John Deere 230 LC Starter Problems

[jlittle2212]

I would change key switch maybe if you buy key switch they would print you off schematic

Any idea how much a keyswitch would be?

 

[Shimmy1]

Ok, let's go down the list, get it all in one post. When key is OFF you have power at the red wire. When key is moved to START , you have power on 4 wires plus the red wire, according to post #33. Then, with switch in RUN , you only have power at the red wire according to post #39. So, I think everyone would agree that you need some wires besides the red one hot in the run position. Now, on to Relay #8. Have you tried to leave it hooked up like it would normally be and use a jumper to the other terminal (not the one that is ground) to see if you can activate it? If you can, the only thing left is to see if you can determine if one of the wires under the key goes to that relay. If so, and everything I've listed is correct, then all it can be is the keyswitch. If you can't determine if one of the wires under the key goes down to the relay, then either a wire has failed, or something else is not allowing power to activate that relay.

 

[rmllarue91]

Okay the light bulb just lite on my head Back feed small wire in relay and see if you get power to one wire on key switch

 

[Delmer]

Agreed with Shimmy. I don't know about Hitachi, but the Deere wiring that I've seen is clearly identified and fairly easy to trace. Each wire had it's own #, ones that went to the same terminal would be 12A, 12B, etc.

Following Shimmy's line of thought, you could try to jumper the back of the key switch in the run position to see if that relay will activate, then see if the key will start. (could be that the switch has to activate in run to prevent "hotwiring") Of course that requires identifying the relay wire. With everything off, ground the control wire at the relay and use an ohm meter to check the back of the switch, then disconnect the wire from ground to verify. (edit: or what he said)

 

[jlittle2212]

Okay the light bulb just lite on my head Back feed small wire in relay and see if you get power to one wire on key switch

If there is a wire that runs to the battery relay, would it be the same color code as in the key switch? Would there be a diode brake between the two?

Thank you guys for all the help!

 

[Shimmy1]

Well, only a schematic is going to tell you that. Have you tried to jump power to the non-ground terminal on the master relay (#8)? Just take some wire and touch one end to battery cable and other end to terminal. Those things usually make enough noise you will know or feel it. If you can get that activated that way, then use the key and try to start.

 

[overworked]

When you turn key on, you should here the clunk when disconnect relay closes, that should give power through machine and batt power to starter, do you have power to starter at this point?

 

[Shimmy1]

Okay the light bulb just lite on my head Back feed small wire in relay and see if you get power to one wire on key switch

Yes, that is one way you could do it, but if that circuit has a relay involved in it, then it may not work.

Hold on there Overworked, we are still trying to figure out why he can't get the master relay activated in the first place.

 

[rmllarue91]

Okay between post 19 and 30 is where I got confused I think there had been many posts by shimmy lantrax and delmer that would have solved the problem I think op is jumping a around and forgetting what he is doing ( been there ) or the problem is changing

 

[overworked]

He said he changed master relay with one he found in his truck, was it any good??????

 

[jlittle2212]

Well, only a schematic is going to tell you that. Have you tried to jump power to the non-ground terminal on the master relay (#8)? Just take some wire and touch one end to battery cable and other end to terminal. Those things usually make enough noise you will know or feel it. If you can get that activated that way, then use the key and try to start.

I have tried jumping the non ground over straight from the battery. The key will start the machine at that time. Like another poster said, I need to jump over the key switch on each terminal and see what I have. I am just totally unsure where the two power wires on the non ground terminal come from. If I could figure that out, I think I could fix the problem. If its not the key switch, there has to be a diode or fuse somewhere or a broken wire.

 

[jlittle2212]

He said he changed master relay with one he found in his truck, was it any good??????

I ordered a brand new master battery relay and put it on.

 

[Shimmy1]

I have power on the small wire on top of the large battery relay.

So, thank you overworked. Maybe we DON'T know if "new" relay works? I believe he has said in earlier post he has ground at the other??

 

[rmllarue91]

Okay your close we don't know exactly how the machine is Wired. but if you try back feeding key switch from relay in hopes it's a straight shot to key switch because we don't know how it's wired.

 

[jlittle2212]

So, thank you overworked. Maybe we DON'T know if "new" relay works? I believe he has said in earlier post he has ground at the other??

1.** amps at the time when I checked with a meter. Was enough to light the test light though. When you check, double check and triple check things sometimes you tend to confuse yourself. I troubleshot 2 days without a meter, just a test light.

Wouldn't some type of safety shut down prevent power from traveling to the relay as well?

 

[Shimmy1]

I do now have dash lights. My problem is I need to know where the two red wires on top of the battery relay goes. I am not getting any power to the top of the battery relay now.

I can take a jumper wire and jump power to the hot on top of the battery relay and can start it with the key. I need a schematic. The local Deere dealer will not print me one off for some reason.:Banghead

Thanks everyone for your input so far!

So, I should have read a little better I see.

 

[overworked]

Back to key switch, 1 power wire hot when key off, turn key to run, not crank, power on how many wires?

 

[jlittle2212]

Back to key switch, 1 power wire hot when key off, turn key to run, not crank, power on how many wires?

1 wire. That is the red wire.

 

[Delmer]

If there is a wire that runs to the battery relay, would it be the same color code as in the key switch? Would there be a diode brake between the two?

In the Deere system I've seen, it would have the same number and color, if there was anything in between then the wires would be the same color but the next number. Sorry, don't know if that applies to yours??? But an ohmmeter will figure it out eventually, remember an ohmeter will read a diode open in one direction, so reverse the leads.

 

[overworked]

If you turn to run and you do not have power on another wire then you need a new switch.