Western Plow doesnt raise or angle, the silenoid just makes a click sound...

[x19delta]

I just baught this truck with a western plow...power is all hooked up to the plow but when I try to raise or angle the plow, only the silenoid clicks, no movement or sound from the plow itself. I can go out and lift the ram of the plow with ease and push it back down with ease, what might be the problem with it? Is the motor bad or does it need oil or what?

[snowjoker]

What you can do is take a jumper cable and go from the battery to the plow motor and see if it runs. If it does the solonoid is probabbly bad. What type of plow pump is it? Cable operated or Electronic?. The lifting of the cylinder may be a valve that is not closing.

[Pelican]

There could also be a dirty contact in the wiring. Try the method snowjoker suggested to see if the pump works, if it does then test the solenoid with a test light to see if it's working. If the solenoid works, then you've lost power somewhere between the battery and the pump.

Start removing your supply cables and clean each connection. Don't forget to bypass and clean your ground cable too, thyat may be where the problem is.

[x19delta]

ok i bypassed the silenoid and the motor does nothing. I checked the contacts and they are all good. I have the Isarmatic Mark IIIa.
I dont know what else it could be....I have a receipt saying the motor is new in 1999. Would the motor go that fast?

[snowjoker]

It's possible the motor is bad. Take it off and see if you can spin it by hand. Or have a local electric motor shop look at it. Good luck!!! Keep us posted!

[Pelican]

If it hasn't been used for quite a while, it's possible the armature brushes have carboned up and won't transmit power. This will require disassembly of the motor to do, and I'm afraid I can't describe the procedure in detail.

It's also possible that either the motor or pump is siezed. Did you get sparks when you touched the wires to it to show it's drawing power? This would indicate the motor is trying to work but is unable to. Again, disassembly will be required if this is the case to determine which is siezed, the pump or motor.

[wyldman]

Check the ground bolt on the motor,and try jumping the motor case to the battery ground.You may have a problem on the ground side.

[x19delta]

Ok...bad news...I took the motor off and that is what is seized up. I took the two long bolts out of the top of the motor and they are rusty. Very Rusty! SO......It looks like I will have to buy a new motor. Thanks for all the help guys!

[sonjaab]

X...I have seen that rusted motor thing before on my old Western.

My cure was to cut a old bleach bottle and slip over the top of the motor when not used or when stored outside during the summer.

You should also change your plow fluid (ATF) when you put the new motor on. It is prob. contaminated with water too...........geo

[Got Grass]

My fix for a rusting/water logged motor. Well no fix as it's toast, but after ya replace it. Take some silicone, gasket sealer & spread that arround the peice on top that comes off, where it meets the plow & all bolt's, then spread eletrical greese arround all eletrical connections...