So My Tractor Caught on Fire Tonight

[zombie]

Yeah that looks like a fusible link. When it burnt out and got twisted together you basically bypassed it. Like wrapping a fuse with foil. Don't splice those wires together. Figure out what's wrong and then put in a new piece of fusible link.

 

[clemsonfor]

We've finally gotten all moved and (relatively) settled, and I've got some time to work on this now. Here's a photo of the "original" broken wire I spotted:

This is on the left-hand side of the engine, just in front of the starter solenoid. Notice that there is a plastic connector about 1" from each end of the broken wire; I have no idea why there would be such a short length of wire there. The two connections look like they'd easily be long enough to connect directly without the intermediate connection.

Next up are a couple of photos of the wire that burned. These are on the right-hand side of the engine, just below the fuel-fill:


Note the melted connector and the wire with the insulation melted off.

I've no idea where any of these wires come from or go to. The broken wire in the first photo appears to be white with a red stripe; the burned wire in the other photos looks like it may have been black, but it's hard to tell.

looks like the regulator overheated or grounded out and started it?

 

[adt2]

Regulator. White and Red + to the starter is what my Dia. are showing. Open like the link is most likely Grounded out there. I can't tell how thick or what gauge the link is but I believe that's what smoked the Harness at the Regulator. Fix that and hopefully the Starter will work and move on to the Reg.. With Burnt up connections may have to do the Reg. and the rest to even get to the starter to work. Finding a new Harness maybe Doubtful. You can Jump straight to the starter and try and get it to run or even start but most likely No alt, Lights etc. may work?

I'm sorry for the delayed reply here - for some reason I quit getting notifications about new replies. The tractor actually starts and runs, no problem, as long as I touch the two bare ends of the broken wire at the starter solenoid together. However, it immediately starts smoking from the regulator (if that's what the finned thing is) area on the other side of the engine.

 

[adt2]

Okay, so I've now had a chance to read through the remaining replies. Sounds like regulator/fusible link/mysterious electrical issue. I've contacted an actual tractor repair guy to come take a look at it. We've moved beyond my skill and patience thresholds, and I've got projects that need a functional tractor to complete. Will report back when I have more info.

Thanks to all of you for your help. At a minimum, the information I got here will help me keep the hourly cost of the repair guy down, since I can likely get him started in exactly the right spot.

 

[clemsonfor]

Thats good to hear. Hate that you dont want to tackle it but if the tractor is needed and you feel its past your ability i understand.

But just so you know these are simple machines and plug new parts into it and replace wires and fuseable link is all that mostlikely will be required.

You may be back here depending on his familiarity with parts for these he may tell you parts are not availible, anything you need is and come back here if need be. Hoye and frederics will have anything you will need in this but they will need to be mail ordered.

 

[clemsonfor]

Thats good to hear. Hate that you dont want to tackle it but if the tractor is needed and you feel its past your ability i understand.

But just so you know these are simple machines and plug new parts into it and replace wires and fuseable link is all that mostlikely will be required.

You may be back here depending on his familiarity with parts for these he may tell you parts are not availible, anything you need is and come back here if need be. Hoye and frederics will have anything you will need in this but they will need to be mail ordered.

 

[adt2]

And the verdict is...dead (and fried) voltage regulator likely caused by loose ground connection. Ten points to whoever guessed that first, earlier in this thread. Looks like the nut vibrated off the bolt holding the ground lug. The wire with the melted insulation actually melted the metal "tooth" off the regulator.

So, I've got a voltage regulator and a new fusible link in my Hoye shopping cart and should be back in business next week sometime. Now that the guy has showed me what's wrong and where everything is, I think it'll be a pretty simple matter to repair myself.

 

[silvertramp]

Congratulations! A simple & inexpensive fix. Gotta love that!

 

[clemsonfor]

Thats good to hear.

 

[bmaverick]

And the verdict is...dead (and fried) voltage regulator likely caused by loose ground connection. Ten points to whoever guessed that first, earlier in this thread. Looks like the nut vibrated off the bolt holding the ground lug. The wire with the melted insulation actually melted the metal "tooth" off the regulator.

So, I've got a voltage regulator and a new fusible link in my Hoye shopping cart and should be back in business next week sometime. Now that the guy has showed me what's wrong and where everything is, I think it'll be a pretty simple matter to repair myself.

Hope you offered the guy a few bucks for coming out to give a look-see. I have a diesel mechanic friend of the family who looked over my JD-850 that couldn't be saved. He didn't want anything, but I gave him $20 for his input, sound advice and options to take. Thus, down the road, if my Yanmar YM2610 needs service, I know he will return to help out sooner than later. :thumbsup: