Buying Advice Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.

   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#31  
Congratulations on your new toy!!!

As you explained of the rear lights. Check the wire that provides power to the switch. A poor connection may read 12 volts but when a load is applied will drop to zero if there is a poor or bad connection in that wire. You have proved this by changing the switches and jumping the "good" wire to the rear lights.

You may want to purchase an operators and service manual for the TLB. They answer a lot of questions and help you keep the ole girl living longer.
I will look at both the wire feeding power to the relay, and the power wire to the switch. Both show continuity, and low resistance, but it is something to go on for sure, thanks!! I did find a someone who has the big blown up electrical schematics for the 580L, so I will be ordering those momentarily!!

Will keep you all posted, I also thought about starting a thread on this issue on the electrical issue board if there is one, and see what others have had as issues and fixes...... God bless all!!
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor. #32  
GOOD NEWS EVERYONE!! I now have a 580L in my drive!! Its a beast for sure. I am going through it now to get some gauges working and cleaning up the engine bay, you know all the ins and outs of something that has just set and weathered over the years.

So I did have to change out the alternator, as we learned a costly lesson. Apparently you have to remove not only the battery (which we did) but you also have to remove the wires from the alternator and in some cases Case wants you to remove the instrument panel wiring as well when welding on the machine. I can only assume that the alternator was damaged when we welded a few spots on the loader bucket. Found out the alternator was bad when the work lights started to get very very dim, and finally the forward/reverse switch on steering column would not engage the selected direction when engaged.

Bought new battery and alternator installed and fired it all up, went to check alternator and boom not putting out 14 volts, was putting out 12.... so WTH! started a long quest of chasing wires and checking grounds, from front to back, found nothing! So dove into forums and found out about how the light bulbs behind the instrument panel are tied into the system so that if a bulb goes out, the alternator will not get excited and start charging. Dumb design, but I guess its to MAKE you fix a burned out bulb. Replace bulb with new, and boom alternator is charging at 14 volts.

Now as a new and completely off the wall problem, the rear work lights which worked before the alternator and battery being changed out(as in the night that the battery dropped to 7 volts and all lights dimmed and found a bad alternator), now do not come on...... have checked all wires and grounds from battery to light switch on instrument panel, to the lights themselves. Have tested the relays and fuses (actually changed every fuse in the box, as they were semi corroded, so cleaned it up and used dielectric grease to protect). From battery to fuse to relay have 12 volts. From relay to switch at panel I have 12 volts. Here is where I get completely lost, if I turn the light switch on, I lose all voltage (goes from 12 volts to O volts on meter) lights do not work. Turn switch off, voltage comes back and fuse is fine. So I took the switch for the front lights and put it where the rear light switch was, then tried, same thing happens, put original rear switch where the front switch was and front lights operate normal. If I put switches back to original way (it does not matter what place the 2 switches are as they are working and the same) and I jump from the 12 volts of the working front lights, the rear lights come on, if I activate the rear light switch with the jumped power the lights go on and off as normal...... I dont want to jump this way permanently as there is obviously and issue and I would like to fix it.

Are there any ideas as to why the front and rear lights worked before the alternator/battery change out to now only front lights work and rears only work in a jumped scenario??? There seems to be no faults in the wire as the rear lights work when I jump the front power to the rear, and if I set it back to original setup the system works until I go to energize the switch (voltage disappears), and no fuses blow....... (on a side not I grabbed another relay that was an exact match and installed it and problem stayed the same.....

New and eager toy owner confused in OK!!!!!

Awesome,
Congrats on the New to you 580 L

Hard to beat a Full sized TLB for the "buy" the pound per dollar.
Still "Digging" My Ford 550 TLB as well. :)
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#33  
Awesome,
Congrats on the New to you 580 L

Hard to beat a Full sized TLB for the "buy" the pound per dollar.
Still "Digging" My Ford 550 TLB as well. :)
Thanks and true story!!
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#34  
So rear lights work!! I followed Bentrim's advice and followed the voltage dropping out back through the fuse box and relays. It was not a wire but Power relay 1!! I had checked the rear light relay, but never thought that one of the 3 power relays would be involved in that circuit as well!! I pulled all relays and sanded terminals, and put dielectric grease on them and cleaned relay port connections then reinstalled the relays, and wouldn't you know it, rear lights came right on!! So thanks for pointing me down a path that led to another path and fixed the coincidental light problem after changing alternator and battery!!


So another adventure is getting fuel gauge to read correctly, and water and oil gauges checked out. They do move when you turn key, and do raise a little after getting to running temp, but reading other forums and articles online, it may be that they are moving the correct amount and don't go as far as normal vehicle gauges move. They get to the first green lines and stay right there. The oil as I have come to hopefully understand correctly is not going to move much unless I stall the transmission or get the loader bound up and heat the oil.....??


The tachometer apparently runs off of the alternator leads, so now it is reading perfect!! So just replacing all of the old rusted bolts, washers, and nuts that I have come across digging into this beast and replacing them with new one. After this I will possibly have to redo some of the seals on the cylinders, but we shall see after I get some use on them and let them reseal and seat.

I hope after ALL this, I can do some heavy work with this very capable machine!!
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#35  
So fixed some more on the 580 and now (and was probably on before I bought it) the hand brake light is on even thou the hand brake is in the off position, and the backhoe does not act like the brakes are on, I can tell when the hand brake is on an off as I have picked the rear end up off the ground and braked the wheels in the air in a start/stop fashion. So I am assuming its a faulty wire, and or switch somewhere. Was wondering if anyone has had to mess with that light. On a side not, I found where the warning alarm horn has a broken wire and need to order a new one. Could that be what is causing the hand break light to stay on maybe? I will look under the machine this weekend and look at all the wires and connections, since corrosion has seem to be the name of the game on this beast. Also will see if I can tell what kind of rear end is in this thing, as I am finding out that would be a very expensive rear end to work on!!!!
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor. #36  
My lack of enjoyment from 'fixing' things is reason number 1 I chose to buy new.

Sounds like you enjoy that sort of thing. Congrats!
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#37  
My lack of enjoyment from 'fixing' things is reason number 1 I chose to buy new.

Sounds like you enjoy that sort of thing. Congrats!
Actually I really do, even when gunk is falling in my eyes and knuckles are busted, at the end of the day I love it!! It also lets me get things that I normally would never be able to afford...... Believe me if I could buy new, I would. It definitely has its perks, plus you know exactly what has happened to the machine. I am fortunate enough to know this machines life for about 2800 of its 3100 hours life.
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor. #38  
WxMan 85 sounds like you've made great progress with older iron so far - nice work!

How about some pictures of your new to you 580L?
 
   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#39  
WxMan 85 sounds like you've made great progress with older iron so far - nice work!

How about some pictures of your new to you 580L?
Luckily I have, and here you go! These are pics from the day I went over to pay for her. Sorry for the delayed response, we were pretty sick, and just getting around to feeling human.
 

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   / Deciding what to buy for my 1ST tractor.
  • Thread Starter
#40  
I have done almost a total wire connection assessment and clean up adding dielectric grease to almost every connection. (Atleast the ones I've touched or removed) I'm still trouble shooting the brake engaged light, but feel I have narrowed that gremlin down to the switch at the rear end..... time will tell. Here is some pics during my clean up / troubleshooting days in the beginning. Sanded and clean every connection on the instrument panel and in the fuse/relay boxes. You could not read the guages at all before I buffed it with headlight repair buffing kit. Yesterday I received my original factory service manual and searchable usb device in the mail! So I have that on my side now for any issues on the 580L!!
 

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