Tach and 2 lights in the cluster

Hillrie Rouse · Dec 29, 2010

I just bought a 1958 Fordson Dexta and am wondering about the two lights in instrument cluster There is one on each side of the tach the right hand one blinks and I am concerned about it. Any help will be many thanks

Robert Major · Dec 29, 2010

Ok on the dexta you have an oil pressure light for the engine and a charge light for the generator. I think the red ones oil and greens gen but cant remember it"s 20 years ago since i drove one.
if its the gen one it just means something maybe is wrong with the charging system.
if it"s the oil one it either means the sender is faulty or you may be heading for a bang with no/ low oil pressure.
try and figure out the wiring locations to see whats connected to what. if its the oil one try and fit a test gauge and see whats going on.
you need to know for sure on oil pressure or faulty switch. No pressure x Big Bang = Huge Bill!
I"m a full time mechanic and see the guys faces that ignore flashing lights when I give them bills
for motor re builds.
Good luck and I hope its a switch or charge light.
Regards Robert

Hillrie Rouse · Dec 29, 2010

I did not have the light come on until I changed oil in it---I went with 30 wt and ran for a while and the light started blinking--------What if any thing this had to do with it? I saw where if it had always had non detergent oil to not use hd? Help?-------Could this have something to do with it?

Robert Major · Dec 29, 2010

Maybe it had thicker oil in it at the start and it now has thiner oil that would increase clearances when hot.

if high detergent oil is used in old motors it scrubs the old gunk out of the motor and plugs the suction screen in the oil pan and oil filter, causing low oil pressure.

if the old oil was like tar and the new is like water the oil pump crank and all the bearings could be worn. you need to get an oil pressure gauge on it and see whats going on. or put thicker non detergent oil in and run it to see if it cures it.
The worst option is theres low oil pressure which means the motors up for rebuild and to be honest a tractor of that age with poor previouse owner maintanence could be needing it.

Thats the best I can tell you without seeing the tractor and doing some test work on it.
Regards Robert

Jeff NWOH · Jan 2, 2011

The right hand light is supposed to be for oil pressure. Should be green. The red on the left is for charging. Assuming yours is diesel, the sender is on the left side of the engine close to the injector pump.

Remove the sender and plumb in a manual gauge to see if in fact you have an oil press problem. Think i had to use an elbow to make it work. I repaired the light on mine and then it stayed on all the time. I actually had around 60 psi oil pressure, so I got a new sender from NAPA. They do go bad. Hope that's all thats wrong with yours.

Jeff

Tach and 2 lights in the cluster

Hillrie Rouse

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Robert Major

Well-known Member

Hillrie Rouse

New User

Robert Major

Well-known Member

Jeff NWOH

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