'52 8N Electrical Issue

[bernieblue]

For Jim L WA. In answer the your question in post #37, it supplies ground when pushed.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Why do 1952 8Ns attract THE WORST electricians?
Here is the wiring on, "The Junk Pile" when we brought it home.

 

[R Geiger]

If a picture is worth a thousand words then here are 8,000 worth. These photos show the state of the tractor when I got it. I'm fooling with it for a friend who's been storing it for many years. Looks like the starter button is the same type mounted on the tranny. The one on the tranny isn't wired to anything. The small toggle switch to the right of the starter button on the dash is the kill switch. The other photos gives you a shot of the electrical challenges I'm dealing with.

I would get a new wire harness and get rid of all of the old, spliced wires. been there done that!

 

[Eman85]

OK when you push the button next to the shifter see if it supplies ground when pushed.
If that was my tractor I would remove anything that resembles a wire and start from scratch.

 

[used red MN]

If a picture is worth a thousand words then here are 8,000 worth. These photos show the state of the tractor when I got it. I'm fooling with it for a friend who's been storing it for many years. Looks like the starter button is the same type mounted on the tranny. The one on the tranny isn't wired to anything. The small toggle switch to the right of the starter button on the dash is the kill switch. The other photos gives you a shot of the electrical challenges I'm dealing with.

Connect the red lead of your meter to the chassis/engine somewhere it can make a good connection to ground. Hold the black lead to the actual negative post of the battery and push your starter button. If the meter reads battery voltage when you do this the negative cable is bad or there is a bad connection. How tight is the bolt that holds it to the tractor? As a side note, why not turn the cable clamp on the battery more to the side when you tighten it so it keeps the cable away from the exhaust?

 

[bernieblue]

Eman85 - Yes the circuit goes to ground when pushed. I agree with starting from scratch. My earlier comment about "fooling with it for a friend" is pretty accurate. I'm beginning to feel like a fool.

used red MN - Your test did in fact show battery voltage. The cable connections are tight. I checked ohms on the cable and did not see an open loop. Actually showed zero ohms. I'll keep checking connections.

 

[used red MN]

Eman85 - Yes the circuit goes to ground when pushed. I agree with starting from scratch. My earlier comment about "fooling with it for a friend" is pretty accurate. I'm beginning to feel like a fool.

used red MN - Your test did in fact show battery voltage. The cable connections are tight. I checked ohms on the cable and did not see an open loop. Actually showed zero ohms. I'll keep checking connections.

To be double certain I am basically telling you to test voltage from one end of the negative cable to the other. If that is indeed what you are doing and it shows voltage do this. Grab the cable where it come out of the terminal ends and jerk on it like it’s a snake and you want to pull the head off of it. My guess is one end or the other is going to pull out of the terminal. Equals bad negative battery cable.

 

[used red MN]

To be double certain I am basically telling you to test voltage from one end of the negative cable to the other. If that is indeed what you are doing and it shows voltage do this. Grab the cable where it come out of the terminal ends and jerk on it like it’s a snake and you want to pull the head off of it. My guess is one end or the other is going to pull out of the terminal. Equals bad negative battery cable.

Let me also reiterate, the bolt is tight that bolt it to the engine/clutch housing? A cable/circuit can carry ohms but can lose its continuity when amperes or a load move through it.

 

[bernieblue]

I guess I have to present the first place award to used red MN. I learned a long time age that a problem is probably connected with the simplest solution but being a very occasional shade tree mechanic hobbyist, especially inept when it comes to electrical issues, I've been reminded yet again.

I checked the ground connections again and found them to be very tight. Next, I took the ground cable off the tractor and did the "pull the head off the snake" trick and found both end connections were tight. A closer look at the end of the cable that connects to the engine showed a fair amount of discoloration(?) and roughness on the surfaces. Deciding that overkill never creates a problem I used my angle grinder with a medium grit flop disc and worked both sides down to a bright surface. Bingo! The tractor fired right up.

Thanks to all of you respondents for your patients and expertise. I am now far more familiar with the electrical workings of this unit. Rewiring next.

 

[Eman85]

If that original factory switch in the transmission cover works in neutral and goes to ground when pushed I would rewire that first and use it to activate the starter. Henry Ford did not put anything on a tractor that wasn't necessary and a neutral safety switch is necessary.

 

[used red MN]

Did you ever clean the battery posts and cable clamps and both ends of the battery cables with a wire brush like I suggested back on Oct. 12?

Jim L had actually already inquired twice about it. I just showed you how to find/prove there was a problem with your meter. I was really thinking that the cable had an internal problem that gave in when the positive cable was shorting out asking it to carry more amps than normal. Glad it is working for you!

 

[used red MN]

Also, I suspected that when the battery cable shorted I may have broken the connection of the small wire coming from the alternator. What does this wire do? Would it have had any effect?

I see in reply 40, photo ..820 you show a voltage regulator for a generator. Yet you’re referring to an “alternator” which is it? Photo please and photo of disconnected wire.