MF 1010 electrical help? No Start mystery

[gerry100]

1990(?) MF 1010awd. 570hrs

Tractor started with 9yo battery once after sitting for months. Few days later , completely dead. no dash lights for glow etc.

New battery, Dash lights light up bright and then fade then dead. Thinking it was a bad unit I returned and exchaAnnged. Same results.

So it lights up, dims and dies?

Something changed after the first start that seems electrical

Any ideas or suggestions much appreciated

 

[Roadworthy]

Given that I'm unfamiliar with your situation my first suggestion is to clean the battery terminals as well as the clamps on them. Tighten the clamps securely. Follow the ground wire to the point where it attaches to the frame. clean that really well and be sure it's tight. When that is all done we can start troubleshooting - if you still have a problem.

 

[gerry100]

Given that I'm unfamiliar with your situation my first suggestion is to clean the battery terminals as well as the clamps on them. Tighten the clamps securely. Follow the ground wire to the point where it attaches to the frame. clean that really well and be sure it's tight. When that is all done we can start troubleshooting - if you still have a problem.

Thanks. Doing that shortly. I'll be back

 

[jaxs]

Given that I'm unfamiliar with your situation my first suggestion is to clean the battery terminals as well as the clamps on them. Tighten the clamps securely. Follow the ground wire to the point where it attaches to the frame. clean that really well and be sure it's tight. When that is all done we can start troubleshooting - if you still have a problem.

:thumbsup: And if that doesn't make a difference,clean the hot cable main connection.

Thanks. Doing that shortly. I'll be back

:checkmark:

 

[r porter]

if i remember right the ground attaches beside the radiator and gets a lot of rust.

 

[gerry100]

:thumbsup: And if that doesn't make a difference,clean the hot cable main connection.


:checkmark:

Hot cable?

 

[gerry100]

Left the switch on an the glow and start indictors were on, turned the key and they dimmed and went out.

Neg ground and terminals cleaned( dremeled away rust). Dim dash lights and no crank as before

Something here seems time/temp related? Never dealt with a fusible link before? Is that it?

 

[radios1]

Hot cable?

the + terminals..

 

[lpakiz]

If you have a volt meter, hook it directly to the + and - posts of the battery. Not to the connector, the clamp, not any part of it but the POST itself. Might take an extra set of hands.
Note the reading, Then hit the starter. If the voltage reading stays above 12.00 or thereabouts, and the dash lights go out or dim, itç—´ not the battery, itç—´ a connection somewhere, or a super heavy drain, in which case smoke or heat should show up somewhere.
If the battery works fine the first time, then is dead subsequently, monitor it with the voltmeter to be sure it is not being drained by a small, unknown parasitic load.
If you suspect a slow parasitic drain, unhook one cable from the battery, then use a small test light (not a voltmeter) inserted in series between the battery post and the (now disconnected) cable. The idea is to force leaking current to flow thru a small filament, which will then glow from dim orange to full brightness, depending on the leak. Just turning on your dome light in this arrangement will show up as a dimly lit filament. If you turn on headlights or hit the starter, the test filament will glow full brightness, but your starter or lights will not work under these test conditions.

 

[jaxs]

If you have a volt meter, hook it directly to the + and - posts of the battery. Not to the connector, the clamp, not any part of it but the POST itself. Might take an extra set of hands.
Note the reading, Then hit the starter. If the voltage reading stays above 12.00 or thereabouts, and the dash lights go out or dim, itç—´ not the battery, itç—´ a connection somewhere, or a super heavy drain, in which case smoke or heat should show up somewhere.
If the battery works fine the first time, then is dead subsequently, monitor it with the voltmeter to be sure it is not being drained by a small, unknown parasitic load.
If you suspect a slow parasitic drain, unhook one cable from the battery, then use a small test light (not a voltmeter) inserted in series between the battery post and the (now disconnected) cable. The idea is to force leaking current to flow thru a small filament, which will then glow from dim orange to full brightness, depending on the leak. Just turning on your dome light in this arrangement will show up as a dimly lit filament. If you turn on headlights or hit the starter, the test filament will glow full brightness, but your starter or lights will not work under these test conditions.

What you suggest works but just for clarity,will the volt meter just used for previous test not work?

 

[gerry100]

Checked the hot cable at battery and starter starter solenoid look good- no difference

Found Fusible link at starter I think- dont know how you tell if bad, just replace?

Anybody know where the fuse box is on the MF1010?

