Piper184

My 2006 284 is still running the original battery (Knock on Wood!)

Having said that, I have had some problems recently with the system not charging (light on dash is on).  This is an old problem with this model and it has to do with the connectors at the voltage regulator getting loose and/or corroded.  When this happens I just unplug the regulator and plug it back in. Eventually (when it gets warmer out) I will squeeze the flat female spade connectors to make them have better contact.

Check your parts manual for the location of the regulator if you don't know where it is.  I can take a picture and post it for you if needed.

Regulators do fail, but from what I can tell, it is almost always a connector problem.

Undersized wiring, well, yes, I think most all wiring on all products is undersized, yet I have not had any problems with the wires on my Jinma.

When I assembled mine (tractor in a crate option) I did lots of things extra, like putting the anti-corrosion felt washers on the battery posts and then sealing the cable ends.  I also treated wire ends and terminals with ACF-50 (an aircraft anti-corrosion product). 

Following instructions from other owners, I also removed the ground cable at the frame and made sure there were no painted surfaces (there weren't).  Another tip that I did not do right away, but eventually got around to is remove the started and make sure it is clean and properly lubed inside.  I also checked to make sure there was a good clean bolt (no paint under the head) holding the starter to the engine, that is where the started grounds out. Mine was fine, right from the factory, but they used to be notorious for assembling the starter without any lube. This led to premature wear and other problems.

So, make sure the cables are clean and tight at both ends.

Make sure the battery has and will hold a good charge.  If you don't have a voltmeter and load tester, you can take the battery to just about any automotive store (NAPA, Pep Boys, AutoZone, etc.) and they will test it for you.  Be sure to put it on a charger for a few hours before you test it.

Unplug and re-plug your voltage regulator a couple of times.

Make sure the alternator belt is properly tightened.

If all of those things are fine and it still cranks slow, it is time to take the starter off and have a look inside. (I would do that anyway, just to make sure it is still OK after getting hot).

Let us know how things come out or if you have any more questions.

As a side note, I am constantly amazed at just how good of a little tractor the 284 is.  Mine sits weeks sometimes and it always starts.

My procedure if it has been more than a week is to close the throttle and hold the shut off cable pulled out and the decompression lever in my left hand.  I crank the engine (it spins quite fast with no compression) until I get oil pressure on the gauge and keep it spinning for about 10 seconds more.

Then, depending on temperature, I use the glow plugs, the colder the longer I leave them on.  This also allows the starter to cool off a little.

Crack the throttle until the foot pedal moves forward about 1/4″, and put the cut off cable in the run position. 

I still hold the decompression lever and then hit the starter.  I let the engine spin up one or two revolutions before dropping the compression lever.  It almost always starts unless I have not used enough glow plug. I also use an engine block heater for temps below freezing, just to take the strain off the engine as much as possible.