I have recently inherited a Ford 801 Powermaster it is either a 851 or 861 I don't know for sure I cannot find the serial number. It is a diesel and there is a start button on top of the transmission and there is also a push button mounted by the key on the side. Does anyone know what the push button by the key switch is? By the way I have not got it started yet. I think the starter needs rebuilt. Thanks
- Thread starter P012281
- Start date
Model and serial number should be under the batter box on the left side. You should see to horizontal holes and right above them is a flat spot with the model number on top and serial number under it.
As for the switch by the ignition switch who knows it could be an add on starter switch like what is on my 841. As for the starter rebuild hold off and try some simple trouble shooting. Take a jumper cable and run it from the ignition side of the battery to the stud on the starter and see if you can get the starter to spin over. BE 1000% sure it is out of gear when you do that.
As for the switch by the ignition switch who knows it could be an add on starter switch like what is on my 841. As for the starter rebuild hold off and try some simple trouble shooting. Take a jumper cable and run it from the ignition side of the battery to the stud on the starter and see if you can get the starter to spin over. BE 1000% sure it is out of gear when you do that.
Thank you I will give that a try. I know little about tractors in general especially one's this old. I am going to try to OHM the start switch out by the shifter to see if it is good. The button by the key switch actually has a hole there for it that is why I thought it may be factory. I hope to get it running I am going to buy a shop manual for it. Thanks again.
The starter switch on the top of the transmission will show a short to ground when pushed down since the Ford solenoid uses a grounding set up to kick the solenoid in. So with out pushing it down to ground you should get an open and when pushed down to ground you should read a short to ground
Destroked 450
Well-known Member
- Location
- Harned, Ky
In order for the starter push button the work the transmission has to be in neutral, thats a safety feature to prevent starting in gear.
The larger battery box on diesel models places it over the serial number stamped into the clutch housing, over time battery acid usually eats await the numbers on the diesel models.
On mine part of the serial number can still be read, the model number is above and to the rear of the serial number and is less likely to be completely eaten away, mine hasn't been effected by battery acid yet.
I traced the wires back form the push button and it did go back to two plugs in the manifold. How are you suppose to use that do I push that every time before I start it and for how long? I did find my serial number right under the battery box I had to do some scrubbing with a wire brush first. I was going to see if anyone had any thoughts on this issue, though. I shot a little bit of ether in it and it fired right up and was sounding great but after a couple of minutes it made a loud grinding noise and shutdown. The starter was smoking and when I tried to turn it over again it was making a grinding noise. I pulled the starter out and the shaft that comes out of the end of it is warped it still turns but it is bent. My thought is the starter never disengaged from the flywheel. What do you guys think. This tractor has probably been sitting for 5 or 6 years uncovered. I really appreciate all the info I really don't have a clue what I am doing.
Someone has put a new solenoid on the bottom and it is not an isolated ground solenoid. It is all the time grounded by being mounted to the tractor. From what I read I need an isolated ground solenoid. I figured that out by removing the wire form the start button by the gear shifter and it dead shorted to the negative battery post and when I unbolted the solenoid from the tractor the short went away. One thing I am concerned with I checked the switch itself and when you push it down you get a short but not a hard short I hope it will be enough to complete the circuit to the solenoid for power.
showcrop
Well-known Member
The diesel has two solenoids. One operates the starter and the other operates the preheaters. You should hear that preheater solenoid give a good loud click when you push the button. Mine has always wanted a pretty good amount of preheat before cranking even in warm temps. I usually give it 35-40 seconds. I hold a hand on one of the heaters while I hold the button. There is nothing wrong with JUDICIAL use of ether. It is better than washing your cylinders down with a lot of fuel. The tractor should start without any though. It sounds like your starter did get hung up on the flywheel. It can happen, especially if someone lubed the drive sometime in the past. They should get nothing but graphite. Hopefully your starter and ring gear did not get hurt too badly. a new drive does not cost much. It is very possible that someone has put the wrong solenoid on it.
My starter button is not giving a hard enough short to complete the CKT to crank the starter. I figure it has some rusty contacts inside it. If I take a good ground off of the chassis it sends voltage to the starter. With my meter on the switch it just shows a light short when pushed. Is there another similar type button I can buy and mount somewhere, from what I have read changing that button is a pain on the 861 tractor.
showcrop
Well-known Member
It is strongly recommended that you don't eliminate this safety feature. Every now and then we read here of someone being badly hurt because of a tractor being started from the ground when in gear. Have you eliminated every possibility of a poor connection in the wire to the button? Does the button connection have the boot that is supposed to be there? is the wire to the button in the loom that it is supposed to be in? That wire is far ore subject to abuse than any other on the tractor. While it is possible that while sitting some corrosion did happen inside, it is highly unlikely compared to damage outside. R&R of the cover can be tricky but I have done them a few times as I have a 960 and a 961, but if you know to watch for the little parts it is not all that bad.
Thank you for the advice I will try to get that original switch working. Should there be a fuel shutoff plunger on the Ford 861 diesel? I do not see one but there is a hole in the dash to the right side of the steering wheel where something use to be, but it could have been for the headlights I don't know. It looks like something has been removed. I did not know if I could shut the tractor off by just turning the key off. Thanks again.
Destroked 450
Well-known Member
- Location
- Harned, Ky
Peaceful Creek makes a real good reprint of the original but one has to shop around for the best deal, I've seen them from $50 to $280
Search 1955 - 1960 Ford tractor shop manual.
I-T makes a nice condensed version with good suggestions on substitutes for hard to find tools.
showcrop
Well-known Member
I purchased a reprint of the original Ford 9000 shop manual from "New Old Manuals.com" I am very happy with it. It even has a lifetime warrantee in case some of it becomes unreadable due to grease, coffee, whatever. It was around $75.00 back then. It is about 2.5 inches thick. You can get them on CD but it takes a lot of ink to print it. I don't see myself having a laptop in my shop, so the paper is very handy.
I have the starter button working now I think some
contacts where hung up in it. I need to change the
fluids does anyone know what fluid I need for the
trans, hydraulics , differential and what is the best
oil to put in it. I called Napa to see if they had an oil
and fuel filter but not for sure if they had the right
one the oil is a screw on and the fuel is the canister
type so I will have to hunt them down as well. The
oil and hydraulics is full but I could not find a
dipstick for the differential and transmission I guess
there is a check plug for those.
contacts where hung up in it. I need to change the
fluids does anyone know what fluid I need for the
trans, hydraulics , differential and what is the best
oil to put in it. I called Napa to see if they had an oil
and fuel filter but not for sure if they had the right
one the oil is a screw on and the fuel is the canister
type so I will have to hunt them down as well. The
oil and hydraulics is full but I could not find a
dipstick for the differential and transmission I guess
there is a check plug for those.
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