Problem with new solenoid On 8N

[Herman, MN.]

After posting here a month or two ago about a problem I was having, the consensus was a bad solenoid as I myself had suspected but wasn't sure how to double check, which I did and seems to be bad. I finally had sometime last night to replace it and it has the three post (same as the old one)and it I hooked the battery to the BATT side of the solenoid and also a smaller yellow wire that was with the old one and then the other end to the starter, and it started turning over, and I hadn't even hooked up the push button to the third post yet. Thinking maybe somehow it all had to be hooked up in order to eliminate that, I quick popped the cable off the battery so it would quit cranking and finished hooking up the tranny push button, problem persisted. Now I look at some wiring diagrams here and nothing I see show this other yellow wire. My question is, is there some purpose for this wire in a different wiring scheme or what's going on wrong here, because thats the way it was previously and always worked fine until it quit working, but now it just wants to crank on its own. Any help and suggestions are much appreciated, I did run off a copy of a wiring diagram here for a 6V system and will try and trace wires but thought maybe someone might have a quick answer to save me time, as it was about 15 degrees last night and the fingers get cold fast.

Joel

 

[Westwind]

Same thing happened to me earlier this year. The solenoid was bad right outta the box from TSC. I took mine back and they accepted it was bad. Check with an OHM meter to see if you have continuity between the two large posts on the solenoid. If you do, it's bad.

This is another reason to make sure your tractor is out of gear at all times when working on the electrical system. If you somehow turn the starter over, it can start and run right over you. You're standing right in front of the rear wheel when you're working on the starter or solenoid. Stay safe and best of luck. I bet it's a bad solenoid though.

JMHO

Westwind

 

[Ken(Ark)]

The small yellow wire is an isolated ground . If it is shorted out or the switch is shorted it will engage the starter

You don't need a hot wire to engage the solenoid . It gets its power from the inside . It just needs to ground the small terminal to activate the solenoid .

The newer four post 12v solenoids need to receive power to work , these older ones just need a ground .

 

[JMOR]

"and it started turning over, and I hadn't even hooked up the push button to the third post yet."

 

[Herman, MN.]

Thanks westwind, thats a good idea to check right away and simple, I hope it is bad, otherwise I'll be posting back again later.

Joel

 

[Too Tall]

Sure sounds shorted to me. More and more frequently I'm seeing bad parts right out of the box.

Some places make it hard to return electronic stuff, you may need to get a manager. Last time I had to do this, I ended the disagreement by asking if I was supposed to bring my meter with me to the store whne buying stuff. Told him I'd open each one before I bought. He agreed that was unnecesary, and offered a replacement that we checked before i left the store.

If you are stuck with it and can't retun it, try tapping it with a hammer lightly a few times. That may unstick the contacts. Sometimes this is a long term fix, but most of the time it's just a short term solution. Once the contacts have welded themselves once, they seem to do it again at the most inopportune times.

TooTall

 

[Ken(Ark)]

"I hadn't even hooked up the push button to the third post yet" & "but wasn't sure how to double check"

More than likely this means the wire to the soliniod , but if it meant to the push button and theres a short in the wire it would turn over .

It is confusing to a feller that is familiar with a modern soliniod that requires power to engage , especially when theres a problem. If this was the case he could buy a dozen new soliniods and still pull his hair out . I have seen people almost get into a fist fight over returning a part that tested good at the parts counter . That idiot looked a lot like me , he he .

 

[ZANE]

Bad solenoid. Take it back to where you bought it.

Zane

 

[JMOR]

that little "he,he" made me laugh out loud! I do know what you mean.

I've put a drawing out before with two solenoid types & Bob? has one out here too. I've adder two more types & will put it out here sometime. Probably just confuse the issue with too much stuff though.

 

[Cman]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong....There is two types of solenoids, an insulated base and a grounded base. The Ford tractor carries the insulated base, thus grounding with the starter button activates the solenoid. The grounded base would be hot all the time once the hot battery cable is hooked up.

 

[JMOR]

There are at least 4 types and I don't believe any have a "hot" mounting base.

There are a couple that get the relay coil's ground thru the mounting base, but not the 8N solenoid.