MF 65. Gas won't start

[Harlan212]

1964 MF 65 was running fine, driving with no load. Good battery, new solenoid. Have continuity in starter switch. Power to solenoid. When turn switch to start, no click from solenoid and starter does not engage.

 

[used red MN]

Hello Harlan welcome to YT. You have to test for power being sent to the small wire on the solenoid when you turn it to the start position. Did you put the new solenoid on hoping to fix this problem or was it just recently replaced? If it has not run since you installed the new solenoid there is a possibility that the new solenoid does not have the right internal circuitry. Many Ford solenoids use a ground to engage the solenoid rather than sending power to it.

 

[Jim.ME]

Welcome to the forums.

As used red MN mentioned was the solenoid on and working before this problem developed or did you just replace the solenoid to try to solve this problem? If you put it on trying to solve the no start what brand and part number is it?

To clarify a couple things to be sure I'm reading and understanding your info correctly.

Which starter does your tractor have? A Delco type with the solenoid mounted right on the starter that also pulls the drive in or one that has a separate relay type solenoid, that does not engage the drive?

When you say it has power to the solenoid do you mean it has power via the battery cable to a solenoid stud, or it has power to the small start terminal of the solenoid when you turn the key?

With answers to these things, it will be easier to give you better suggestions.

 

[Ron(Ont)]

I just solved a similar problem. My solution was that the solenoid lost it's ground connection to the chassis. Required some cleaning and tightening.

 

[Harlan212]

Hello Harlan welcome to YT. You have to test for power being sent to the small wire on the solenoid when you turn it to the start position. Did you put the new solenoid on hoping to fix this problem or was it just recently replaced? If it has not run since you installed the new solenoid there is a possibility that the new solenoid does not have the right internal circuitry. Many Ford solenoids use a ground to engage the solenoid rather than sending power to it.

I had checked continuity from switch when in start position to the solenoid and it was good, so I changed the solenoid from a four terminal solenoid to three terminal solenoid because the fourth terminal on the old solenoid was not being used.

 

[Harlan212]

Welcome to the forums.

As used red MN mentioned was the solenoid on and working before this problem developed or did you just replace the solenoid to try to solve this problem? If you put it on trying to solve the no start what brand and part number is it?

To clarify a couple things to be sure I'm reading and understanding your info correctly.

Which starter does your tractor have? A Delco type with the solenoid mounted right on the starter that also pulls the drive in or one that has a separate relay type solenoid, that does not engage the drive?

When you say it has power to the solenoid do you mean it has power via the battery cable to a solenoid stud, or it has power to the small start terminal of the solenoid when you turn the key?

With answers to these things, it will be easier to give you better suggestions.

I had checked continuity from switch when in start position to the solenoid and it was good, so I changed the solenoid from a four terminal solenoid to three terminal solenoid because the fourth terminal on the old solenoid was not being used. The solenoid is separate from the starter body and does not directly engage the starter drive.
When I checked power to the solenoid, I meant that it has power to the exciting circuit on the solenoid when the key is turned to the start position.

 

[Harlan212]

Checked battery with multimeter and it showed 12 volts. However, when I bypassed the solenoid from btry to starter it would not turn starter. Checked battery with load tester and it only produced 7 volts. Replaced battery which was still under full warranty and the tractor started immediately. Thank you guys for the help.