1963 4010 diesel Fuel Gauge 24 volt system

[jrsavoie]

1963 4010 diesel Fuel Gauge and sending unit 24 volt system

I was told the fuel gauge should have 12 volts going to it? Is that correct?

Are there aftermarket gauges or sending units that are worth buying?

I've had many people tell me to leave it broke and use a stick. Are they really that bad, that they aren't worth fixing?

It worked just a week or 2 ago.

What John Deere part numbers do I need?

 

[thepumpguysc]

How did u determine its a 24v system?? did u use a volt meter or are u going by someone elses word??
I've never heard of a 24volt 4010..
Best to get a VM & check it..

 

[Tx Jim]

IIRC fuel gauge is 12 volt. Remove wire from sender & touch wire to tractor frame to determine if gauge needle moves .

 

[jrsavoie]

How did u determine its a 24v system?? did u use a volt meter or are u going by someone elses word??
I've never heard of a 24volt 4010..
Best to get a VM & check it..

You must not have been around many 1960's John Deere 4010's and 4020's. There were a lot of 24 volt unless they had the 12 volt conversion kit.

I just installed a 24 volt alternator to replace the 24 volt generator.

You can read up in these results
https://www.google.com/search?q=24+volt+John+Deere+4&oq=24+volt+John+Deere+4&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i6&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[jrsavoie]

IIRC fuel gauge is 12 volt. Remove wire from sender & touch wire to tractor frame to determine if gauge needle moves .

Yep. We did that a couple of days ago. We still were not sure what was going on. Every once in a while the gauge would jump around while I was rubbing. I hooked a jumper to get better ground to the clean alternator case. Unless I was wiggling the wire it never did anything just held against some thing.

I will be taking the hood off ASAP. Then I will try grounding from the stud on the gauge. Maybe a bad wire going to the sending unit?

I had the dealer tell me the Fuel gauge was positive ground and somebody else told me the wire going to the fuel gauge from the switch should be positive.

The dealer quoted me $146.49 for the gauge and $55.73 for the sending unit.

Are there good aftermarket fuel gauges & or sending units for these?

Sometimes aftermarket is crap and sometimes you can find an aftermarket that is better than OEM

Right now the fuel tank is down to about 3" above the bottom

 

[Tx Jim]

Does your tractor's rear battery cables attached to frame or has it been updated to have 1 rear battery cable from each rear battery post?

 

[jrsavoie]

Does your tractor's rear battery cables attached to frame or has it been updated to have 1 rear battery cable from each rear battery post?

My batteries were mounted in a box, next to the starter. The previous owner didn't like accessing the batteries under the cab.

One positive cable and the negative cable from the other battery run to the same 1/2" bolt for the front cab mount to the frame. That is the one connection I haven't looked over real good yet. Looks good at a glance.

The starter spins great when the solenoid does more than click

 

[LouNY]

The last 4020 I worked on was 24 volt to start 12 volt to run.
It could be a head scratcher as it sounds like the wiring may have been worked on over the years.
Good luck

 

[jrsavoie]

It may be in the switch. I noticed today when I was starting that the gauge would move when you moved the key a little, I will have to jumper the gauge or test it and make sure it's getting juice. Or both. Might not be able to tell much until I fill it back up.

The key has a little slop in the run position

 

[jrsavoie]

What is the best 24 volt to 12 volt conversion kit for a 1963 Deere 4010 diesel?

I intend to use 1 group 31 battery. Mounted by the starter. I need a new battery box anyway.