JD2355 won't turn over? UPDATE

[gspren]

   First off I mean the engine not the tractor, and while it's a farm tractor not a skidder, it's my skidder. When I turn the key I get a loud click but the starter doesn't try to spin. The batteries are good and I cleaned all the connections including at the starter. My guess is the starter itself but before I tear it off is there anything else I could try? It's a 1988 or 89, 55HP diesel, 4X4 with a FEL and I have had it about 15 years without any problems.

[thecfarm]

Just a dumb idea.have you tried to rotate the engine by hand. Get it off a bad tooth? I had a kubota that would do that. I would think the starter would kinda act up a little at a time to give you some warning before it just up and died.

[whitepine2]

Did you check all the battery cables and or the solenoid,is there any safety switches. Check all the easy stuff first,you might try jumping the starter with jumper cables directly just make sure it's in neutral, this will tell if starter is at fault or something in the wiring. 

[xalexjx]

if connections are tight my guess would be solenoid.

[Maine logger88]

My JD 540 did the same thing this winter worked fine then the next morning nothing. it ended up being that the starter was bad ,but I would definitely try what everyone else said before you buy one as there pricy I paid 515 for a rebuilt one as a new from Deere was over a grand

[BargeMonkey]

 Did you make sure your getting power to the starter ? Gotta ask. Take a small ball-peen hammer and wack the solenoid and starter a few times. Sometimes the bendix can get hung up, or the solenoid maybe corroded.  Does your starter have a separate solinoid or 1 unit ?  You can also try the starter, yank it out and hook a set of cables to the battery. Just watch your fingers.

[gspren]

  The click when I turn the key sounds like it may be from the solenoid but the cab has me standing on the left while the starter is on the right. The solenoid is mounted on top of the starter, all connections clean and tight. I am/was a machinist not a mechanic but at least on older equipment I know what most of the things are. I'll try shorting across the posts on the solenoid.

[BargeMonkey]

 The reason I asked if you had power was alot of the ag stuff has a terminal box before the starter, corrosion can affect what actually gets to the starter. Get someone else in the tractor seat, in neutral, have them hold the key and wack the starter and solenoid a few times. Not hard enough to smash it but hard enough to free the bendix or rattle the solenoid. Works about 50/50 depending on how far gone it is.

[North River Energy]

How long since the tractor was last run?
If it has been sitting awhile, you could have a sticking brush holder/slider.
Giving the case a whack might do it for now, but you'll want to free it up proper.

[gspren]

  This morning I gave the starter a few whacks with a small ball peen hammer and it worked, so now the question is should I do anything else or just wait and see what happens. The tractor does sometimes sit a few weeks or even a few months between using.   

[snowstorm]

first off beating on a starter with a hammer is not a good idea. there is a copper washer and a magnet in the selniod  along with 2 studs 1 from the battery 1 going to the field coils in the starter. you turn the key it pulls the washer and makes contact with the 2 studs the starter turns.after a while the studs and washer wear from the arcing each time it is started

[North River Energy]

Fix it before you find yourself more severely inconvenienced.
Odds are good it's something simple.

[Remle]

If it were mine I would take the starter to repair shop now and have it tested. The windings/ armature in the starter will burn out if you continue the way you are going. Then it will definitely be new starter time for big $$$. You may just need a new solenoid and a good cleaning wont hurt the starter any.

[BargeMonkey]

 I never said lightly hitting it with a hammer was a cure, he does have something to fix and should investigate it. To get out of the woods or get thru the day we all do things we shouldnt.

[gspren]

  Ok I asked around and there is a small shop still in business that specializes in starters, generators, and alternators and I will take the starter in next week. I didn't need to rap it very hard and I'm glad that I now know where the problem is even if not sure exactly what was hung up. Thanks, I need that tractor to be dependable when we get a big rain and it washes out the driveway, sometimes twice a year and sometimes twice in a week.