The Forestry Forum

I am so sick of this crap, went from just dry enough to finally get some wood onto the landing, worked for 2 days, now its so cold even my pickup would not start.  Tried to start my Franklin 170 this morning, she rolled over pretty good and had some pre-smoke coming from the exhaust, I tried it for maybe 15 seconds, then gave it 10 seconds off, hit a tiny squirt of ether into the pre-cleaner before the filter, had to do that once before when learning that the fuel pickup is not at the bottom of the tank.  She began to bump for maybe 1/2 second, and now I have nothing at all, its like the power switch is off, it does not even try to bump it.  Is there a relay or fuse on the starter?  I can't believe I over heated it in that short of a cranking time, and I don't think the ether could have even made its way into the cylinders yet with the tiny bump she made. 

sounds like a starter solenoid problem to me. Detroit? or cummins? unless it real late model, I doubt there is any fuse.

Cummins, and getting to the selonoid to try and jump it is just about impossible.

get your test light out and start checking wires.  there might be a fuse for the buttons.  if there is still one there it would be in the fuse box.  if you are sitting in the seat the fuse box is all the way to your left under the dash next to the floor.  My guess is that cranking it you found a bad connection some where.  Start at the batterys make sure the terminals are clean and tight.  next go to the master switch and check them.  then the solenoid mounted on the engine block behind the tranny filters.  (take the 2 bolts out of the tranny filter mounting bracket that attaches it to the frame of the skidder and lean the filter assembly out of your way)  next check them at the starter.  if all of these are clean and tight and you have power all the way through have someone push both starter buttens in and see if you still have power at the starter.  next make sure the trigger wire comming from the buttons is sending signal to the starter and to the solenoid.  if you have any questions give me a call.

Woody