Wiring question.need help

ymurf · Jan 30, 2009

I have a few questions i could sure use some help with. I bought a 2003 FarmPro 2425 from a friend of mine with 100 hours on it.I love it but Earlier this winter I put diesel in it and filled it to the cap by mistake and it leaked out of the top of the tank till it got below the tank filler neck which sounds like a common problem leaking at the sending unit.But after i did that My fuel gauge quit working.It doesn't move at all.Not sure if it was from over filling or just quit at that time? I popped open the hood and the wiring looks like crap.The gauges look to have lights in them but none of the wires are hooked up for the lights?they are just cut off at about 3 inches long laying under the hood and i have no idea where they go.Everything seems tight on the fuel gauge,no loose wires.Also there is a work light on the back of the fender that also doesn't work and according to my manual the knob for it actually turns on my headlights?Are these common problems on the farmpro?Is my gauge bad?any way to check it?fuel sending unit bad? The guy i got it from bought it new and says he has never done a thing to it.Any help on these issues would be greatly appreciated.

bluechip · Jan 30, 2009

The factory (neither Farm pro or JInma factory) connected the lights, only the tach lights up at night, you could wire them if you want, run +12v from the running light circuit to the pigtail wires and be sure each gage is grounded.

Fuel sending units were terrible on this generation, in fact farm pro went to a fuel gage in the cap with a mechanical float on later models. I suspect fuel flooded the inside of the sending unit wen the tank overfilled OR more likely the float stuck on the baffel inside the tank, you may be able to free it with a coat hanger working through the filler neck.

wiring does not always match the manual, switch placement can vary as well...

3RRL · Jan 30, 2009

When I over filled my Kama the float got stuck up top.
I had to jiggle it to get it to work again.
Same thing happened when I drained the tank. It got stuck down at the bottom. lol ... Had to jiggle it again.

ymurf · Jan 30, 2009

3RRL said:
When I over filled my Kama the float got stuck up top.
I had to jiggle it to get it to work again.
Same thing happened when I drained the tank. It got stuck down at the bottom. lol ... Had to jiggle it again.

But if it stuck when i filled it wouldn't it say full?mine is stuck on E and doesn't move.

greg_g · Jan 31, 2009

ymurf said:
But if it stuck when i filled it wouldn't it say full?mine is stuck on E and doesn't move.

If I recall, the sending unit basically varies resistance to ground. And one electric gauge that reads zero (when the others are working) often suggests a bad ground to that gauge.

Pretty sure there's no voltage at the sending unit, you'll more likely find it behind the gauge. Sounds like you have the individual gauges, so perhaps you can pop the fuel gauge out and check for battery (with the keyswitch to the ON position). If you've got ~13v there - and the gauge still says empty - it's likely either a problem on the wire that connects the gauge to the sending unit, or the sending unit itself.

Have heard quite a few folks complain about sending units, but don't actually know anyone who's gone so far as to actually replace one. It's a clearance issue with the cowl, getting the old unit out and the new one in. I guess they figured the dipstick method was an acceptable alternative to a working fuel gauge.

//greg//

ymurf · Jan 31, 2009

greg_g said:
If I recall, the sending unit basically varies resistance to ground. And one electric gauge that reads zero (when the others are working) often suggests a bad ground to that gauge.

Pretty sure there's no voltage at the sending unit, you'll more likely find it behind the gauge. Sounds like you have the individual gauges, so perhaps you can pop the fuel gauge out and check for battery (with the keyswitch to the ON position). If you've got ~13v there - and the gauge still says empty - it's likely either a problem on the wire that connects the gauge to the sending unit, or the sending unit itself.

Have heard quite a few folks complain about sending units, but don't actually know anyone who's gone so far as to actually replace one. It's a clearance issue with the cowl, getting the old unit out and the new one in. I guess they figured the dipstick method was an acceptable alternative to a working fuel gauge.

