TEA20 IGNITION / STARTING QUESTION

Hi Guys,

I'm still on my quest to get this old Fergy fired up but I have a question about the wiring system on it. Electrics are not my strong point when it comes to working on things. I don't have a battery for it yet so have only tried jump starting it from another vehicle. The tractor has been converted to 12V at some stage and also had a push button starter installed. I'm assuming this is a negative earth setup? The black battery terminal is bolted directly to behind the dash and the positive runs directly to one side of the push button starter? The other side of the push starter has a wire that runs directly to the starter. There is also a red cable that runs off the back of the push started to the amperes gauge. A wire then comes off the back of this gauge and splits into all the various other connections. The only way I have tried to start it thus far is by attaching the jump leads directly from the hose vehicles battery terminals to the terminal leads on the Fergy (assuming i'm actually connecting + to + and - to -). I'm not sure if this is even the right way to do so. Anyway, when I have it connected in this manner with the toggle switch turned on there is light to the dash light and the amperes gauge needle moves up a bit. When i push the started button the starter motor initially makes this big sort of gradual wind up sound. The engine turns over after a few seconds although it seems to be doing so what seems kind of slowly to me. I've never seen one running up close so I don't know how hard it should be trying to turn over? Would it even turn over like this if I had the battery leads connected up backwards? I've attached a couple of pics. If anyone can explain some of this to me I'd be extremely grateful. Apologies if what I've written is all of gibberish, as i mentioned i'm not great with electrics. Thanks for any help! Ferg
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Trying to start one with jumper cables and no battery usually doesn't work. That type starter needs a good initial spin to snap the drive gear into the flywheel.

Try actually putting a good battery in before deciding there are problems. That appears to be a negative ground set up. If it has an alternator, it will have to be always connected negative ground to prevent damage to the alternator.

A few things I see though, where the black cable connects to the sheet metal, it will ground better if you move the cable to the engine itself.

The clamp-on replacement cable end on the positive cable will eventually need to be replaced with a good factory crimped cable. Those are intended for emergency use, not long term use though that often happens.

And eventually you may want to look into putting the start switch back on the shift lever as it originally was, or incorporate that switch instead of the push button switch it now has. As it is now you have no neutral safety switch. We know that you know how to safely start it, but what about the next person, or the grand kids?

Keep us informed...
 
Thanks for that advice Steve. I did wonder about attempting to jump start it that way. The main reason I tried it that way is that the battery out of my Ute wouldn't fit and the terminals wouldn't reach it from outside the battery box. I've had a look at the battery out of my wifes hatchback and i'm pretty confident that will fit so ill pull that out tomorrow and have another crack at it. The end plan is to get it back to as original as possible with the exception of a few things. I have bought a new key ignition switch to replace the tacky looking toggle switch the previous owner installed and intend on having the start lever hooked up. This might be a silly question but can you have it so both push & lever work?

Also what is the standard starting procedure for these? As far as I can tell in my case it's fuel on, select neutral, ignition on, choke on, push start button. Should I have the clutch engaged or anything else i'm missing?

Many thanks, Ferg
 
From the looks of your pictures, your TEA-20 has an original 6 Volt Starter.

In some parts of the world, 6 Volt LUCAS TEA-20 Starter parts are quite difficult to come by. There are those, who shall state "you can connect a 12 VOLT battery to your starter and the starter shall never fail".
The 6 Volt starter is only as strong as it's weakest component.

I had to investigate as to why a 6 Volts Lucas starter was turning / rotating, and the engine was not.

Please view component that failed after starter was connected to 12 Volt Battery.

Please note:
You can not properly install an original 12 Volte Lucas starter on your 6 Volt Tractor.

Here is some valuable information:

Bob...Owner Operator MF FE 35 X..Tea-20 and other colored Tractors:
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You can have the lever start and keep the solenoid if you want.

No need for the push button, just wire the lever switch in place of the push button, let the contacts energize the solenoid.

Or eliminate the solenoid, the contacts on the lever switch are heavy enough to handle starter current. Your choice.

Holding the clutch down will sometimes help with cold weather starts. The cold oil in the transmission creates quite a drag.
 
