Diesel Starter Upgrade Question

[FrankF3]

Well, I'm still keeping my fingers crossed. I hope I'm not jinxing myself putting this post up, but the 782D has started about 6 times with the starter upgrade without the dreaded starter solenoid clunk that id was previously plagued with. Next up... glow plug upgrade when I get the parts to do that.

[_DX3_]

My 1572 doesn't have the starter upgrade yet, and I probably won't do it, till mine starts acting up. So far with a 350 CCA battery it cranks on the first hit of the key. No drag, clunks, or anything. I do have the glowplug upgrade. That might have something to do with helping it start easier.

[FrankF3]

It was only a matter of time...... I went out to start the 782D to warm it up a little before starting work on the water pump. The start problem is BACK!!! I had to turn the key 4 times to the start position before the starter would turn over. This has me stumped! It has a new battery (actually 2 months old) a new key switch, a new starter solenoid, a complete starter, now the starter upgrade thrown at it. There isn't much left. Any ideas? I was even thinking about throwing a new wiring harness at it, but that is a lot of work and sort of drastic with out hard evidence to back up replacement of the harness.

[_DX3_]

Man I hate to hear that, I thought for sure you would have that fixed now. Ok, have you cleaned (to bare metal) all ground spots. Does the battery have a ground cable to the motor and another to the frame?

[aagitch]

I'm thinking the same as Dwayne it's a ground or some other connection problem somewhere in your wiring.

[FrankF3]

Originally Posted by _DX3_

Man I hate to hear that, I thought for sure you would have that fixed now. Ok, have you cleaned (to bare metal) all ground spots. Does the battery have a ground cable to the motor and another to the frame?

In addition to moving the battery cables located on the air cleaner bracket to the block THEN adding a secondary ground cable from the block directly to the negative should eliminate any bad grounds to the block. I also cleaned up the ground connection between the block and the frame. The only current draw on the frame left during starting should be the oil pressure indicator light and the current for the start solenoid. BTW - Anyone know where I can locate an oil pressure lampholder for the dash? I cracked mine while rummaging through and troubleshooting this blasted no start problem. My dealer said it wasn't available.

[jrarick]

just a thought--Kubota makes a starter relay for the pre 1990 diesels. I installed one on my 1772 about 3 years ago and it cured the click,click starting issue I was having. Starter now kicks in with first turn of the key. It is easy to install.
It makes up for voltage lost thru old wiring and connections. Best thing I have done to my diesel in the 18 years I have had it.
good luck

[FrankF3]

jrarick, do you have any details or part numbers on this starter relay

[Matt G.]

That sounds like a Band-aid fix to me...if you look at the wiring diagram, there is nothing between the battery and the + terminal on the solenoid. Adding another solenoid in between isn't going to help anything. I'd abandon the built-in + cable and just run a new one, for starters.

[jrarick]

call it what you want--all I can say is it fixed the clicking starter problem I had been fighting with for years. The part number is 503710. I ordered it from a local grasshopper dealer. Cost around $25. I would think it is worth a try before doing a starter upgrade.