Massey 1230 Glow Plug Indicator - Missing

[falgra]

Looking through my operators manual for my MF1230 tractor. It states there is a Glow Plug Indicator light. Mine has a stainless switch that must be pressed while you hold the key to the left to send energy to the plugs. There are not any good pictures in my operators manual, service manual, or parts diagrams on AgcoPartsBooks.com. Called Agco, they only look at the diagram, and it's not clear. Simply shows switches. Anyone have a picture of what their dash looks like??

 

[Halftrack]

I can get a picture tomorrow and post it tomorrow night. As I recall, there is a round silver dollar sized indicator on the lower right side of the dash with a 1/4" hole in it. There is a wire coil visible through the hole which will glow red after holding the start switch to the left after about 15 seconds. The longer you hold the switch, the brighter the coil glows. This indicator is above the start switch and I'm wondering if it is the stainless switch you referred to. Again as I recall this is the only chrome piece on the dash. On ours, the only input to activate the glow plugs, is to turn the switch to the left.

 

[Halftrack]

Found a photo on line, courtesy Tractorhouse, and I stand corrected as to the color of the indicator. It is the black round device to the right of the turtle/hare sign on the dash. This dash is identical to our 1230, is it different from yours?

 

[Halftrack]

Sorry, unable to attach the photo.

 

[falgra]

Lets try this again...

 

[Coyote machine]

What are you saying is missing? When you turn your key to the left and hold down the button does any glow occur in the chrome colored 'tube'? Can you be more specific as to what's missing?

 

[falgra]

The glow indicator that should be there in lieu of the button. That silver tube is simply a radioshack normally open switch. When the key is led to the left and the button is held. The glow plugs get voltage and do heat up as normal. According to the manuals and the instructions only turning the key to the left for 12 seconds is what should be required until a missing indicator glows.

 

[Halftrack]

Let's try this again on the picture upload.




This is the factory set up and the black round indicator is the glow plug indicator where the wire coil glows when heated.

 

[Halftrack]

My guess is that someone replaced the wire coil, which is in series with the glow plugs, with the normally open switch. If it works, I would probably live with it and time you application of heating according to the temperature.

 

[falgra]

I simply wanted a picture of the facotry style so that I can look for a factory matched replacement. Mean while I am going to simply short the connectors together, as having to push the button as well as hold the switch is quite a PITA. Thanks for the picture and the help, now I have somewhere to begin from! I called Agco again, and they still keep telling me the 1230's do not have glow plug indicators. your picture proves otherwise and confirms what I thought.

 

[falgra]

I simply wanted a picture of the facotry style so that I can look for a factory matched replacement. Mean while I am going to simply short the connectors together, as having to push the button as well as hold the switch is quite a PITA. Thanks for the picture and the help, now I have somewhere to begin from! I called Agco again, and they still keep telling me the 1230's do not have glow plug indicators. your picture proves otherwise and confirms what I thought.

 

[falgra]

Found the part. 3704243M1 for anyome else looking for it. 43$ from jacks... ouch...

 

[falgra]

Found an isuzu part on ebay for $20 shipped that cross references. Isuzu: 5-81420041-0

 

[PILOON]

I hear you guys state that the indicator light is in series with but I believe that actually it is parallel to the glow plugs which in turn are parallel to each other.
If they were is series then any one failure would annul all.
Also if indicator was series connected its failure would deny power to the plugs which is not the case.
The indicator is merely a wire resistor that glows at the same rate as the plugs getting redder as it gets hotter.
It will be a short length of coiled nichrome wire of the proper resistance.

 

[falgra]

While that may be true. In my situation it is most certainly in series as unless i press the normally open switch 0v goes to the plugs.the harnes positive wire from the glowplug side of the ignition switch hits one side of thr button, which passes the positive voltage through the swit h and then to the harness leading to the fusebox. From there it goes to the glow plugs which are also wired in series from one another. Maybe Massey didnt get the memo on mine? Wiring looks factory.

 

[Porschemann]

Somebody has a done a rewire on your tractor. Normally turning the key counterclockwise will pre glow the plugs, which ARE all wired in series, along with the glow indicator. If any one in the circuit goes open, the glow plug circuit does not work.

 

[PILOON]

While that may be true. In my situation it is most certainly in series as unless i press the normally open switch 0v goes to the plugs.the harnes positive wire from the glowplug side of the ignition switch hits one side of thr button, which passes the positive voltage through the swit h and then to the harness leading to the fusebox. From there it goes to the glow plugs which are also wired in series from one another. Maybe Massey didnt get the memo on mine? Wiring looks factory.

"Wired in series from one another" LOL, that is wired in parallel!
Series is like with a battery,series= + pos to neg and and parallel = + to + and - to - !
On the glow plugs the engine is ground and the terminal is pos and since all the terminals are wired together they are in PARALLEL.
Confusing I know and don't feel bad as that is very common misunderstanding.

In parallel the failure of one still allows power to the others (engine would start but sputter, skip until warmed up)
In series nothing would happen as there would be no ground path to complete the circuit.

If you take battery + with a jumper to any plug you will have all the plugs heating up. (max 15 seconds) and you should start up.

 

[PILOON]

A caution here,
If using another brand indicator you would need to be sure they have same values (resistance) as otherwise the indicator might not glow at the same rate as the plugs.
Your plugs could in fact be burned out and the indicator not show the slightest glow yet.
Fact is many if not even all depend on a timer to control the heating cycle in which case an indicator is not even needed.

On my tractor I needed to replace the switch and the indicator never got connected but the plugs still work OK.
I can actually hear a 'clack' sound when the timer relay cuts out and know that I am good to go.
When it is real cold I sometimes cycle twice.