3600 gauge question

kenbob

Well-known Member
Just finished reading the previous post about gauges. We also have a gauge question. THe 3600 gas guage cluster is a little ratty, but everything
works except the oil light is on (wire isn't hooked to the sending unit) and the alternator light is on. For that one, there is one wire that has the
female receptor for a spade connector, but there is no spot on the alternator to connect this. We assume this is why we are getting the light.

THe owner is considering ordering a new gauge pack. I am confused as to why there is a difference between ford alternator set and the set for
generator/aftermarket alternator. I guess the first question is if there is an easy way to tell if we have a ford alternator without removing it. We
don't see the ford oval on any part of it we can see. Since we have the extra wire, not hooked up, I am guessing the alternator has been changed.
Then if we change out the cluster, is there a difference the way the tach spins between the two sets, and if so and we switch to the gen/aftermarket
set, will the tach not work? We are new to this tractor so every day is a new question it seems. Thanks all.
 
From factory, your 3600 did not use a Ford Motorcraft alternator. It used a Motorola alternator. It should look like the one in the link below.

Also, there is no terminal on the alternator for the warning light. Instead it is spliced into the signal source being supplied to the external regulator. A service manual would make that more clear - I don't have an image handy.
Motorola alternator
 
Thanks, He is ordering a service manual. I tried to find NH parts online but couldn't find it. I printed of the picture so we can compare.
 
If you want original then do that, if you want reliable and simple just buy the Indian gauge panel which uses real gauges not one cluster
 

Both lights on makes me wonder if the position of the lights has been changed... the air filter restriction light and oil pressure light work together via a diode..... iirc...

I often get tractors in that have the lights moved or reversed...

would do good to either check the color codes of each lamp wire, or ground each one out to see which one comes on, and then move to correct hole in the instrument panel.

Most tractors have rodent damage behind the instrument panel anyway and need a bit of wire repair as well as bulb replacements.
 
Depending on the build date of the 3600 the correct OEM style cluster will either have a voltage stabilizer for the two gauges or it will not. Either style is available in the aftermarket, Both have the tach needle zero on the left, and they do not interchange without replacing the respective senders.
 
THe wiring is pretty messed up for a tractor which shows 1900 hours and little wear. I am telling the owner to buy a harness and rewire it. We
already have to take the gas tank out to clean it, probably change the fuel pump as the filters there are restricted, so we might as well take the
entire hood off and put all new wires in. As I think about it, I guess the 2 versions of gauges is one for tractors that came with an alternator,
and the other which says for generator or aftermarket alternator--meaning a tractor that had a generator but later converted to alternator not a
tractor that came with alternator and was switched to a different brand of alternator. Am I right on that?

And you are probably right about the wires being switched as the air filter light does not come on and the filters are fresh.
 

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