641 electrical issue preventing start

mjbiddle · Oct 30, 2016

641 wont turn over.

This has been a long time problem. It used to be that the push button starter would only work on cold engine. When warm I would jiggle the wire going to the solenoid and then the starter switch would work again. Last year when that no longer worked I jumped the starter switch wire to a ground on the trans cover with a screwdriver to start. I then replaced the starter switch and still had to do the exact same thing to get it started.

Last week the grounding work-around with screwdriver no longer works either, just gives off a little spark (only when the key turned on). I also tried replacing the wire that goes from starter switch to solenoid to no avail. When I push the starter button the charging light goes out (good?).

I have not put any testing equipment on as I don"t know what to test for. I have started the process of cleaning all the connections. I see that my Dad saved a couple regulators and one solenoid so maybe he had been experiencing some problems in the past.

Thanks for your help.

old · Oct 30, 2016

I would start by jumping around the solenoid. Take a heavy piece of wire and go form the 2 big terminals on the solenoid and see if it turns over. If it does then the starter is still good and the connections are good. If it does not turn over that way then you have a bad starter or poor connections

gene bender · Oct 30, 2016

I would start with getting starter refreshed so i know its in good working condition a bad condition of the starter can make other componets act faulty

Steve@Advance · Oct 30, 2016

The charge light going off is a clue. You'll need to get a volt meter, they are not expensive for a small one.

Check the voltage at the battery side of the ignition switch, there should be battery voltage there all the time. Try turning the ignition switch on, the voltage may drop slightly, but only by 1-1.5 volts. Then try the starter. If the voltage drops lower, say to 10 volts or less, check the connections back to the battery.

If the voltage stays good on the battery side of the switch, check on the ignition side. With the switch on, try the starter. If the voltage drops, the ignition switch is bad.

If the voltage is good, keep tracking the wire connections to the starter. Where you find the drop under load is where you will find the problem.

mjbiddle · Nov 2, 2016

I took all the connections to the solenoid off and cleaned, it started! When it later stalled it started up right again even though the engine was hot.

Now to find out why it will not do a low idle, stalls out.

I was going to put the tester on the ignition switch as you suggested. I see that there are two wires coming off that look like they go to the gen light and gas gauge. I did'nt know what you meant by "battery side of the switch".

Thanks for your help.

641 electrical issue preventing start

mjbiddle

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old

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gene bender

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Steve@Advance

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mjbiddle

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