Thanks guys. I connected up the battery directly and guess what? She goes! Looks like it will need a good tune up. I can drive around in 1st and 2nd with not throttle lever movement. The throttle lever is very clunky and doesn't seem to get any positive response from the carburettor. In fact when i try using it the revs drop to nearly stalling. Any ideas? Anyway enjoy this video of its first start in a few years! Many thanks, Ferg
[video play=false:40aac798a4]https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/videos/mvvideo27138.mp4[/video:40aac798a4]
 
Good day tassie_tea20:
I own a TEA-20 (daily runner) as well as three TEA-20 parts Tractors.

All of said parts Tractors were suffering from "Previous Owner Syndrome"
"Previous owner syndrome" is indicative of the owners never owning Service Manual's and or Parts manuals and certainly never reading such manuals:

You may have purchased such a tractor?
If so, there could be a high end future $$$$$$$ investment ready to stop your Tractor dead in it's tracks.
The timing chain, sprockets, and governor weights are nothing to ignore.

I replaced the SPROCKETS (Cam/Crankshaft) TIMING CHAIN, front oil seal and all gaskets on TEA 20 S# 105046E. There was no indication of any emanate problem. I done the work due to the weak point in the timing area are the pins that attach the weights to the backing plate of the governor. Last month someone on this forum had the same problem "he had no idea there was a problem" until a pin failed and one of the four governor weights jammed between the chain and the sprocket.

If you DO NOT know the history of your tractor "Previous owner syndrome" then you may own a possible very expensive lesson. In the Ferguson archives TYPE in TEA 20 timing chain and READ!
If you change out the timing chain and sprockets pay ATTENTION. The FOUR holes on the CAM SPROCKET are NOT off centered (all holes are equally spaced )thus, the CAM SPROCKET can be attached to the CAM SHAFT in four different positions, and you may have advanced or retarded the cam and never realised it!
Here's another little tidd bit of info:
The Governor weights were ready to fall off/detach from the holding pins. Chain, Sprockets, Governor ,Gaskets, Front oil seal were replaced at sometime in 1967> 1969 when a MAJOR was done to the ENGINE.

I rotated the crankshaft CW/CCW and noticed 4 TEETH on the FLYWHEEL had to move before the DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR would move. Now only one tooth on the flywheel will pass before the Rotor moves. The governor was sticking at full throttle and would not idle down.

Info I compiled when REPLACING Crank sprocket ,Cam sprocket and Timing Chain.
(1) 85 MM Bore Engine:

(2) Front Lip Oil Seal "National /Federal Mogul Lip Seal" # 472164V A SMALL amount of BLUE Silicone was placed around the inside bore of the front timing chain cover before Lip seal was installed:

(3) I installed a repair SLEEVE on the front drive Pulley, make "DURA SLEEVE" # 99175. The sealing area were the LIP SEAL makes contact was slightly grooved. Dura Sleeve specs. 1.745">1.753" Diam. # 68 Rockwell Hardness:

(4) On installation the Governor plunger shall be reseeded tight against the Flyweights and no weights shall be loose or hanging down:

(5) A small amount (only enough to make the surface shiny) of engine oil was added to the shaft of the governor PLUNGER as well as the timing chain:

(6)There are NO timing MARKS on the NEW Sprockets. You may whish to line the timing marks up (facing each other) before you remove the sprockets:

(7)Place the old sprocket (CAM SPROCKET) on top of the new sprockets and accurately scribe the new sprockets as to the timing marks. There are FOUR holes in the hub of the CAM SPROCKET. Keeping turning the old sprocket until the four holes and all teeth line up. These holes are slightly off set. I used several SHOULDERED cap screws to ensure I had the new and old sprockets properly aligned. You may have to flip the old sprocket over...see right up:

(8) It's good practise to measure the thickness of the hub of the old crankshaft sprocket and the new crankshaft sprocket as the teeth on the two sprockets should align for both proper operation and longevity.(there were shims between the old Crankshaft sprocket and the shoulder portion of the crankshaft):

Cheers
Bob...


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Thanks Bob.

The tractor is most definitely of unknown history and I guess time will tell on what the condition is of some of the internal components. I'm sure I will find out soon enough. Thanks for all your information. I value every bit of the help I have been getting on this forum. This is my first project tractor after wanting such a project since I was a lad and look forward to sharing my experience bringing this old Fergie back to some of it's former glory.

Regards, Ferg
 

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