Ford 4610 and Mice

ETpilot · Apr 28, 2022

I went to Pennsylvania for 3 weeks. When I got back my place really needed brush hogging. So I went to the barn to get the tractor and the battery was totally dead. Strange because it is relatively new. Anyway, I removed it, charged it, tested and reinstalled it. When I went to get on the tractor I saw all the indicator lights on and the key was in my pocket. Oh no! The mice again. Yep, I removed the instrument panel and saw they had chewed all the wiring.

I couldn’t work on it right away due to other issues and some rain. Yesterday I separated all the electrical wiring from the starter and just left the positive and negative battery cables connected to the starter. I then connected a push to start rig and got the engine running with no other electric active. I moved the tractor to the shop.

Today I spent most of the day repairing the chewed up wiring. They sure made a mess. I used my electrical tester to check the wiring and find the short that was powering everything up. There were 2 chewed up wires in a bundle over the fuel tank. I suspected that was the problem. I separated them, tested for continuity and I found the problem. Next test was doing a voltage test to the power wire. My electrical tester sounds a horn as an indicator. I rigged it with my push to start and gave her a test. Yes, I had power and good the panel lights stayed off. Next test is turn the key to on. And the indicator lights turned on and no short. I was a happy camper.

Next test was the big one, test the starter solenoid wire with the key. I was happy when I heard that sound. The circuit was good. And I felt good. I stopped for the day. Tomorrow I will review everything again. Then attach it all to the starter and hope it all works. Time consuming work.

BTW, this tractor has 2 fusible links, 16 gauge. They are not referenced anywhere and not shown on a wiring diagram. One is on the main power wire. The other I believe is on the alternator wire. I need to find something that keeps the mice away. Lol.

Well I thought I had a picture of the fusible links. I’ll post one tomorrow.

Roadworthy · Apr 29, 2022

Many people will recommend bars of Irish Spring soap or some kind of mint as a deterrent. It hasn't worked for me. I find providing an alternate food source works to keep them off the wiring. I keep a tray of D-Con behind each headlight in my car. If it runs empty unnoticed though I will again find myself splicing wires.

Birdhunter1 · Apr 29, 2022

The nice thing about your tractor is once started you don't need electricity to keep it going.

ETpilot · Apr 29, 2022

Well today I went over my work. Retested what I could with no tractor battery voltage. I confirmed that the second fusible link protects the alternator. Then I connected all the wiring and did the ignition switch test through all the positions. Everything worked as it should. Finally turned the key to start and it started and it charged. What a relief.

Here is a picture of the 2 fusible links. Back in 2017 I had a starter problem and found the orange link burnt up. I didn’t know there was a second link until now. I went to my local New Holland dealer to get a new link. They had no clue what I was talking about. They couldn’t find anything in their parts file. I got a new one at O’Reilly Auto Parts.

Both are 16 gauge. The orange link connects to a red wire that powers all the electrics on my tractor. The black link connects to a red wire that goes to the alternator. The brown wire is the starter trigger wire. It connects to the start position on the ignition switch and to the slide terminal on the side of the starter solenoid.

I ran the engine with no electric to get it to the shop. I was going to mow with just engine power. Once I started looking at the wiring mess, I decided to just fix it and be done. Mowing tomorrow if it doesn't rain.

I’ll be looking for mice deterrent. If I park in the barn long term I have a problem. Park it outside and no problem.

ruffdog · Apr 29, 2022

As long as the areas still smell of "mouse", the smell will draw other mice like a magnet. Scrub the areas with Lysol to get rid of the mouse smell, then you can use a repellent. I had a NH that had a nice little area for mice to camp out behind the dash, just like yours. I used wire ties to tie 2 Fresh Cab mouse repellent pouches to the area and never had the problem again.

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