IH 464 voltage Draw- help

I had mentioned earlier in a previous post that my 464 gas has the battery draw down if left over time. I disconnected the battery cable and
there is a 12.5v draw, the same voltage that the battery reads. I tried disconnecting the ignition switch, voltage regulator, coil wire and it still
draws 12.5v. I finally disconnected the starter wires and...poof...no draw. If I disconnect the two wires that hook to the main bolt on the starter
(the same one the positive battery cable is connected to) that removes the draw. My question is, now that I found the source of current loss,
how do I fix it? Any ideas would sure be appreciated!
 
You need to look for current draw. You are checking voltage.

Set your meter to current, 10 amps, and connect that between battery post and disconnected cable. Then start disconnecting wires until current drops.
 
I'll add to rvirgil's, that if you don't see any movement at 10amp then drop to the lower amp, on mine that is 400ma. You place your meter between the battery post and disconnected cable so that the current flows through your meter. The amp circuit is fused to prevent excessive amps, that is why you start at the higher scale 10 amps. You don't want to blow your fuse and go looking for another.
 
You have only disconnected the battery from everything,you did not find the draw yet. Hook it all up,put your multimeter on 10a scale, and put the leads between battery cable and the battery post. See what your draw is. Now unplug the alternator,and see what you got for a draw.Also if it is cool out and the engine has been off but the cables were hooked up for a few hours,you might feel the alternator to be warm. If it is not the alternator,unhook 1 component at a time until you find it.Mark.
 
(quoted from post at 06:56:49 03/04/18) So if my digital voltmeter only reads Volts and millivolts and ohms, I?m outa luck for today...
If you have a battery charger, you can use it. Disconnect the battery cable, hook the charger to it. Hook the other lead on the charger to ground. Look at the charger to see is you are getting a charge. That tells you that something is drawing current. Again start disconnecting until the charge drops to zero.
 
A very small draw will be normal on your tractor, especially if you have an solid state internal voltage regulator in the alternator which I do believe you have. This will show up as full battery voltage reading on your volt meter. Even a few milliamps which is normal will show full voltage.

That is why you need a ammeter to check for actual draw. BUT, a test lamp will usually get you by just fine. Hook it up between ground cable and normal grounded terminal on battery and if it lights you have a significant draw. If it does not light, you have other problems like poor battery.

If it does not light up, you can easily determine if you are getting a true reading or not by just turning on some accessory, like ign, or lights. If that does not light up your test light you are hooked wrong or test light is defective.
 
I agree with Pete. Hook up a small dash lite bulb with wires long enough to position the light wherever you can see it. Unhook the positive battery cable. Hook the test light up between the positive battery post and the cable.
If you have a draw, the small bulb will glow. Now go around unplugging things, one item at a time. Start with the alternator. Unplug the small connector first, then try the big output wire.
Then move to the fuse box. Remove each fuse and if the light continues to glow, replace that fuse and move to the next one. When the light goes out, you have found the problem. Good luck!
 
Ok- I have a digital ammeter coming in the mail to verify what I expect. But I did the same with a test light and found that when I disconnect the wires that go to the starter, the draw stops. The particular two wires are the ones that connect to the same post as the + battery cable.

Once I DC'd those wires, I waited for three days, hooked them up again, and...boom...starts right up. Can I assume ignition switch? I don't see any wires going to a voltage regulator on this machine, and there are no lights to be concerned with, as there are zero running lights. Also, all the gauges are shot except for the temp gauge. Now that I have the draw isolated, I need some guidance as to what to do about it.

Thank you all.
 
You still have not discovered the point of the draw so you cannot start to guess what is causing the problem. You say you unhooked the battery cable at starter along with the other wire hooked to same terminal. By doing that you have disconnected everything. Hook the battery cable to your meter and to other wire with your ammeter between battery cable and other wire.

If you do not get any draw with your meter between those two wires, then you know none of the switchs, wires , alternater etc are the problem. Therefore it would be the starter or solenoid which I would seriously doubt. You can hook your ammeter to starter terminal and battery cable (terminal you took cable and wire off from) and check for draw. Do not hook to any other terminal on starter or solenoid.



If you get a draw with ammeter hooked between battery cable and other wire, leave them hooked and start disconnecting things until draw disappears. I would start at alternater but could be frayed wiring harness anywhere on tractor. Regulator will be inside alternater.
 
I believe I did what you said, Pete. Check me on this:
I disconnected battery cable on one side
I placed a test lamp between the disconnected cable and the (now empty) post.
The light lit up.
I disconnected the alternator, light stated lit. I reconnected alternator.
I disconnected the light switch, the light stayed lit. Reconnected light switch.
I disconnected the 2 smaller wires going to the main terminal on the starter (NOT the + battery cable, but the ring with 2 red wires on it) THEN the light went out. I reconnected those wires and the light went on. That?s where I think the draw is.

What am I missing?
 
(quoted from post at 07:55:08 03/08/18)
I disconnected the 2 smaller wires going to the main terminal on the starter (NOT the + battery cable, but the ring with 2 red wires on it) THEN the light went out. I reconnected those wires and the light went on. That?s where I think the draw is.

What am I missing?

Where do the two smaller wires go?
 
on to the main starter terminal. the same one as the big + battery cable goes. Could they be hooked to the wrong spot or tied in incorrectly?
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top