Welcome to YT, Tyler. I'll see what we can figure out. I typed out the following as a first reply, then got called away to a farm emergency, then promptly fell asleep when I got back in.
As a disclaimer, I don't own a Ford tractor, but I've been loaned a neighbor's '62 851 that was becoming yard art after he got a new Kubota. I also know a little about electrical systems.
Do you have a meter? Around here, Harbor Freight is giving away their 7 function (probably last about 7 uses) meter with coupon. Or perhaps you can rig a 12v test light? Any 1156 or even a 1157 with one good filament with a couple wires soldered on, or in a socket with a couple pigtails would help you sort things out safely.
I'm guessing your tractor had an original positive ground 6v system that you converted to negative ground for use with the 12V alternator, and now when you touch the negative cable to the battery (with the positive hooked up to the solenoid), it cranks and tries to start. Correct? This is dangerous, simply because making a spark at a battery, especially a big spark, can ignite the hydrogen gas a battery releases, and blow it up. My brother had one blow the top off of two cell nearest the terminal he was connecting. Fortunately, only acid on his hand and shirt, and a hose really close by. Always better to disconnect and reconnect the ground at the far end of the cable if there might be ANY load, not at the battery end. First off, I'd remove the ground cable at the frame, connect the battery end (leaving the frame end loose), then go on with testing.
Solenoids and starters (and ignition coils) don't care which way the electricity flows. Alternators do. If you even momentarily goofed up and made the connections 12V + to ground, you've blown the rectifiers in the alternator. In my experience, you do not have to reverse the ignition coil, and in fact, when I tried that as a test on one of my tractors, it wouldn't run. "YAMMV".
If you have the standard Ford starting system with the 5 speed tranny, it has an on/off ignition key with a safety start switch push button that tests the neutral position in the tranny that if all is good, 'grounds' the starter solenoid coil. The solenoid has only 3 terminals, 2 big ones and a small one. The small one should have just one wire on it. There is an internal connection from the 'bat' terminal to the other side of the solenoid coil. If hooked up backwards (battery to the starter side stud), it won't work at all.
You may have a short to ground in the start switch circuit. You can test that by removing the wire from the small (8-32 thread) stud on the solenoid, then touching the ground wire to the tractor 'frame'. If nothing happens, you've found the problem. It may be the wire from the push button switch, or the PBswitch itself. If the solenoid has 4 terminals with a wire going to a coil resistor bypass, you may have the start button wire on the wrong small terminal.
If it still wants to start with the switch wire disconnected, it may be the solenoid is defective, or perhaps that you put both battery and starter wires on the same terminal. A test light from the battery + to the start switch wire (disconnected) should not light up until the start button is pushed (with tranny in neutral). Your test light (or meter) connected between the starter side of the solenoid to the battery ground cable should not light (or show voltage on a meter), until the solenoid is energized.
I hope this is clear enough to follow. Let us know how you make out.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Engine Valves - Some Helpful Information - by Staff. Intake - On the intake stroke the piston moves doward, sucking in carburized fuel through the open intake valve. Exhaust valve is closed. Compression - With both the intake and exhaust valves closed, the pistons upward stroke compresses or squeezes the fuel into the combustion chamber. Firing - Ignited by the spark, the compressed fuel explodes and forces the piston downward on its power stroke. Intake and exhaust valves are closed. Exhaust valves and seats are exp
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
Oliver 550 Diesel runs like a watch three point hitch pto engine gone threw about two hundred hours ago nice clean tractor
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
