Ford Jubilee odd no start problem

[old]

So got a call today fro ma guy about his Jubilee not starting. First off found a bad new starter button. But then worked around that and it would not start. Had to adjust the points a bit but yet no start. Hot wired it would run but not run with the key switch. Traced things down to being bad amp gauge. You could grab the gauge from the under side and move the insides of the gauge around and if you moved it just right it would run but soon die due to the vibrations of it running moving the amp gauge. First time I have run into a problem like that.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Old. I never had a bad ammeter either. Think about it, turn key on, current goes through meter to points showing discharge. No path, no power to points, no start.

Good job.

 

[old]

This one is an on and off thing. Move the gauge and it works then does not work off and on. Also noticed one time when I wiggle the gauge there was a spark inside the gauge which is also odd. Guy plans to buy new gauge and probably call me to install it for him

 

[4520BW]

That happened on my dads d17. He was pushing a brush pile when it died. Luckily I was dragging logs with the 8430 at the time and got it drug out before it got on fire.

 

[tomturkey]

It is good for me to read about problems such as this. It further imprints my mind that you cannot assume anything when you start trouble shooting, especially electrical stuff. Compounding Old's problem was the it works, it doesn't work, it works it doesn't work. Good catch thanks for sharing.....gobble

 

[old]

That is why I post stuff like this so maybe in the long run it will help others with such odd problems

 

[John T]

When I was a used tractor dealer I saw ammeters stuck, open circuit, shorted out among other problems so its no surprise to me, glad you got it figured out,

John T

 

[old]

It all came down to eliminating one part after another part. Hot wired it so I knew it would start. Then tried the ballast resister and it was good. Tried the switch and it proved good so all it could be was a wire or the amp gauge