Ford 2000 Diesel questions - Electrical rebuild

Hi All, This is my first time posting here and I am looking for some help in where to start.
I bought a used Ford 200 Dexta diesel for a good price. It starts good, runs well and pulls and drives nice.
I was starting to see issues with having a charged battery and then after looking online for probable causes, thought it may be a voltage regulator.
To my surprise, I went out this morning to see what I could find, and there was no voltage regulator, but also no alternator or generator.
I saw some posts about an alternator upgrade, so may take that route, but I also found a lot of cut wires, so I'm wondering where to start as the tractor still runs and drives nice and I need it to cut the grass and level some ground on my new small acreage.
I know the gauges were all missing and would need work, so thought may be I'd do it all at once now that I have to go this deep into it. Pictures are attached to show you what I'm starting with.

Any advice on where to start, how to get a wiring diagram and parts would be greatly appreciated.

















This post was edited by gwillsie on 09/17/2021 at 05:07 pm.

looks like a superdexta to me..

But some one wired up some murphy gauges that means there was a solenoid to cut off the fuel in case of low oil pressure or over heat.... Solenoid may or may not still be there. This DOES require electricity to hold the fuel on.. if its still there.

Second the diesel requires NO electricity ones its started, so other than gauges and lights, there is nothing to run down the battery other than the starter... So they probably charged the battery every month or so?

This would be a great application for a "one wire" alternator, but you need to see if you want to put a tachometer back on it. I cant remember where the tach drives on a super dexta.(back of hydraulic pump? back of injector pump? or back of governor? or back of the missing generator. Its been too many years since I had my SD. So that answer might have control of how you put a charging system on it.

Tachometer drives from the rear of the injection pump on that
model with the Minimec pump. Regulator should be hiding behind
the lower dash panel.

Tip. To make it easier to get at it, undo the four bolts and take
the two gear sticks out. Stuff some rag in the hole to prevent
anything dropping into the gearbox.

Dynamo mounts on the same side as the starter motor. New wiring
looms are readily available but usually will be for a dynamo
rather than an alternator.

This post made me smile as I have had a 550 TLB for 15 years that I use without an alternator. I just charge it up every few uses. I switch the key off right after starting due to dash lights being on. Good luck with your project.

Thank you everyone for the responses.
I think I may want to use this as a project and upgrade slowly as I have time. Would you be able to help me identify the minimec pump and tach connection? Are the gauges and dynamo readily available?
I think I could see where the dynamo should mount, are those available?
Now for the final question, with the murphy box, should I attempt to rewire the whole tractor? I'm hoping to still keep using it to cut the grass and level out the high spots with the blade in the property while I putter away on the upgrades. I found a lot of cut wires, so I'd need to also find a wiring diagram and extend some wires to make it work.
Sorry for all the questions, I am a new tractor owner with a compulsion to get things fixed when I notice they are broken.

This post was edited by gwillsie on 09/18/2021 at 06:16 am.

You will find a wiring diagram on PDF page 21 in Manual Part 9:
https://tractorspares.ie/tractor-manuals/
Your light switch looks factory (not combined key switch/light switch), so I think that diagram will work.

The Parts List (at the bottom) is very useful when you look for parts, and when you investigate what parts there were from factory. You need the serial number to determine the production date, this shows were to find it on the tractor:
http://www.mount-pleasant-farm.co.uk/dexta/dexta-before.html#serial_number
The mentioned site for matching serial number is not working, but post it and we go from there.

Temperature gauge and warning lights: Parts List PDF page 130 and forward.
Switches: Parts List PDF page 146 and forward.
Tachometer/Proofmeter: Parts List PDF page 148 and forward.

This site has the same documents and some more. Not all in English, but perhaps pictures can help:
https://www.fordsontractorpages.nl/ffcn web/index.html
Choose "Technical information", then click the Fordson logotype to the right of "Fordson All Dexta models".

I forgot about the pump and generator.

On the "Doris the Dexta" (which is a Super Dexta) site you find these pictures:
http://www.mount-pleasant-farm.co.uk/images/before/IMG_0826.JPG
http://www.mount-pleasant-farm.co.uk/images/before/IMG_0839.JPG
The tachometer cable comes from the rear and attaches to the pump end. It is the black cable seen just above the copper tube in the wide view.

Generators are available, but first you should decide if you want to go original, or convert to a system with alternator and negative ground. The starter motor will normally work with either positive or negative ground, but I do not know what solenoid there is. Check if the starter system works with switched polarity. Disconnect the rest of the system when testing.

On the Super Dexta and later Dexta's the ignition switch was taken out of the light switch and moved to the side, It would be behind the Murphy Box.

I have not had much success with any aftermarket switches on my petrol Dexta, all have been very poor quality and failed after a short while. I have been lucky in that my Australian friends sent me a second hand original switch that has now lasted two years and is still fine.




Whilst not a Dexta pump, this picture of a Minimec pump on test shows the tacho drive on the left of the pump covered by a cap. Yours should be a threaded outer with a small squared drive inside.

Thanks Everyone. That is great information.
I've now located the tach connector.
My Super Dexta is already 12V with a negative ground.
The key switch supplies power to an after market fuel pump that primes the original pump and also allows the solenoid to deliver power to the starter. The key doesn't start the engine, there is a handle to push to the right of the key. I am able to turn the key off once the engine is started with no issues.
I'll have to dig through the documents above to see what the all of the wires the previous owner cut off are for.
If I were to forego the the original generator and go to a "1 wire" chevy alternator, is there a good link to see about where I would hook that 1 wire? I'm thinking maybe the battery terminal, or the solenoid.
I've also been trying to find the serial number without success. I've checked behind the starter and got some numbers, but they don't correspond to anything I've found online. I'm not sure where else to look as I climbed around everywhere I could get to yesterday looking for it.
I hope the multiple questions are all good. If I should break these requests into multiple posts, let me know.

This post was edited by gwillsie on 09/19/2021 at 08:07 am.

Here is some information about one-wire and three-wire Delco alternators (I guess that is what a chevy alternator means):
http://www.madelectrical.com/electricaltech/onewire-threewire.shtml

Note that you are not able to have a charging warning light, if you use the one-wire type. Continue to Part 2 and see how a one-wire alternator is fitted on a Super Dexta. They call it "a simple tractor", so maybe they do not have a clue.


The serial number should be on the left side of the tractor:
http://www.mount-pleasant-farm.co.uk/images/before/IMG_0876.JPG
Between the fuel filter and battery tray, where the engine meets the transmission housing.

After some cleaning, I found the serial number 09B-711745 and it looks like I am the owner of an early 1962 Super Dexta.
Today's question is: How do I check the hydraulic and transmission fluid levels? I believe these 2 areas can use the same fluid. Everything seems good and is still working well, but when I go to get the oil to top up the engine, I may as well buy the hydraulic fluid as well.
Thanks again for all the help!

Iirc.. the sdexta has a push lever? that make it start(crank).. sorry its been 30 years or so...So my memory is foggy.

Same oil that goes in the engine goes in the gearbox and
hydraulics, usually HD 20/30W or Tractor Oil Universal. Plain basic
diesel engine oil is perfectly OK for these tractors, so is Rotella
but it is not my choice as it contains additives for modern
diesels.

Check plugs are square headed ones on the Brake pedal side of the
gearbox and, on the rear axle, it is near the PTO Selector lever
pivot. Do not take out any hexagon headed bolt or screw headed ones
on the rear axle, level plugs are square headed.