economy tractor wont stay running without battery

Anonymous-0 · Jun 3, 2009

Here is the situation. I got the tractor running. The battery is no good, so i used my truck battery and jumper cables to get it going. when i take off one of the cables it dies. I am new to all this, what should i do to fix it. It is a K321 Kohler engine. Is there a stator/alternator behind flywheel, how do I check it to see if it is good? etc... please help

KB · Jun 3, 2009

Go to Kohler"s web site and get the manual it will tell you how to check it out. Really very simple providing you have volt meter. Usually the voltage regualtor is what goes bad on them or at least that is my experience.

El Toro · Jun 3, 2009

You need to locate the rectifier and use a volt meter set on AC volts. You need to have the engine running at 1/2 throttle or better. Be careful when doing this so you don't get injured.
You should get from 20 to 30 volts ac off your stator. Make sure those terminals are clean & shiny on the rectifier. If you have ac voltage switch your volt meter to DC volts and check to see if you're getting dc voltage out of the rectifier center terminal. Here's a wiring diagram showing the rectifier. If there's no dc voltage out your rectifier probably needs replacing. Hal

IH2444 · Jun 3, 2009

http://www.kohlerengines.com

Bob · Jun 4, 2009

If you haven't ALREADY "killed" the voltage regulator/rectifier STOP SCREWING AROUND with the dead battery and get a good one in there.

buickanddeere · Jun 4, 2009

As Bob pointed out. Trying to run alternator equipped machinery without a battery or without a good battery. This will strain the charging system with either high voltage spikes if open. Or overload the charging system if it sees a "short".
Wrong polarity during boosting will also smoke an alternator system.

Jon Hagen · Jun 4, 2009

Hal, does the Kohler manual specify any stator test beside no load output voltage ??

I ask because of a bit of a head scratcher I had to deal with last winter.
The landlords JD 318 would not charge (low volt light on ). (Onan engine wit nearly identical charging system)
First thing I checked was battery voltage to the regulator and the rectifier / regulator both checked OK. I checked the stator AC voltage which was well within specs, but no charge to the battery ???

Just on a hunch, I switched my VOM to ohms and checked from a stator lead to the motor case, it indicated the stator winding was shorted to ground !!!
The old stator had oily grass clippings packed in one spot that overheated and shorted the stator winding to the stator frame.
I replaced the stator and all was well.
Lesson learned, check the stator for output voltage AND short to ground. Normal isolated output voltage alone does not mean the stator is good.

El Toro · Jun 4, 2009

This is what I have from Kohler's service manual. Hal

Jon Hagen · Jun 4, 2009

Thanks Hal, it's right there in test 3b.
I had no access to a manual and had to think (sometimes hard to do ;-) to find the problem.

Walterdavies · Jun 4, 2009

Charging system Ka-Poot.
Walt

economy tractor wont stay running without battery

Anonymous-0

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KB

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El Toro

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IH2444

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Bob

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buickanddeere

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Jon Hagen

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El Toro

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Jon Hagen

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Walterdavies

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