jinma 224 ground / gage problems.

[TSMART]

No gages. Same thing happened last year, so, to find bad ground, I plugged and unplugged all the harness conectors, cleaned with CRC. (after removing insturment cluster panel). That fixed it. Now the problem is back. No gages. Indicator light in dash works (for lights), but no gages. So I did a repeat. Removed the cluster. Unplugged, cleaned, replugged all harness connectors. Pulled all fuses and they are good. None are original cheapies anyway, But no help this time. Ammeter works but thats it. No temp, oil, or RPMs. What's my next step? Thanks.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I would start by running a seperate ground from the battery - terminal to a gauges ground lug. Do this just as a test to see if it in fact is a bad ground. Seems to me it has to be since all stopped working at the same time.

Chris

 

[TSMART]

If that works, and I don't find the bad ground, could I just use a permanent ground from the neg battery to the cluster? Just wire it?

 

[Affordable]

I think there are 2- main ground wires for the cluster gauges,you can run a ground wire from the battery to these to see if that corrects the problem,


Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sales
"Your Jinma Parts Superstore"
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

 

[TSMART]

I made a wire with 2 alligator clips. I ran it from neg battery post and touched just about everything, couldnt get it to work. OK, Then I unplugged the harness connector directly behind the cluster, cleaned, and got the gages back...now only one smalll problem, the battery indicator light is lit. Did I do this while messing with the connector??? New battery and I am not having probs with starting or anything power related.

 

[TTTTTT]

I made a wire with 2 alligator clips. I ran it from neg battery post and touched just about everything, couldnt get it to work. OK, Then I unplugged the harness connector directly behind the cluster, cleaned, and got the gages back...now only one smalll problem, the battery indicator light is lit. Did I do this while messing with the connector??? New battery and I am not having probs with starting or anything power related.

If you have one of the newer dash clusters, that light is just an indicator light that your key is turned on (top right on the cluster). A reminder to turn it off and not drain your battery through accessory uses as the pic shows.

Dave

 

[Bob Rooks]

The red indicator light technically tells you that field current is flowing to the alternator via the voltage regulator, so if you leave it on long enough without the engine running you'll get a dead battery, and possibly toast your alternator.
But as TTTTTT said: "A reminder to turn it off and not drain your battery...".

 

[greg_g]

The red indicator light technically tells you that field current is flowing to the alternator via the voltage regulator, so if you leave it on long enough without the engine running you'll get a dead battery, and possibly toast your alternator.

You're over-analyzing Bob. In most cases this one is a simple "voltage present" indicator - a bonafide idiot light. Reason being, several years ago many Chinese tractor owners were also first time diesel owners. The fact that the engine is killed with a pull cable caused many of them to forget to turn off the keyswitch once the engine stopped running. Result - dead battery next time they went to start the tractor. Dealers/sellers hit the Chinese with so much feedback on this that in addition to a low voltage/alternator indicator, they added a "HEY YOU LEFT THE KEY ON" light into some clusters as well. I suspect TSMART has one of those clusters.

//greg//

 

[Bob Rooks]

Greg, the point is moot. But you can trace the wiring if you like to be sure.
Yes, I get accused of over-analyzing :laughing:, it's part of my day job. :licking:

 

[TSMART]

To be clear, tilll now, you turn on the key switch, the battery light comes on, just like in a car. But when the engine kicks over and runs, the battery indicator light SHOULD go out. Till now, thats what it did. It doesn't now..... It stays lit till I actually shut down. And thats the question.

 

[cleat]

I am not positive on your tractor but on a car this in an indication of either a bad regulator, alternator, or a short in the light wire itself. When the tractor is running you should see 14-15 volts at the battery. Less than that and it is not charging, more and the regulator is not controlling causing a risk of a boiled battery and is hard on the tractor electrical system.

Just my 0.02

Cleat

 

[Bob Rooks]

To be clear, tilll now, you turn on the key switch, the battery light comes on, just like in a car. But when the engine kicks over and runs, the battery indicator light SHOULD go out.
No it shouldn't. These are not cars, they are Chinese tractors with diesel engines and with less sophisticated wiring.

Till now, thats what it did. It doesn't now..... It stays lit till I actually shut down.
That's what it is supposed to do. Key off - light off.

12345

 

[TTTTTT]

From the original problems you had, anything that you thought was working right probably wasn't anyway. Now that things are right when you fixed it up, you assume all the electrical is working corectly. In the case of the newer dash models that is working correctly having that dash light stay on as a warning. Check with one of the dealers such as Chip, Ron, or Tommy, I think you will find this is the case. Any reference to a car or trucks systems doesn't really apply. If you want pull the dash out, follow the wire or remove the contact for the light and see what you get.

Dave

 

[Diamondpilot]

I think its working fine now. Mine turns the light on as soon as the key switch is on and stays on with motor running or not until the key is shut off.

Chris

 

[TSMART]

OK, I just wanted to be sure. I will take that light on as the new norm and now assume something was not right for the last 484 hours of operation.

Thanks for all the input, folks.