Total failure

 The mighty 2005 Jinma went down several dayts ago – which is a traumatic event for me because it is the best and strongest hired hand I have, and the only one.  I had been using it all day, and went to put it in the shed, when I hit the starter, I heard a sound like the solenoid coming apart, then a spinning, and then nothing.  Efforts to start it were unsuccessful-no current to anything at all. 

The tractor has the original battery which is trickle charged for 2-3 hours several times a year, and the original starter.  While trying to figure out what the problem might be, I thought about some older Fords that I had owned, and a problem with a black oxide forming on the battery posts between the post and battery cable clamps.

I went through all of the connections on the battery and the starting motor, plus the frame ground, and the tractor started right up and ran like a top!  Dodged the bullet again!!  I do clean these connections every year, at the annual oil/lube/filter maintenance,so was surprised that this was the problem.  I was about ready to pull the starter before I thought about those old Fords.  Don't know if anyone else has had this problem, but was extremely happy that the problem was this simple.