Help with Ford 2000 12 volt wiring

LD1 · May 5, 2015

So the new solenoid fixed the issues.

Soundguy · May 5, 2015

hou said:
Thanks souNdguy,
The advice on testing the circuits you gave me worked! The solenoid is 12 volt because the tractor has been converted to 12 volt. What happened was the place (NAPA) that I bought the solenoid from sold me a base grounded solenoid even though I asked for a non grounded base. After checking it following your advice, I found that out. I bought it from NAPA and they did take the grounded based one back reluctantly, and sold me a non grounded base one. Charged me $45.00 for the new non grounded base solenoid. NAPA selling me the wrong solenoid caused me a lot of work and headache. Anyway you seem to know your "stuff" on these 1963 Ford 2000 tractors. Thanks again! Do you know of a local chain type auto parts store where I can buy points and condenser, and new spark wires?
Hou

the 53-64 models shared an engine design, and the 47 - 64 model ag tractros shared a front end design. a couple minor steering box changes along the way, but same basic design. electrical system is -basically- wired the same on all the side mounts from 8n thru 4000, with differences being when they dropped the ammeter to go to a charge light, and field circuit change on the a to b circuit generators. 47-54 shared a rear axle and hub design. 55-64 shared a rear hub design.. etc.

so lots of overlap and similarities on pre 65 fords. ( and past, especially for some of the smaller units. )

napa is actually a pretty good place for ignition parts too, though car quest and orilies will carry them.

For spark plug wires, i usually just buy cut to fit ones.. however you can likely find a uni kit at tractro supply or rural king. and some stores with ag crosref can lookup a pre-cut set. ( yep.. even napa ).

here is some ignition parts info that covers side mount distribuitor fords mid 8n thru 4cyl 4000.. good stores can cross these numbers usually.

Side-Mount Distributor: 8n thru 4 cyl thousand series

gap points to .025

Points:
NAPA #CS749
NAPA HEAVY DUTY PIERCED (ventilated) #CS753
Standard Ignition #FD-8081
Standard Ignition Blue Streak #FD-8081X (Premium)
Condensor:
NAPA #FA66
Standard Ignition #FD-75
Standard Ignition Blue Streak #FD75X (Premium)
Rotor:
NAPA #FA67
Standard Ignition #FD-108
Distributor Cap:
NAPA #FA352
Standard Ignition #FD-128

side mount points hold down screws #8-32 X 3/16
FORD AUTOMOBILE dealer parts counter. come with built-in lockwasher. p/n 355047-S7 (#8-32 X 0.19)

All 4 cyl models can use AL-437 or champion H12 spark plugs instead of OEM Champion H10 or AL 216 plugs.

Shaefercd · Jul 9, 2017

Soundguy said:
wow.. this post is all over the place!

the ignition switch has ONLY 2 wires. one goes to the coil, one comes power, likely a terminal wire block.. but on your butchered hack job, who knows.

I'd dyke out all the wires and start over!

to test that solenoid, remove it so the base is not touching anything, hook one small term to power, and one small term to ground, if that makes it click, it's the correct solenoid.

that unit will have no ammeter, only a charge lamp. thus you can simply find battery hot, run to the key, then to the coil.

run a wire from the coil side of the key to one of the small terminals on the solenoid. other small solenoid terminal to thumb switch. key on powers the ignition and the solenoid, thumb button should activate starter.

if not, take a test lamp, put clamp on bat hot, and point on the thumb button screw terminal and press. if the lamp does not light up, switch is bad.

one thought.. you didn't buy a 12v solenoid for a 6v tractor did you? 2000 4 cyl gas tractors were oem 6v.

Thanks Soundguy,

I went Friday afternoon and got everything I needed to do my conversion on my 1963 Ford 2000. I asked for the St56 Solenoid for this project. Napa man said he didn't have that part but said the ST51 was the same. After hooking everything up and rewiring I could not get thumb start to work. Just turned over everytime I turned the ignition. wasted all that afternoon. Got another solenoid from TSC because no NAPA store around or other auto parts had a comparable part and wasted Saturday trying to get it to work. Then I read this about the grounded and insulated Solenoid. I got the ST56 after some searching and driving and Sunday morning it started right up. Thanks for your help.

Soundguy · Jul 10, 2017

counter men today aren't like counter men from the old days..

LD1 · Jul 10, 2017

Yep. Many solenoids "look" the same, but are different inside. 3-wire base grounded, 4 wire isolated ground, or 4-wire with ignition terminal but still base ground. Alot of people mix the last two up because they look the same outside.