on going starter issue

[tbone9]

Battery voltage? I have a ZTR with a Kohler 27hp that did the same thing. If voltage went below 12.3 volts, I got the annoying click. The battery was switched out to a lithium Amazon special motorcycle battery and I use a 5 amp Lithium rated trickle charger. Problem solved for me. I would check the ground as well as the other connections as well as these bouncy machines tend to loosen their wiring.

I put a full size car battery in mine. The small atv battery didn’t work so well in the winter.

[Noel Woods]

Battery voltage? I have a ZTR with a Kohler 27hp that did the same thing. If voltage went below 12.3 volts, I got the annoying click. The battery was switched out to a lithium Amazon special motorcycle battery and I use a 5 amp Lithium rated trickle charger. Problem solved for me. I would check the ground as well as the other connections as well as these bouncy machines tend to loosen their wiring.

[tbone9]

ever since i bought my 2012 hdi ive had and issue where 50% of the time when i try to start it i get only a click and no crank.release the key and try again and away it goes as it should.initially i thought the battery may have been weak so i chucked a good agm battery in but the same thing happened.took the starter out and replaced it with my brand new spare but got the same result.changed the spade connector that goes to the starter solenoid but there ws no change.i wired in a separate relay that took power right from the main power from battery then to the the starter solenoid.but it just looked gawdy and seemed like an accident waiting to happen so i removed it.is it possible that i have defective key switch?or maybe the wire going to the starter solenoid is not big enough to carry the voltage?or is there a starter relay in there somewhere that not right? im grasping at straws here,lol and need some direction. thanks

I had the same problem with my Max. After going down the same road you did new starter. Relay, ground. I finally solved it by occasionally cleaning and lubing the starter gear. Dirt would build up just enough for it to click but not engage. An intermittent issue. Since the gear and slide are completely covered up I drilled a small hole in the bull nose so I can give it a shot of brake cleaner with the straw then a shot of WD40. This solved my problem. The snowmobile guys would have this problem also due to belt dust collecting in there.

[argohunter]

Good information to know. Thanks plott hound!

[plott hound]

Assuming the new starter and battery are good all is left is ign sw ,wiring and solenoid. If youre getting a click probably switch is fine . I would make sure all wiring and connections are clean. Clean ring terminals battery connections. make sure no white powder on wires. Make sure ground connection on block is clean.your starter grounds thru its body so as long as the block mount is clean. Adding a ground to the starter would help anyways.
Can swap relay as well
Does your machine have a neutral safety switch?
If so bypass it and see if any change.

just a follow up to my old thread.the new ignition switch did not solve the problem.skirdu nailed it and i somehow missed his reply.the spade connectors at the neutral safety switch were loose.tightened them up with a squeeze from the pliers put a dap of dieletric grease on them and now im golden.hope this helps someone else.

[plott hound]

so after messing with this issue for about 7 years,i finally bought and installed a new ignition switch.problem solved,what a pisser.hard to beleive that a 20 dollar part would cause me so much greif. hope this helps someone else.

[plott hound]

well after 15-20 starts i have not got the dreaded click.looks like the bosch 5 pin relay is the easy solution.gonna neaten up the wiring a bit then stick a fork in it and see what happens.

[Murray40]

The quick answer.....with difficulty. As u probably know Argo repair generally requires a little inspector Gadget/Macgiver know-how. However, I made the shield from a piece of v thin reflective sheet metal. Cut it to shape and sled it in between the block and starter. Pulled the two sides out, lapped and fastened. Not pretty but works. Caution:make sure the terminals on the starting unit are completely covered to prevent arcing with the sheet mental.

[plott hound]

As I suggested earlier this problem is so similar to the one had, except mine only occurred with a hot engine during summer temps . And invariably on the second crank it would fire up. Some heavy equipment friends suggested “heat soak”( google).
Installed a heat shield between starter and engine block....so far no dreadful “click” miles (opts kms) back in the bush. BTw I’m driving 04 Argo avenger.

how did you manage to install a heat sheild bettween the engine and the starter?

[Murray40]

Intermittent problems are always the worse to correct. One other change I made was disconnect the cooling fans from the ignition and wired them to a separate toggle switch. Not sure about newer models, but as soon as the ignition was turned, before cranking mode, the fans on mine would be running.

[plott hound]

thanks for that murray40.i had a really good look at everything today and of course the starter engaged evertime i tried it,no click.i wired the bosch relay in again and will leave it alone and see if the click is eliminated.if it does maybe i will chase the green wire back from the starter to the key switch and see if i can replace it with a heavier wire?????

[Murray40]

As I suggested earlier this problem is so similar to the one had, except mine only occurred with a hot engine during summer temps . And invariably on the second crank it would fire up. Some heavy equipment friends suggested “heat soak”( google).
Installed a heat shield between starter and engine block....so far no dreadful “click” miles (opts kms) back in the bush. BTw I’m driving 04 Argo avenger.

[plott hound]

here is a how to on adding a solenoid.

https://www.mytractorforum.com/threads/using-starter-assist-relay-to-fix-a-kohler-command-click-no-start-issue.210940/

and here is a thread i found on the issue https://www.mytractorforum.com/threa...ractor.131077/

tomorrow after work i will start running through all the suggestions and if none work i will throw that relay back on and give it a chance.

[plott hound]

The ground to a starter bolt may help, I believe Kohler engines may to be cleaned where the starter meets the block now and again.

thanks argo jim,will add that to my list of tests.

[ARGOJIM]

The ground to a starter bolt may help, I believe Kohler engines may to be cleaned where the starter meets the block now and again.