Thanks for inputs

 

[lpakiz]

A digital volt meter, reading in hundredths of a volt, is a wonderful tool because it is so sensitive.
Using it as an indicator of current flow isn’t a good use because it is so sensitive that it shows full scale voltage on an amount of current that won’t light up the bulb of a mosquitos flashlight.
You are trying to indicate current flow, not the mere presence of voltage.
While you MIGHT draw a correct conclusion using a voltmeter as a current indicator, you will get a much more reliable and usable result using a small bulb.

 

[gerry100]

replaced the fusible link.
Glow light and water temp light on the dash lit up bright..and then faded.

Very faint water temp light is all I get now.

Will replace 30 year old fuses tommorow, but I doubt that's it.

Voltage reg/rectifier? Wild guess

Any other ideas appreciated

 

[Dmacleo]

you ever do what was stated in post 9?
before loading the parts cannon got to check that stuff first.
a bad starter can drain like that w/o noticeable smoke.
but we need to know the test results. if battery sits 12.7-13.7 or so with everything off and hitting starter drains it to almost nothing immediately you know where the issue is.
not sure what that uses for solenoid but if its remote solenoid it can short to ground and pull down fast. just like older fords.

 

[lpakiz]

Have you cleaned and/or tightened the big, main battery cable connection at the starter solenoid? If I am interpreting the clues correctly, there is a faulty connection somewhere.
When the dash lights come on, will they stay on indefinitely, at least until you add more load, like trying to crank the engine over?
When the dash lights go out, when do they come back on? When you let the key return from “start” to just “on” or what?
If you dont perform these simple tests, folks can’t help you. If these tests are beyond your skill or experience, you might be in over your head and need to call in someone who could get some answers for us.
BTW, a fusible link is either good or open. There is no in between. Just like a glass fuse-it either carries full power or it doesn’t carry any at all.
A poor, loose or corroded connection, on the other hand, can and will carry SOME power, but maybe not enough to meet demand.

 

[jaxs]

Have you cleaned and/or tightened the big, main battery cable connection at the starter solenoid? If I am interpreting the clues correctly, there is a faulty connection somewhere.
When the dash lights come on, will they stay on indefinitely, at least until you add more load, like trying to crank the engine over?
When the dash lights go out, when do they come back on? When you let the key return from “start” to just “on” or what?
If you dont perform these simple tests, folks can’t help you. If these tests are beyond your skill or experience, you might be in over your head and need to call in someone who could get some answers for us.
BTW, a fusible link is either good or open. There is no in between. Just like a glass fuse-it either carries full power or it doesn’t carry any at all.
A poor, loose or corroded connection, on the other hand, can and will carry SOME power, but maybe not enough to meet demand.

Absoluly correct,I couldn't have stated it any better.

 

[CedarMtn]

Assuming you’ve eliminated any wiring or ground fault issues - The symptoms sound very similar to my 1010 earlier this summer. On mine it was more obvious since eventually I could smell electrical burn from the starter when the panel lights dimmed.

I got a new starter on Ebay for about $120 Cdn including shipping. The same starter is used in some Nissan vehicles (older Maxima’s and Altima’s, 280z) so no need to get from Massey.

 

[gerry100]

Good to hear about your starter solution.

My new starter gets here monday, ordered from DB Electric.

I'll report on how it works

 

[gerry100]

Assuming you致e eliminated any wiring or ground fault issues - The symptoms sound very similar to my 1010 earlier this summer. On mine it was more obvious since eventually I could smell electrical burn from the starter when the panel lights dimmed.

I got a new starter on Ebay for about $120 Cdn including shipping. The same starter is used in some Nissan vehicles (older Maxima痴 and Altima痴, 280z) so no need to get from Massey.

Any tips on getting the old starter out?

Worked for hours today trying to back out the flange bolts a quarter turn at a time. Got the starter to wiggle a little but cant get the bolts out.

 

[CedarMtn]

Any tips on getting the old starter out?

Worked for hours today trying to back out the flange bolts a quarter turn at a time. Got the starter to wiggle a little but cant get the bolts out.

Try to remove at least the lower bolt. You could tap it back using a block of wood and a hammer. Then tap it out using a similar sized bolt and light hammer taps. It’s held in place by the just the two bolts but also has the gear against the flywheel. So you need to remove at least one bolt so that you can wiggle it back.

Here’s a pic with the bottom bolt removed (and years of dirt from behind the old starter).

For my replacement starter the flange was thicker but the old bolts were just barely long enough to work.