How do I crank this thing?

Posted these pics before. Lady up the road asked me to ID her ex husband's tractor. With help from here, it was determined to be a 43 9N - Rubber, Sherman, & electrics added after the war.
Anyway, I get a call from her this weekend...2 Guys are there to buy it *IF* they can get it cranked.
Turns out I knew one of the guys (Former SCUBA Student of mine), but between the 3 of us, we never did figure out how the old guy was cranking this tractor.
Below are 2 pics...One is the left side wiring. It appears that it is 12 volt, but cannot be sure. Battery had 4 caps on top, wire from + side down to solenoid. Other side of solenoid wired to starter. Wires from battery side of starter appeared to go to a pull switch on the dash, as pointed out in the other picture.
For the life of us, we could not figure out how to engage the starter! We did all we could think of except for jumping across the solenoid, which I objected to given its proximity to the battery and fuel tank..lol

All guidance is appreciated!
Tommy D
Dalton, Ga
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4 caps is an 8 volt battery.

He has probably replaced the neutral safety switch w/ a solenoid.

Your real problem is getting battery voltage to the coil.

Chances are the battery in the tractor is totally dead & it needs to have a charge to fire the plugs, so jumping it isn't an option.

Loan the neighbor your 6v battery.

Find the switch that gets battery voltage to the top of the coil & turn it on.

If you can find the switch that engages the solenoid (probably an automotive key switch) use it.

If not, just jump start it. (see tip # 43)
75 Tips
 
wow what a gerry-rigged mess.

I see a solenoid to the starter.. so follow the small wire on it and see what switch it hits.

that handles the starter..

same with the coil. follow the wire from the coil to some switch.

in any event. you could hotwire the coil and screwdriver the solenoid if you had to.

don't run anyone over.
 
well, ya got a solenoid hanging there.
If the battery is hooked to the other side of it,
That little terminal with nothing hooked to it,
either needs, to ground, or to power, to activate it.
you could meter test it, or just use a remote starter switch,
or a alligator clipped wire if you don't have a remote in your toolbox.
Like said, make sure of neutral or stay out of the way.
With an unknown machine, I'd have the trans in neutral, the sherman in neutral and have the clutch down. LOL, and rocking it to make sure the fan don't turn.
Run another alligator wire from battery to coil and it will start if it's gonna.

My bet is it's a $9 solenoid for a snowplow from TSC, which needs power to that little terminal to activate, and was probably hooked to that push button on the dash.
I use em all the time on homebrew little tractors.
 
heck.. some solenoids even have a manual bypass button under them too.

I don't see them as much anymore.. but I have seen them before.

can't see that one well enough.. but it looks kinda newish..
 

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