//greg//

That was kinda my next question.How hard or how much trouble is it to get to the wiring or get the sending unit out?What all has to come off to get to this thing?

Affordable · Jan 31, 2009

You can use a stubby screwdriver to get the screws out and you can get the old sender out,you just have to be easy with it.The tractors that have the 1-piece cluster gauge is easier because we remove it and work thru that hole.

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

greg_g · Jan 31, 2009

ymurf said:
That was kinda my next question.How hard or how much trouble is it to get to the wiring or get the sending unit out?What all has to come off to get to this thing?

Between my response and Tommy's, you've probably already figured out there is more than one variation on how these tractors are put together.

I still don't know if you have the individual gauges or the cluster panel though. The sending units were ok on my Jinmas, but they both had rotten sending unit gaskets. They had individual gauges, so to replace the gaskets - I had to work from under the hood. To do so, I made a tool to deal with the restricted clearances. I took a few pieces from a screwdriver set - married them up to a 1/4" square drive - and ended up with what amounted to a right angle ratchetingscrewdriver. That hybrid tool permitted me to remove the sending unit without having to move either the cowl or the tank.

If you don't have the pieces laying around in your workshop, you can by commercial versions. There are many, one of the simplest is below.

//greg//

Ranch_Hand_Supp · Jan 31, 2009

ymurf said:
How hard or how much trouble is it to get to the wiring or get the sending unit out? What all has to come off to get to this thing?

Depending on what hood / dash cowl you have ??? Like Tommy said, a stubby screw driver works best to remove the screws. ( all stubbys aren't the same length) Using a ratchet type with a straight blade screw head is a tough one. Most all sending units can be removed without removing / loosening the dash cowl. Seems like the ones with creeper gear are /were a little harder to remove the sending unit ??.

The gauge in the dash has the be grounded & the sending unit no matter which dash style you have.

You can unplug the white wire coming off the sending unit (little short pig tail) and see if the gauge does anything ?? If it stays on E ......... then ground the white wire and look at fuel gauge reading ( with key on).

Don't have a straight fix.

Ronald
Ranch Hand Supply

ymurf · Jan 31, 2009

greg_g said:
Between my response and Tommy's, you've probably already figured out there is more than one variation on how these tractors are put together.

I still don't know if you have the individual gauges or the cluster panel though. The sending units were ok on my Jinmas, but they both had rotten sending unit gaskets. They had individual gauges, so to replace the gaskets - I had to work from under the hood. To do so, I made a tool to deal with the restricted clearances. I took a few pieces from a screwdriver set - married them up to a 1/4" square drive - and ended up with what amounted to a right angle ratchetingscrewdriver. That hybrid tool permitted me to remove the sending unit without having to move either the cowl or the tank.

If you don't have the pieces laying around in your workshop, you can by commercial versions. There are many, one of the simplest is below.

//greg//

I do have the individual gauges.I was going to check my wiring to track down why my back work light doesnt work but man there isnt any room in there under the dash to see anything.But it looks like a tough job to get the dash board or cowl off.Ill try to take the white wire off as described by Ranch_Hand_Supp and see if gauge moves..

greg_g · Jan 31, 2009

ymurf said:
I was going to check my wiring to track down why my back work light doesnt work

I've had the same problem with work lights on 4 Chinese tractors from 3 different companies. In most cases, the OE lamp just didn't survive the fender vibration. They shook themselves apart internally. But even when replacing them with aftermarket lamps, the problem always turns out to be a bad ground. And that ground wire is a heckuva lot easier to get at than the sending unit.

There are two wire lamps (12v + ground) and one wire lamps (12v only, fender ground). If you have plastic fenders, you positively need a 2-wire. The 1-wire type relies on the metal fender for a case ground. But paint/dirt/rust/water on tractor fenders can often isolate a case ground. So when it comes time to buy a replacement, I personally recommend a 2-wire work lamp in all cases.

//greg//