1772 battery info?
 

This spring I replaced the battery in the 1772 with a new one from Farm & Fleet. It has 410CCA @ 30 degrees. I tried to start the tractor the other day, temperature was in low 60's. It cranked ok for a few seconds and then quickly slowed to a crawl... didnt start.

I put the charger on it in the start mode twice before it finally cranked fast enough to started. It appears the battery could be physically larger.

Could there be electrical issues? (battery connections, etc) Is there a better choice of batteries for it?

BTW, I think I might have a solenoid issue, in the fact I have to turn the key to the start position multiple times with just a click, before it will actually crank.


Any ideas on what could be wrong?

You need to do the starter / GP upgrade. I put the $90 China starter and new GP's on my 882 and I starts fast now with a regular lawn & garden battery. I have not done a D640 yet but I'm thinking the parts should be the same. There is a "How to" for the D600 in the tech section. My starter came from a company in Georgia on epay and I think the GP's were $7 each at my local auto parts store. It's a good Saturday project for about $125.

You also need to add a second ground cable from the battery directly to the engine block. There is a service bulletin addressing this someone here might be able to post.

IIRC,
The battery was an odd ball size. The smaller garden tractor batteries will work, but aren't as good as the originals. As the others stated, the glow plug, starter, and extra ground cable mods work great. Some guys add block heaters as well. Careful on the battery size. Too big will hit the hood and ground out (cool if ya like fireworks :biggrin2:). Someone in the past cross-referenced the old battery with an Interstate battery, but can't remember who, CRS.........

Thanks for all the input!

There is a starter on ebay for 73 bucks. http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CUB-CADE...&forceRpt=true

This look OK?


I checked and the ground cable is already on the engine block.


Will check into the glow plugs as well..

Thanks again!

You need to look into the GP upgrade. You will add a solenoid to send 12 volts to the new GP's and not through the dash element that heats up and then sends power to the old GP's. Looks like that starter would work if they say it will fit. You will need to use a hole saw on the engine cradle to install a new gear reduction starter. There should be a write up on that here also. If not, I will post pics when I did mine.

I would not waste my money on a china ebay starter. I did and wish I had not. You can get your old one rebuilt and it will be better than the ebay china. It seems that it takes more current to start the tractor than the old starter.

In looking around and searching threads, are the starters that need the hole drilled in the base plate reduction gear? The 73 buck ebay starter looks like a "regular" replacement. I'm not even sure the existing starter has a problem?

Yesterday when I started the tractor, I let the glow plugs cycle twice, about half throttle, and it fired right up. (of coarse temp was in the 60's). I'm thinking about replacing glow plugs first... Not sure if they have ever been replaced, probably should be done anyway? What is the upgrade on these?

I think when most starters fail they do not turn over. One of mine will not engage unless I keep turning the key 6 or 7 times and then it will turn over. My 882 starter had failed bearings in it. If yours isn't doing that then I wouldn't change it.
I'm very happy with my China starter so far. It turns the engine over a lot faster then an original. I don't use this tractor a lot so maybe down the road I may have some problems.

Todd Markle has a good write up "over there" on diesel upgrades.

kubota has a starter relay available for the pre 1990 diesels that will stop the click-click when you turn the key. My 1772 has not clicked once since I installed the relay 4 years ago. Simple install and cost about $25. I use the interstate sp 340 battery. best one I have found.