850 proofmeter question

Jim.UT · Jan 13, 2012

I looked in the owners manual but didn't see the answer.

I'm looking at an 850 for sale. Date codes and s/n say it's a 1955. The proofmeter is the original style with the gear numbers on the needle.

There are a row of digits showing the hours. The first several digits are black on a white background. The next to last one is white on a black background. The last one is just alternating white and black blocks.

Now for the question: does that last digit (just before the white/black blocks) indicate tenths of an hour? Or is it a full hour? This hourmeter shows 0400 on the white blocks with another 0 on the black block. With the tractor running, the last counter with just alternating white & black blocks is turning.

Is it possible for this tractor to have only 400.0 hours on it? Or am I seeing 4,000 hours on that meter. It does not appear to be a replacement meter. If it is, it was replaced a long time ago as the "white" number blocks are significantly yellowed.

I forgot to look closely at the clutch pedal for wear. I should do that.

JMOR · Jan 13, 2012

(quoted from post at 14:16:05 01/13/12) I looked in the owners manual but didn't see the answer.

I'm looking at an 850 for sale. Date codes and s/n say it's a 1955. The proofmeter is the original style with the gear numbers on the needle.

There are a row of digits showing the hours. The first several digits are black on a white background. The next to last one is white on a black background. The last one is just alternating white and black blocks.

Now for the question: does that last digit (just before the white/black blocks) indicate tenths of an hour? Or is it a full hour? This hourmeter shows 0400 on the white blocks with another 0 on the black block. With the tractor running, the last counter with just alternating white & black blocks is turning.

Is it possible for this tractor to have only 400.0 hours on it? Or am I seeing 4,000 hours on that meter. It does not appear to be a replacement meter. If it is, it was replaced a long time ago as the "white" number blocks are significantly yellowed.

I forgot to look closely at the clutch pedal for wear. I should do that.

his isn't specic to your hundred series, but out of 8N Op Man. Last blk/wht checkered (far right cycles at every 1/100th hour., next left is 1/10 hour, further left are hours.

Jim.UT · Jan 13, 2012

Thank you. I didn't see that explanation in the proofmeter section of the 600/800 manual.

So that means this tractor is "showing" 400 hours. Wow. I might need to think a bit more seriously about it. At the very least go drive it again and let it run long enough to show the hour meter advancing. I suppose the meter could have been disconnected for a time...bad cable or something.

The story on it is an 80 year old lady sold her ground and moved to sunny southern Utah. In the barn this tractor was sitting. She asked the real estate agent to please accept it as part of his commission. He doesn't want it, need it, know much about it....just wants it gone.

Ncorrigible · Jan 13, 2012

Finding a 55 850 with 400 hours would be about like finding a 55 Chev Bel Air with 20,000 actual miles. Possible, but not any more likely than winning the mega bucks lottery. If the proofmeter works and does not appear to be new, then never - ever think about buying a lottery ticket - you've had your 1 in 3,800,000 winner.

That is the opinion of Paul, and only the opinion of Paul, your opinion may vary. Paul's opinion only valid where not prohibited by law.

Jim.UT · Jan 13, 2012

I agree on the chances. I'm finding it a little hard to believe this is a 400 hour tractor because the appearance, while not bad, isn't all that pristine either. Front tires are worn out, hood has the obligatory dings, nothing major and it's had its mandatory blue repaint. I wish I could speak to the old lady that left it in the barn when she sold the place to get a little background on it.

Proofmeter definitely works, at least the rpm side does. It looked like the 1/100th hour wheel on the hour meter was starting to move, but I didn't run it long enough to really verify it.

Ncorrigible · Jan 13, 2012

My guess would be the hour function has failed. When I rebuilt my 8N 10 or 11 years ago the proof meter hours stopped at 19.1. The needle worked until this past summer and now my proof meter is just a poof meter. I can honestly say this is the only thing I ever got from Don that was not as good as I would like. Not at all their fault of course, just one of those parts where the new stuff doesn't last near as long as the original. I do need to order another one tho - I want to sell that 8N this spring and a non-functional proof meter just won't do.

Jim.UT · Jan 13, 2012

I've has similar experience with replacement meters. My 850 had the original meter when I bought it in 1999. The needle was broken off, but it still worked. It finally died at about 4300 hours. Since then I've replaced meters every 100 to 200 hours. My current one has 180 hours on it so I expect it to crash at any moment.

Dean · Jan 13, 2012

Bingo.

It is quite common for the hour register to fail yet appear to work properly. If one of the pins breaks off, all digits to the left will no longer increment.

Dean

Dean · Jan 13, 2012

If it indeed has only 400 actual hours you will be immediatly able to tell by looking at the clutch pedal an turning the steering wheel.

Dean

Sean in PA · Jan 13, 2012

If it's the original meter and it's working properly, my guess would be that it rolled over and it has 10,400 hours on it.

WayneIA · Jan 13, 2012

This sounds like one of the proofmeters that Steiner's has in there add in the new N- News magazene. It has the needle with the numbers on it.

Jim.UT · Jan 13, 2012

I didn't know there was a replacement meter available with the numbers on the needle. Good to know. Next time my cheapo proofmeter cashes in, I'll look into getting one.

The one on the tractor I'm looking at is definitely old. Is it original? Hard to say for sure, but it looks like it.

awhtx · Jan 13, 2012

Jim,
The genuine Ford proofmeters I've seen have a date (and it's not even in secret code!) ink stamped on the housing. You'd probably have to take it out of the dash to see the date.

NWMO 901 SOS · Jan 14, 2012

(quoted from post at 21:20:55 01/13/12) Jim,
The genuine Ford proofmeters I've seen have a date (and it's not even in secret code!) ink stamped on the housing. You'd probably have to take it out of the dash to see the date.

Jim and Alan,

Here's a pic of the date marking taken almost 4 years ago when I fixed mine after it seized. Still works well, though when it gets really cold I have to unhook it because it goes crazy. Haven't had to run my tractor in the cold yet this winter.

Chris

Tony Jacobs · Jan 15, 2012

Hello Jim , More than likely it is a replacement proofmeter from Ford . The last one is minutes the next to last is tenth's and they will read 9,999.9 hours . One of my 4000's recorded just over 7,200 before it stooped working . There are 3 different styles of hour meter digits alone , Chris' s picture of his meter shows second design or font of the digits on the hour meter , they were changed again after 1967 on replacemnet meters for the four cylinder tractors and the first design meters are on the NAA'S and early hundred series tractors and have yet another font design and they did not have gear numbers on the early proofmeter needles either . Thanks Tony Jacobs

850 proofmeter question

Jim.UT

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JMOR

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Jim.UT

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Ncorrigible

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Jim.UT

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Ncorrigible

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Jim.UT

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Dean

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Dean

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Sean in PA

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WayneIA

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Jim.UT

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