Ford 3000 not starting

[RichL]

Hi, I have a diesel Ford 3000, 1969 (I think). It's been sitting for a few weeks while I waited for a part to repair the hydraulic pump. We've now done the repair, but the tractor won't start.
It doesn't turn over at all when turning the key, although the battery is good and the lights turn on.
It started easily until the hydraulic pump problem. I did wonder whether the neutral safety switch could be a problem? Does anyone have any advice what I should check first?
Thank you!

 

[Steve in IL]

Had the same thing happen to our 4000. After blaming all kinds of electrical parts issues, turned out to be just a loose ground connection at frame end. Lesson learned... In a no crank situation, first check, clean and tighten all main positive and negative cables, clamps and connections.

 

[Texasmark]

With nothing happening, your engine isn't turning over. I assume that your dash lights...oil pressure and generator.....are turning on when the key is turned to the on and start positions. If not, run the battery circuit, both plus and minus main power cables and connections.

If they do then the next thing to do, if you aren't already there, is to get in the seat, push in on the clutch, and wiggle the left hand stick back and forth going in and out of the mid (neutral) position. If that does nothing, take the shield off just forward of the shift levers. You have now exposed the 2 wires that go to the safety start switch.

Follow them back to the starter solenoid, small terminals. With both sticks in their N position....centered if not already there, taking your Volt meter on the 20V scale, measure both solenoid small terminals to ground. One should show 12v when the key is turned to the start position. I so, fine for voltage being applied to the solenoid.

With the start switch still in the start position, move the voltmeter lead to the other small terminal, and ground. You should read nothing. If you read 12v then you have 12v on both terminals indicating that the coil in the solenoid is good, the solenoid is getting power, but no ground to complete the circuit.

If you have no other way to do it, disconnect each lead from the small terminals and with the start switch in the start position measure both leads to find out which is getting operating voltage. Reconnect it to the solenoid and go to the other one, the ground terminal.

With the safety switch depressed.....tranny in N, you should read near zero Ohms to ground on that lead. Follow the other lead coming out from the tranny cover and connect your Ohm meter across both that terminal and the one that was connected to the ground side of the solenoid. If the tranny is in N, and you have the ohmmeter on both ends of the two wires coming from the tranny cover then the safety switch is not closing.....its an easy fix......just pop the tranny cover and its plainly visible.

The other thing you can do to ensure that that switch is definitely your problem is take a 16 AWG or thicker wire and connect one end to the battery negative or other known good ground point, and the other end to the terminal on the solenoid that didn't have 12v on it. When the starter switch is in the start position, you should expect the tractor to turn over and start.

 

[SkipperII]

You can quickly check the neutral safety switch. Unplug the wires going to the switch, plug the ends together, and with your butt on the seat, and foot depressing the clutch, see if it will crank.

 

[Texasmark]

You can quickly check the neutral safety switch. Unplug the wires going to the switch, plug the ends together, and with your butt on the seat, and foot depressing the clutch, see if it will crank.

I didn't remember if the wires were on separate connections and jumpering across them would be the easies cure as you said......course I could have gotten off my duff and gone outside and looked.....but its hot outside.......

 

[RichL]

Thank you for all your advice, I'll try these next time I'm where the tractor is. Sadly it's not stored near where I live so I can only work on it when I can get there! I appreciate the time you've taken to give me information & I'll reply again when I've tried these suggestions

 

[RichL]

I'm back with the tractor today, on my own though so might be difficult to do anything that needs the starter switch on at the same time as using the multimeter!
I've attempted to trace the wires from the neutral safety switch. It's kind of difficult as they're taped together with other wires, but I think it's those shown with arrows on the photo attached.
I haven't yet been able to bypass the safety switch by unplugging it and plugging the wires together as the two wires both go into a single plastic connector unit. I may have to cut that off to connect the wires.

 

[RichL]

There's also a third wire taped together with the two that go to the neutral safety switch that's not connected to anything. I've attached a photo. The two with arrows were connected to the switch. The one with a ? wasn't connected to anything, and I can't see anything obvious it should be connected to. Any ideas?
The photo is taken looking up from near the clutch pedal

 

[RichL]

Fixed it!! I found a loose connection behind the ignition switch!

 

[Sean in PA]

There should only be two wires going to the neutral safety switch. One comes from the key switch and the other goes to the solenoid.

 

[Destroked 450]

The extra single wire is usually a tail light/ rear work light wire coming from the light switch

 

[SkipperII]

Fixed it!! I found a loose connection behind the ignition switch!

Glad that you found it. Now, I suggest you pick up a repair manual for it. The thousand series are really pretty simple , by comparison, to troubleshoot and repair.

 

[RichL]

Glad that you found it. Now, I suggest you pick up a repair manual for it. The thousand series are really pretty simple , by comparison, to troubleshoot and repair.

I'll definitely be looking for one, thanks. I have an owners manual but it doesn't cover much regarding repairs

 

[RichL]

The extra single wire is usually a tail light/ rear work light wire coming from the light switch

Ah that makes sense, thanks