Crazy day--Need some input

kuschneider · Sep 8, 2016

Went out on my '63 Ford 4000 6V tractor today and was going to run it a little bit and fiddle with the idle adjustment. I had run it a few times and nothing seemed odd.

Then I went and cranked it again. Didn't start right off the bat and I let off on the starter button...keeps on cranking and cranking. I sorta panicked and tried to undo a wire to the run switch and it keeps cranking. I am on the starter side of the tractor so I unbolt the wire from the starter and everything stops.

Get a couple of spark and pops along the way. I touch the wire back to the post and it spark and starts spinning as I recall. OK, now I get stuff disconnected and calm down for a bit. I reattached the wire on the run switch and the starter no longer sparks or arc when I touch that wire.

I got voltage to the big terminal on the starter relay, which is logical since it comes right off the battery. With the run switch ON I also have 6V to both small terminals of the starter relay, but not the starter post on the bottom of the relay.(Should I have voltage to BOTH smaller terminals before i hit he Push-TO-Start button?)

I did jump the relay and send voltage right to the starter and she cranked. So I am thinking the relay is bad. Except for some reason I decide to jump the park safety switch (It is a S-O-S tranny) and run a wire from my push-to-start button right to the common ground and it cranks and fires off?

So I feel like the starter relay got stuck and the tractor just cranked like mad. It then "unstuck" itself, and in the process the Park safety switch is now stuck or fried?

kuschneider · Sep 8, 2016

OK, Update. The whole starter solenoid getting stuck and "Park Safety Switch" going goofy at the same time seemed a bit squirrely. So I gave my gear selector handle a good shake and settled into the Park position and now it functions as it should.

So, looks like my new NAPA starter solenoid may be a bit suspect.

Soundguy · Sep 22, 2016

Sounds like it hung for a moment.

sweettractors · Sep 22, 2016

kuschneider said:
Went out on my '63 Ford 4000 6V tractor today and was going to run it a little bit and fiddle with the idle adjustment. I had run it a few times and nothing seemed odd.

Then I went and cranked it again. Didn't start right off the bat and I let off on the starter button...keeps on cranking and cranking. I sorta panicked and tried to undo a wire to the run switch and it keeps cranking. I am on the starter side of the tractor so I unbolt the wire from the starter and everything stops.

Get a couple of spark and pops along the way. I touch the wire back to the post and it spark and starts spinning as I recall. OK, now I get stuff disconnected and calm down for a bit. I reattached the wire on the run switch and the starter no longer sparks or arc when I touch that wire.

I got voltage to the big terminal on the starter relay, which is logical since it comes right off the battery. With the run switch ON I also have 6V to both small terminals of the starter relay, but not the starter post on the bottom of the relay.(Should I have voltage to BOTH smaller terminals before i hit he Push-TO-Start button?)

I did jump the relay and send voltage right to the starter and she cranked. So I am thinking the relay is bad. Except for some reason I decide to jump the park safety switch (It is a S-O-S tranny) and run a wire from my push-to-start button right to the common ground and it cranks and fires off?

So I feel like the starter relay got stuck and the tractor just cranked like mad. It then "unstuck" itself, and in the process the Park safety switch is now stuck or fried?

I have had tractors do that when the starter bendix stick on the ring gear on the flywheel. Tapping the starter pretty swiftly usually breaks it loose. Ken Sweet

kuschneider · Sep 22, 2016

This tractor did this when i went to a 6v starter battery. The tractor had been run with a 12V prior to me acquiring it. Would the change from the 6V to 12V have anything to do with it? It did it a few times. Never seems to do it with a 12V.

fidowanttobe · Sep 23, 2016

My Massey Harris 44 Special did this when it still had the 6 volt battery. It now runs a 12v alternator and battery with the 6v starter and hasn't happened since.(Knock on wood) Dunno. Age, wear, and dirt inside the starter makes it a little sticky and the extra voltage now seems to cure it but logically that makes no sense. I have had to change the solenoid relay more than once tho. 3 terminals, one large from battery which also has a small wire to on/off switch, one large from starter, and only one small one from the push button which engages the large starter terminal. Make sure relay has good ground to chassis. Good luck and keep us posted.