300 Tach and starting

[300guy]

Today I was at the farm and started my 300 for the first time since I put it away for the winter on 10/21/22. It has a Petronix ignition and ran before the second turn over. This never happened with the points in it. Just thought I would add this since it was 5 1/2 months of sitting.

Second has anyone found a good place to buy a tach. I had replaced this one with supposedly a quality tach and today when I started it, all it would do is jump back and forth. The tach cable broke last fall and I replaced it and it worked ok then. I took the tach out and held the cable end while running the tractor and it never jumped or anything that would cause the tach to jump. I guess for unknown reason, sitting over the winter the tach went out to left field. Or the tach caused the cable to break last fall and now the reason for that is showing up in the tach. In 2016 I got one from this site and it was defective and had to return it. Then I got one from Precision Tractor Parts. Now it seems to have gone to tach heaven. Suggestions!!!

 

[used red MN]

Did you lube the cable as you installed it? Or maybe it was both the center cable and housing were replaced together. Either way unless you are sure it is lubed well pull the center drive cable completely out, it is best to do this from the top end by the tach head. Pour some automatic transmission or hydraulic fluid in the palm of your hand. Run the cable through the lube in your hand as you turn it and feed it back in the housing. Then try again to see if it reads steady.

 

[rustred]

The old rep. would fill it to the top with atf.

 

[300guy]

Yes it was lubed. The problem is in the tach.

 

[DaveBN]

I'm don't know what spins the tach on a 300 but maybe the problem is at that end.
Dave

 

[used red MN]

Not sure if you have a loader on this unit or not. If you have a loader it may be tricky to get to, I am talking about pulling the drive out on the engine a look it over. If it has not been lubed in a while it probably needs it anyway. Second get a couple inch long piece of 12 ga house wire. Pound the end flat so it will engage in the square drive of the tach head. Turn it with your drill, if needle swings held at a constant speed you are right, she went to tach heaven. No experience with a recommendation other than giving YT another shot.

 

[Janicholson]

Put a 10d nail in the tach cable hole and spin the nail head (the nail point should drive the inner hub) if it does, cut the nail off and put it in a drill. Spinning it with a constant RPM will tell the story. If it is still rough, New tach time. Or see if the supplier will help! Jim

 

[300guy]

Who do you recommend to purchase a new tach from? I am about 98% sure it is in the tach.

 

[Janicholson]

There are several that you can find by searching for Farmall Tachometers. Choosing a different source, or a repair shop are both options. Jim

 

[300guy]

Know anything about this place?

https://www.redrunrite.com/tachometer-ih-gas-300-350-400-450/

 

[Janicholson]

I do not. Reparing the existing tach would be my first choice. Did you try spinning it with a drill? Jim

 

[DR. EVIL]

THere's A PAIR OF REALLY fine pitch gears in the cast iron housing between the live hyd pump and the
distributor drive shaft & gear, the actual tach drives exits that housing at about a 25 degree angle and then
the tach cable housing and the center cable extend to wherever the tach is mounted. Removing the center cable
and cleaning and relubricating the cable will really improve things. If the inner cable is broken try a new
cable & housing before buying the tach head.

 

[300guy]

I did not take the time to do that when I left the farm the other day. The farm is 2 hours away so there are lots of things I leave for the next trip. I did last fall when I replaced the tach cable and it worked fine then. I did hold onto the cable with the tractor running and it did not slip or jerk or anything like that. So I will investigate more in a couple of weeks when I go back up there.

 

[dhermesc]

I put one of those cheap $30 tach from India on my 350 about 8-9 years ago. It was still working fine when I sold the tractor last summer.