenoid is located on the starter. I followed the positive cable down and found the solenoid on the bottom left side of the motor. I don t see how you get at it without lifting the motor. Anyone have any hints for first, checking the solenoid or starter, and second how to get at the thing? All help is appreciated. Thanks, Mike
318 STARTER OR SOLENOID PROBLEM
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You need a start improvement kit.
It is a relay wired in to the purple wire to give full battery voltage to the solenoid. I made my own kit, I already had a relay. On the relay the terminals are numbered, 30 goes to the battery cable at the starter, 87 goes to the spade terminal on the starter, 85 gets the purple wire that was on the starter spade terminal, 86 goes to ground.
It is a relay wired in to the purple wire to give full battery voltage to the solenoid. I made my own kit, I already had a relay. On the relay the terminals are numbered, 30 goes to the battery cable at the starter, 87 goes to the spade terminal on the starter, 85 gets the purple wire that was on the starter spade terminal, 86 goes to ground.
Hey Mike
Take a look :
http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/335/67042.html
More or less the same answer I type slow and had to look it up.
Take a look :
http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/335/67042.html
More or less the same answer I type slow and had to look it up.
Joined
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1,001 Posts
Hello Mike
I encountered the Very same issue on my son in law's 1991 John Deere 316 that i Built for him earlier this spring. I replaced the Ignition key switch when I built it for him and that helped it's starting issues at first. Later on it got much worse with it simply clicking, clicking and clicking taking several try's to get the engine started. It appeared to me at first that it may have had a starter solenoid issue as it sure sounded like the starter gear was driving into the Tractor ring gear and not engaging. Many times it would take a battery charger placed on boost to get his Tractor running which got very frustrating. I Paid the John Deere dealer price of just $32.00 and Placed the starter Improvement kit and it solved all of his hard starting issues. It now start's effortlessly whirring the engine over the first try with the key switch and makes the battery sound like it has 1000 Cold Cranking amps. I would be willing to bet the very same kit will eliminate your starting issues. Regards, Kurt
I encountered the Very same issue on my son in law's 1991 John Deere 316 that i Built for him earlier this spring. I replaced the Ignition key switch when I built it for him and that helped it's starting issues at first. Later on it got much worse with it simply clicking, clicking and clicking taking several try's to get the engine started. It appeared to me at first that it may have had a starter solenoid issue as it sure sounded like the starter gear was driving into the Tractor ring gear and not engaging. Many times it would take a battery charger placed on boost to get his Tractor running which got very frustrating. I Paid the John Deere dealer price of just $32.00 and Placed the starter Improvement kit and it solved all of his hard starting issues. It now start's effortlessly whirring the engine over the first try with the key switch and makes the battery sound like it has 1000 Cold Cranking amps. I would be willing to bet the very same kit will eliminate your starting issues. Regards, Kurt
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