New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch

   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch #1  

BigFatJoby

New member
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
9
Location
Map-Dot, Florida. (High Springs)
Tractor
New Holland TC45D
I recently bought a New Holland TC45D used from the local tractor dealer. No idea how many hours are on it because the meter tends to spin different speeds and directions depending on the RPM I happen to be running. It isn't a perfect machine but for the price I paid I am willing to put up with the small stuff or buy the parts and fix it.

Most recently I started having problems with the ignition switch. Drove it behind the barn at the end of the day, flipped the key to the left and pulled it out of the ignition and the tractor kept running! Stuck it back in, flipped it back and forth a few times and got it to shut off. It ran fine for several weeks and then it wouldn't crank for me. It would turn over and catch but as soon as the key returned to RUN instead of START, it would die. If I turned the key to START, let it catch, and then flip it quickly to OFF and then back to RUN it with run fine. I priced a new switch but was wondering if anyone had any ideas other than replacing it. The part is $57.28 plus tax. Seems kind of steep for an ignition switch or am I just cheap? I am going to replace it soon because I am afraid it might get suck in START and burn up my starter.

Any help that anyone could give me would be much appreciate. I grew up in the woods and we did most things ourselves but without the luxury of a tractor so most of this is fairly new to me. I'm learning quick but only because I am smart enough to ask questions and lucky enough to have people answer. Here's to being lucky.

-JB
 
   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch #2  
I would try ebay. I needed a new switch for my Mitsubishi and was quoted something in the $100+ range. Went to Ebay and purchased a Ford switch for $11.00 and swapped them out. Here is one current auction but there are several more on there for less. (NEW) Ignition Switch Ford Tractors 1965&UPw/Cold Start - (eBay item 120193542294 end time Dec-11-07 18:50:47 PST)

If you want to look at everything available there go to "business and industrial", then "agricultural and forestry" then search "Ford ignition switch" even though yours is actually a New Holland all you need is a switch similar to what you have now and it will work fine. (You may want to pull your current switch out and check how many terminals it has and get the one that is similar.)
 
   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch #3  
BigFatJoby said:
The part is $57.28 plus tax. Seems kind of steep for an ignition switch or am I just cheap? I am going to replace it soon because I am afraid it might get suck in START and burn up my starter.

When you bought the tractor, were you lucky enough to get an Operator's Manual with it? If you did, you have an electrical wiring diagram you could use to check out the ignition switch issue.

Please don't get upset if I am stating the obvious, but this is a diesel. When you turn off the key, the fuel cutoff solenoid has to de-energize and shut of fuel to stop the engine. If it is dirty or faulty, it may not be operating properly. I just had to replace mine on my 1300 hour TC45D because it burned up. In my case, the solenoid would not energize and the engine would not start even though it turned over just fine.

There are several things having to do with the neutral safety switch and the operator safety system that could cause problems with starting, but they should not cause the engine to keep running when you shut off the key. Only the solenoid would do that and/or the switch. Yes, the $58 for the switch is very expensive, but if your dealer has one, just think how convenient it will be to replace with an exact factory replacement. I think thats worth an extra few bucks, but I agree parts are very expensive.

Do you know how to get the panels off to replace the switch? Post down in the New Holland operating forum and I'm sure others as well as me will try to help. I'm suggesting posting there because I may not notice a posting here. TBN is too big for me to monitor every forum.

Good luck with your "new" tractor.:)
 
   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Well it finally happened! Saturday 2 weeks ago I was using the tractor to start leveling an area that used to be planted in pines, that used to be watermelon rows. I got about 10 minutes of use when the tractor just flat died on me. No warning, no sputter, just 2,500 RPM to nothing in about 2 seconds.

At this point I was kicking myself for not fixing the switch because now I had 2 electrical problems to deal with that may or may not be related. I made a quick trip to the dealer and picked up a new switch for $48, and a new fuel filter while I was there. Took me 10 minutes once I got back to pull the panels and replace the swith, and 5 seconds to find out that wasn't my problem. :mad: Oh well, the old switch was trash anyway.

My uncle happened to see me off the tractor in the middle of the field and thought I was stuck so he came over to help me out. He helped me figure out that the fuel cutoff solenoid wasn't getting any power. I hotwired the solenoid to the fuse block and drove it back to the barn so I could work in the shade, with all of my tools, and not be in the dirt. I spent about an Hour Saturday, and another couple hours Sunday tracing wires and testing circuits trying to figure out why the stupid fuel cut off solenoid wasn't getting any power.

If I had been smart, I would have come back and re-read this thread. It turns out that my seat has a little switch back there that shuts the engine off when you get out of the seat. The previous owner cut the springs on the seat so that the switch stayed depressed so I never had any indication it was even there. Somehow while I was running it in the field the plug worked itself lose and shut me down. Cheap fix, and I learned alot about my tractor. One of them being that the previous owner was an idiot. I found several quick and easy electrical fixes that bypassed various safety features. I can crank my tractor with the PTO engaged, and then step off the tractor and leave it running! Not really all that safe, and it's the next fix on my list. Might as well, I still have the panels off.

Anyhow, I check in here several times a week and really appreciate everyone who posts consistantly. I have learned some stuff here that would have taken me years to learn sitting in a tractor seat. Just figured I would say thanks and give an update.
 
   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch #5  
the previous owner might not have been an idiot but just tired of dealing with the new holland electrical system. I went through that on my TN65 Go through some brush and it would reach up and pull the cheesey little connectors loose. I used wire ties to hold them together. with time they get brittle and tend to break. Lucky for me I spend so much time with the deck plates off I make it a habit to check the connectors and replace the wire ties whenever I am in the area
 
   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch #6  
Thank you for the post. My TC 45DA died all of a sudden. I thought I ran it out of fuel and spent a couple of hours cleaning the fuel system and changing the filter before out of frustration I decided to see if anyone else had this problem. no matter what I did I couldn't get the system to purge all the air out. After reading your post sure enough my jumper had come out of the seat wiring. Sure enough I plugged it back in and away it went. I had totally spaced the jumper that I had put in within a hour of getting the tractor. Thanks again
 
   / New Holland TC45D Ignition Switch #7  
Thank you for the post. My TC 45DA died all of a sudden. I thought I ran it out of fuel and spent a couple of hours cleaning the fuel system and changing the filter before out of frustration I decided to see if anyone else had this problem. no matter what I did I couldn't get the system to purge all the air out. After reading your post sure enough my jumper had come out of the seat wiring. Sure enough I plugged it back in and away it went. I had totally spaced the jumper that I had put in within a hour of getting the tractor. Thanks again

Continuing an old thread here, but still seems relevant. The seat on my 29DA has a pressure switch which shuts off the engine if you get out of the seat. Over time, with help of weather, the switch has frozen down and stays in contact permanently, therefore allowing me to get out of the seat. While not safe, its very convenient to have the tractor keep running if you choose to dismount or even stand up on the deck.
Also a similar circuit senses the PTO being engaged, and the transmission being in neutral, which will prevent it from starting. So it seems common when people have trouble starting their tractor that somewhere a wire may have been pulled by debris around the transmission, as many of these wires are not enclosed. Therefore on used tractors you may see people have bypassed these circuits to improve reliability.
 
 
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