John Deere M timing question

[bday121058]

Thanks for the picture! I see your battery is grounded to the same spot as mine. I've ordered new 1/0 cables and new battery clamps going to try grounding to the starter mount. Hope that and checking the fuse will resolve starting problems. Is that a cut out or a regulator? Grass is getting kinda tall in the pasture!

 

[Watthour]

It is defined as a cut-out relay on factory diagrams. Regulation, or the closest thing to it, is crudely controlled by a resistor mounted to the ignition switch with both high and low settings for charging control. I normally keep mine on high unless the tractor has run for an extended period and I don't want to boil the battery dry.

 

[bday121058]

Working on the girl tomorrow, someone on this thread said to disconnect the cut-out, got the battery charged, new battery cables, new terminals. Grounding to the starter mount. Fingers crossed .

 

[bday121058]

Didn't get the chance to work on the girl, had to go help our daughter for a while, then Easter, then all of passed the noravirus to each other, in the intrem I've decided to rewire the whole harness. I'm going to go with 12 gauge wire. Any thoughts?

 

[bday121058]

Okay, worked on my 1947 JD M for more than a couple hours today. As was suggested installed 1/0 wireing to starter and grounded to iron (0 resistance from battery to ground) new clamps on battery and sanded battery posts. Disconnected battery side of cut-out. Still won't start and seems to struggle to turn over. Checked battery with multi meter it showed battery at 6.57 volts. I'm starting to think about the starter. Any thoughts?

 

[used red MN]

Okay, worked on my 1947 JD M for more than a couple hours today. As was suggested installed 1/0 wireing to starter and grounded to iron (0 resistance from battery to ground) new clamps on battery and sanded battery posts. Disconnected battery side of cut-out. Still won't start and seems to struggle to turn over. Checked battery with multi meter it showed battery at 6.57 volts. I'm starting to think about the starter. Any thoughts?

What does the battery voltage show when you’re cranking the engine?

 

[bday121058]

Couldn't check didn't have help but it's the same rated battery that came out of it ( same numbers, I can't think of what they are right now L-10-??) so new battery should have same cranking amps.

 

[bday121058]

I'm not sure if I've posted this or not, it's been a long time since I posted. We re-wired the entire electrical system, stayed 6v. Down to new switch and wires to the headlights (still can't get those to work!) but rebuilt the starter. Got her running and cut our 2 acer pasture twice. Thanks to everyone who contributed.I have learned so much! Now I'm worried about smoke coming out of the fill stack, especially under load. Is this normal?

 

[Watthour]

Smoke from the "fill stack" as in the oil fill tube? If so, that would likely be combustion blowby. That always happens to some extent under load, but is normally to an extent that is completely unnoticeable, or barely noticeable. More modern engines address crankcase pressure with PCV valves and systems, but retrofitting that to your M could be very interesting, to say the least.

More significant blowby can be due to several items, such as worn or sticky rings, worn bores and pistons, incorrect oil, and abnormally high cylinder pressure. If it continues without diminishing now that you have the unit running, it may warrant looking more closely into the engine.

 

[bday121058]

Smoke from the "fill stack" as in the oil fill tube? If so, that would likely be combustion blowby. That always happens to some extent under load, but is normally to an extent that is completely unnoticeable, or barely noticeable. More modern engines address crankcase pressure with PCV valves and systems, but retrofitting that to your M could be very interesting, to say the least.

More significant blowby can be due to several items, such as worn or sticky rings, worn bores and pistons, incorrect oil, and abnormally high cylinder pressure. If it continues without diminishing now that you have the unit running, it may warrant looking more closely into the engine.

Thanks, I was thinking rings too, unfortunately. The oil pressure gauge does show abnormally high pressure. I have installed a new one since the old one didn't work at all and thought it must be the wrong gauge since it was showing over 200 lbs.