Do the wires on the wire block need to be in a set order - 8n?

[nabdag]

I am working on a carb issue and I put the carb back on after i think i got it sorted. But now the tractor won't crank. Press the start and not a sound.

It did this before and I tightened up the wires on the block and ignition switch and remade the wire end on the solenoid that runs to start button, Then it did fine.

I was literally cranking it yesterday. Battery is brand new and full charge. I have a tester light and everything lights up.. I noticed after it didn't make a sound some wires had slipped off wire block behind dash. Do they need to be in a set order?

I press start and not a sound but yesterday night it was fine. Only change is those wires slipping off. Again, everything lights up with tester light. It's something small. Some wire isn't connected all the way or if there needs to be an order it's off. Solenoid is new. Again - this isn't anything crazy wrong. It's something tiny.

Thanks.

 

[used red MN]

ND, welcome to YT! Depending on your serial number one of the two bottom diagrams on the linked page will answer your question. N wiring diagrams You must not have poked around here much since you joined last night or you would have run across JMORs diagrams that Tim Daley (RIP) uses to bombard this site with. Of course since the software change over at the end of ‘23 you can’t go direct into the Archives like you use to be able to. Now you limited to the Search which still should have got you something.
Edit: Maybe the ones by JMOR are better if they show the correct wire color. Can’t tell you I am not a true Ford guy, sure is a lot of yellow wires shown. See the last reply in this post. Lot of other good info there for an N owner. TPD Ford N post

 

[JMOR]

https://imgur.com/lAHuW5J

 

[Eman85]

If it's an 8N and wired correctly with the starter button on the shift plate the wires on the dash have nothing to do with starter function. Starter has a heavy battery cable from the battery and 1 wire from the start button on the shift plate. The start button provides ground to activate the solenoid and the solenoid provides power to the starter motor. Use you test light and follow the trail.
If your tractor has been modified then all bets are off and it's time for pistures.

 

[nabdag]

@Eman85,

Your reply is a bit flawed. First, it assumes I know nothing at all and that the problem is simply I know nothing at all. It misrepresents my actual issue. Secondly - the tractor is wired correctly. Check op to see I said it was working. It's been working for years.

The start button goes to small post on solenoid. The post on solenoid closest to steering wheel has the battery cable on it and another 10g wire going up to the wire block.

@JMOR, my block is a rectangle and single bolt.

Only change is wires coming off wire block. Nothing else has changed.

New solenoid, new battery, new ignition switch. Was cranking perfectly fine just hours before.

When I ask if wires need to be in a specific order on the wire block, I am asking if the wires on the wire block need to be in a specific order on the wire block. Because, only change is wires coming off block. Before that the tractor was cranking perfectly fine. Nothing else has changed. Tractor has ran for years until this carb issues. Tractor was cranking hours before putting carb back on. I didn't touch or change any wires.

What is the order of operations to determine which wire is the problem?

Thanks, all.

 

[Eman85]

You say your tractor won't crank. Not cranking means starter will not "crank" the motor over in order to start. If the battery cables are hooked up and clean and the battery is charged it takes only that 1 small wire to ground the solenoid to make the engine crank with the starter motor.

 

[Mad Farmer]

I think taking a volt/ohm meter and tracing where you have voltage and continuity might help.

A test light won't check a ground.

Will the starter turn if you put battery voltage to the starter post with a set of jumper cables? Make sure it's in neutral. It so then jump the battery side of the selenoid to the starter post. If so then jumper a small wire to the small starter post to ground.

 

[JMOR]

"rectangle and single bolt".........this alone means it isn't factory stock. So, for anyone to give useful help, you need to educate the crowd as to what you have. 6v, 12v, in past did ign key need to be on before starter would function or not? Carefully use the words "cranking" and "starting", etc.

 

[Mad Farmer]

"rectangle and single bolt".........this alone means it isn't factory stock. So, for anyone to give useful help, you need to educate the crowd as to what you have. 6v, 12v, in past did ign key need to be on before starter would function or not? Carefully use the words "cranking" and "starting", etc.

And some good pictures

 

[ChrisFromCLE]

@Eman85,

When I ask if wires need to be in a specific order on the wire block, I am asking if the wires on the wire block need to be in a specific order on the wire block. Because, only change is wires coming off block. …. I didn't touch or change any wires.

What is the order of operations to determine which wire is the problem?

Thanks, all.

Are you asking if the order that each wire is placed on the binding post of the block is important? If so, the answer is no. On any one binding post, all wires are at the same electrical potential. Put them back on the block in the original location in any order and you will be fine.

Chris from CLE

 

[nabdag]

You say your tractor won't crank. Not cranking means starter will not "crank" the motor over in order to start. If the battery cables are hooked up and clean and the battery is charged it takes only that 1 small wire to ground the solenoid to make the engine crank with the starter motor.

Useless answer.

"one small wire". Tells me so much. Thanks.

 

[nabdag]

Are you asking if the order that each wire is placed on the binding post of the block is important? If so, the answer is no. On any one binding post, all wires are at the same electrical potential. Put them back on the block in the original location in any order and you will be fine.

Chris from CLE

Done. Still no sound when pressing start button. Was working fine before wires came off block. What's next?

 

[Jim.ME]

Done. Still no sound when pressing start button. Was working fine before wires came off block. What's next?

Would you be able to post a picture or two of your solenoid and starter button?

Always make sure the tractor is in neutral while testing.

Have you tried using a jumper wire to ground the small terminal of the solenoid? If that makes it crank it would indicate a problem with the starter button or the wire between the starter button and solenoid.

You mentioned a new solenoid. If you unhook the wires from it and use your ohmmeter, it should have continuity between one of the large terminals and the small terminal. The battery cable must be on that terminal for the solenoid to work. Internal connections power the solenoid pull-in coil, and the starter button provides the ground to make the coil work.

If it has continuity between the small terminal and the solenoid base it is the wrong solenoid.

 

[olddavid]

Since the tractor has been modified a picture of the connection block might be helpful. If it's all connections short together (one bolt like you said) then it doesn't matter but if the block has connection points isolated from each it may matter how they are connected back up.

 

[R Geiger]

If the solenoid is the correct one and was working properly before, I would ground out the wire that goes to the start switch and see what happens. On one of my 8n's I sometimes have to rotate the thumb switch to get it to work or ground out the wiere at the switch. I need a new switch but am too tired to want to change it out.

 

[used red MN]

Done. Still no sound when pressing start button. Was working fine before wires came off block. What's next?

Providing the photos Jim.ME is requesting might go a long ways towards helping clear this up. Since you say your block is “rectangle and single bolt” that tells us your tractor’s wiring differs from the original configuration from the factory. Due to this it needs to be established as JMOR asked if the tractor is still using a 6 volt battery or is it a 12 volt? To Eman85 and probably others viewing this, “wired correctly” means as it was from the factory. To you it appears “wired correctly” means it worked as you expected it to for years. That is all well and fine, but maybe surprisingly to you, this opens it up to multiple possibilities of how the wiring is actually laid out. Thus the request for the clarification, before we can get closer to the “…. order of operations to determine which wire is the problem?

 

[Eman85]

Useless answer.

"one small wire". Tells me so much. Thanks.

Solenoid, if wired like it was from the factory, only has 1 small wire attached to it. The purpose of that 1 small wire is to provide ground to energize the solenoid and complete the circuit for the starter allowing battery voltage to flow to the starter. That 1 small wire if the tractor is wired as it was from the factory connects to the starter button on the shifter plate. When the tractor is in neutral the button can be depressed and as stated it grounds that circuit of the 1 small wire.