4110 LCG Safety Switch Issue

[dvetter7213]

I have a 4110 LCG select-o-speed tractor with a loader that I picked up for $800 a few months ago that I am trying to get running. I've got 14v at the key, but I'm only getting 4v at the keyed wire at the solenoid. I'm guessing it's a safety switch issue, but I'm not sure where they are located at on this tractor.

If I can't figure it out, I will run an external wire from the switch to the solenoid, but I'd rather have the safety switches functional.

Also the wiring was pretty butchered when I bought the tractor. There was an unterminated wire at leaving the old starter solenoid and there was a second unterminated melted wire from the + terminal on the coil. Should those two be connected? I've read conflicting information that they should be connected and I've also read that the second terminal should go to ground. This is the solenoid that I just installed: https://www.yesterdaystractors.com/Ford-4000_Starter-Solenoid-12-Volt_D2AF11450AA.html

 

[Sean in PA]

The starter safety switch is in the top of the transmission. You should see two wires going down from below the dash to the transmission. In the manual transmissions it only allows the solenoid to get power when the hi/low range shifter is in neutral. On the S-O-S trans it only allows the solenoid to get power when the transmission shifter is in Park. If it's not working when the shifter is in Park, then the switch may be bad or something may be out of position internally. Before you dive into it, be sure to get a service manual and follow the procedures outlined in there to remove the transmission top cover, or else you may cause yourself some unneccessary, and possibly costly, repairs.

On mine, I thought the switch had gone bad one time, but it only turned out to be that one of the wires going down to the transmission had become disconnected, so look for the simple stuff first.

 

[dvetter7213]

I thought those were the wires to the park safety switch, and they all appeared to be connected. There were three wires instead of only two. I can probably check continuity to see if it connects when in park, but disconnects when in gear.

I got a service manual, but I didn't see the SOS safety switch. It's a pretty big manual though so I could have missed it. I'm sure it covers removing the top cover though.

 

[Sean in PA]

If there's a third wire, then it should be for the S-O-S fluid pressure warning light sender, which is similar to the oil pressure sender on the engine, and is really just a switch that completes the circuit to ground for the warning light if the pressure is too low.

I just re-read your first post and noticed the last bit that I missed the first time. That is the correct solenoid that you bought. The primary is completely isolated so it needs one of the small posts grounded. The start terminal from the key switch should go to the safety switch in the transmission, and the second wire from the safety switch should go to one of the small posts on the solenoid, and the other small solenoid post should be grounded. If it has the original coil that requires and external resistance, and the original resistance wire, or the resistance wire has been replaced with a ballast resistor, then you can have an optional extra wire going from the non-grounded small post of the solenoid to the primary of the coil to by-pass the resistor and provide a full 12 volts to the coil during starting to get a hotter spark making it fire off easier when starting. If the coil has been replaced with a true 12 volt coil that does not use an external resistance, then that extra wire should be eliminated.

What I find odd is that you're getting 4v at the solenoid. If the safety switch truly wasn't working then you should be getting zero volts at the solenoid. Is that 4 volts only when the key is in the "Start" position, or does it measure 4 volts there all of the time?

 

[dvetter7213]

I thought the 4v was weird too. It's only when the key is in the start position. Most of the electrical connections were really bad so I'll go through the park sensor wiring to make sure the connections there are ok. The switch might be ok, but the connections might be too corroded for a good connection. The coil is labeled as not needing a resistor so I think I'm ok there.

It will probably be a few days before I get around to it though. I went to upgrade to an alternator and change belts and forgot that I needed to pull the hydraulic pump forward to get the belt on. So I'll try to get that done before I finish up the starter wiring.