When I (literally) mothballed our 2009 RTV (new engine with less than 50 hrs) to its unheated shed home in December, the machine ran like a top. On Saturday, I reinstalled the charged battery, but the engine wouldn't even turn over although dash lights indicated glow-plug was operating. Is there a coil or points that might corrode amid four months of dampness that would disable the starter, or should I be looking for mouse-damage somewhere along the ignition chain? Any shared wisdom would be appreciated.
Post-winter starting woes
- Thread starter sdzubay
- Start date
Not on my RTV but what you're describing has happened to me a few times. For me, it was a corroded battery cable inside the rubber so not obvious. The cable can provide enough amps to run lights but not enough to start the machine.
Take a jumper cable in parallel to the the existing battery cable and give it a try. Do it one at a time NEG to NEG, POS to POS to identify which cable may be bad.
Take a jumper cable in parallel to the the existing battery cable and give it a try. Do it one at a time NEG to NEG, POS to POS to identify which cable may be bad.
On our diesel lawnmower, a Kubota, I had a bad ground and it did the same. I used a single jumper (booster ) cable to make a ground from the negative battery to a bright and shiny bolt on the frame - to discover that it was as Zoom mentioned. I was very relieved.
My spring start up woes have been with flat tires on the L4740, the B2400 , the front mount mower. Even the small trailer had a flat. Every one of them had to be removed and taken in to the tire guy to either fix a hole or put in a tube. so far, the only thing that hasn't needed attention is the RTV.
Oh, some of the batteries didn't fare too well over the winter either.
Oh, some of the batteries didn't fare too well over the winter either.
I wouldn't do it on my big equipment but for small tires, I find Slime to work nicely to fix old, flat, dry rotted tires.
As for batteries, I've already replaced 5 this year in various things. I'll probably have to replace 4-5 more before winter.
As for batteries, I've already replaced 5 this year in various things. I'll probably have to replace 4-5 more before winter.
I wouldn't do it on my big equipment but for small tires, I find Slime to work nicely to fix old, flat, dry rotted tires.
As for batteries, I've already replaced 5 this year in various things. I'll probably have to replace 4-5 more before winter.
Yea, I use Slime a lot on my smaller tires but a lot of my woes this spring were because the tire was off the bead and I couldn't get it back on. Sometimes I get lucky but not this year. I probably need to get one of those bead resetting tools ... or I could resort to the starting fluid method. No! I don't think so. I've seen it go wrong too many times.
check the neutral safety switch? does the starter solenoid click when you turn the key?
Yea. I've used it on lighter tires with reasonable success. It doesn't always work for me but sometimes it does. On heavier multi-ply, offroad and tractor tires like R4s, I let the experts do it.
I'm running the heck out of it. Man, I love that thing. In the last couple of weeks I've toted umteen loads of mulch for the flower beds, 1200 lbs of lawn fertilizer for the spreader, I use it to tow the 30 gal sprayer for herbicide for the yard (it really needs it this year), used it to haul off a downed tree that I cut up, used it to spray the lake with algicide, etc,. etc. There are also the mundane tasks like taking the trash down to the gate every week, checking the mailbox and picking up limbs that come down. It also saves my 76-year-old legs just getting around the place. I had that gas Gator for years and never used it all that much. I gave it to my SIL and she loves it. Go figure. The RTV has pretty much replaced the FEL for a lot of my hauling and toting chores. Long may it continue to run.
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Awesome. It does become a part of the family real quick. I know I don't know what I'd do without mine. I use mine much like you plus I use it to do gas runs. Gas station is just a few miles away via back roads. Much more fun to run to store in the RTV.I'm running the heck out of it. Man, I love that thing. In the last couple of weeks I've toted umteen loads of mulch for the flower beds, 1200 lbs of lawn fertilizer for the spreader, I use it to tow the 30 gal sprayer for herbicide for the yard (it really needs it this year), used it to haul off a downed tree that I cut up, used it to spray the lake with algicide, etc,. etc. There are also the mundane tasks like taking the trash down to the gate every week, checking the mailbox and picking up limbs that come down. It also saves my 76-year-old legs just getting around the place. I had that gas Gator for years and never used it all that much. I gave it to my SIL and she loves it. Go figure. The RTV has pretty much replaced the FEL for a lot of my hauling and toting chores. Long may it continue to run.