F. Ford 4000 Dash Repair

The new wheel fit fine. I put some anti-seize on the shaft before installing it.

Then I started removing things to remove the fuel tank. The engine cover was removed first.

Then the old instrument panel was removed. I took many pictures of how it was connected so I might get the new one hooked up correctly.

Rats had used the cover for a home over the years. The top of the tank was a mess.

The hand throttle had to be disconnected and the control rod removed.

This bolt had to be removed from the bracket since it rides in a divot on the rod.

An impact screw driver was needed to remove the large screws holding on the tank cover.

There are two bolts under the dash toward the seat that have to be removed.

One bolt on the left side bottom.

One bolt on the top center.

And, the cover was loose. Years of crud to clean up.

The crud came off with a plastic brush. I held a pan under the tank to catch most of it to keep it off the floor. It was sticky with grease.

The sending unit was removed to be sure the correct one was ordered.

For the fuel tank removal see E. Ford 4000 Fuel Tank Replacement .

A new oil pressure sending unit and water temperature sending unit was ordered. I sure hope the wiring is still good.

I removed the light switch from the tank cover. It would not turn or pull out and the knob was broken. A new one is on the way.

Tomorrow I will work on the brake shaft and some of the parts are supposed to be delivered. See D. Ford 4000 Brake Pedals and Shaft Repair .

As I traced wires, I found things that needed attention. Like this section of wiring exposed over the engine.

I put some wire loom over the sections of wiring harness next to the engine.

While I was there, I tightened the generator belt. It had been pretty loose.

I also found this bird nest behind the grille.

I found out that the lights still work.

Both high and low beams are still good.

Then I tried the horn. It will not work. Not sure why. I have never used this one. So, I will find another one. I have a lead on an old horn from a !@#$%@ V/W. It will be either an old GTI or Sirocco horn if I can find one of them.

It sure looks better in there with the bird nest gone. I will have to pressure wash the radiator since it was partially covered with nest.

I labeled each wire at the dash and a few at the opposite end. This process took all morning.

There were several wires that are no longer in use, but still connected to the battery. I will be sure not to connect them so they will not short out later. They will be labeled NC for no connection.

I made a fused lead to test the instrument panel. First I connected the Instrument panel lights to see if they worked. Sure enough only one worked. the wire broke off the other one while I was testing it. So, I had to pry the socket apart and solder the wire back on. What a pain that was!

Only two of the instrument panel bulbs were still good and they were mis-matched. I will just replace them all.

To test the sending unit, I had to connect it to the gauge in the new instrument panel.

Then I connected a ground and the power lead to the instrument panel.

After making sure the fuel gauge worked, I installed the new fuel sending unit.

I installed new coolant temperature and oil pressure sending units. Why not? New gauges...New sending units!

Saturday, 09/24/2016 I skipped the Middle Georgia Rallycross race since Matt was not able to go and I needed to work on this tractor. I started out the morning by installing the tank cover.

Then I picked up some new instrument cluster bulbs at Autozone. Surprise, I had $20 on my rewards card. So I got some grease and a new cylinder hone too.

Back at home, I installed the bulbs and made sure they all worked using my test battery. Then I connected the ignition switch.

Before putting power to it, I checked continuity between the terminals. HORRIBLE! I think I found why some of the things on the instrument cluster did not work. The switch was bad.

So, before buying an expensive switch, I disected the old one. I used a screwdriver and a hammer to push out the switch housing indentions holding the switch guts in.

I expected springs and contacts to go everywhere when I took it out of the housing. But, it was a very well made switch and the guts stayed together.

I suspected the corrosion on the outside of the terminals to be part of the problem.

But they were still making good contact with the contacts inside of the switch. The rotating contacts were in good shape, but all the contacts were dirty.

So, I took some 600 grit sandpaper and my small screwdriver and cleaned them.

Continuity was fine after cleaning. I put some dielectric grease on the contacts and reassembled the switch.

I punched in the keeper indentions and checked the switch.

All good now so I reinstalled it and connected it back up.

I installed the red fuse above to work the horn. Notice the horn wire and fused feed are connected to the horn button.

Now I connected the instrument cluster. Then I connected the tractor battery for a smoke test. Everything worked. Notice the generator light on the left is glowing, and the oil pressure warning light on the right is burning brightly.

I could not test start since the lift is still off, but the on position of the switch works great.

I do not like the way they used screw clips to install the instrument cluster. The clips barely span the hole they must grab in the fuel tank cover. One of the clips was missing so I used one I had but it barely fit. I also replaced the four screws with stainless steel screws.

It took me a while to get the instrument cluster to fit. The rib of the new fuel tank was rubbing the bottom of the of the cluster. I had to remove about 1/4" of metal for about 3" along the rib.

I still had to loosen the rear tank cover bolts on both sides to raise the cover as far as it would go. Finally, it fit.

Tomorrow maybe I will start rebuilding the lift cylinder?

On Sunday 09/25/2016 I started working on the light switch.

I had ordered a new light switch, but the one that I got would not operate properly. The switch I got will not work so that the high and low beams can be operated independently.

I think it is an issue with how the switch was put together since it does have the correct number of positions and terminals. But the first position from OFF does nothing. Then the second position from OFF turns both switched terminals on at the same time.

Since I was able to fix the ignition switch and it was so well made, I got to thinking that I should see if I could clean the old light switch too. It appeared to be made in much the same way. So, I started working on it.

First I cleaned off the outside with a wire brush and electrical cleaner.

Then I clamped pliers to the stem and worked WD40 into the stem. It finally started turning. Once it turned I tried a continuity test. It showed very high resistance on all positions.

So, the switch had to be taken apart. I made a small chisel from a countersink punch by grinding the end. I used it to carefully tap the crimped edges of the case back to allow me to remove the switch guts.

My brother arrived at this point to help me work on the tractor. So, he started repairing the lift cylinder while I worked on the switch. See B. Ford 4000 Lift Rebuild .

The contacts were very dirty. So, I removed the small clip holding the rear of the shaft. Now the contacts could be cleaned easily.

I used a small screwdriver and 600 grit sandpaper and contact cleaner to clean all the contacts.

I lubricated the entire assembly with dielectric grease and reassembled the switch. I carefully punched the keeper indentions back in.

The light switch performed like new after the cleaning. Now I will have to make a new knob for it. The old one disentegrated when I removed it.

I tested the ligth switch by connecting it to the headlight wiring. At first it did not work. I finally realized the feed from the ignition switch to the light switch was not connected. So, I attached another fuse holder with a 10A fuse to the ignition switch ON terminal and connected the light switch feed to it. Now the lights worked on both high and low beam. Awesome!

I stopped working on the lights to help Frank install the lift cover. See B. Ford 4000 Lift Rebuild .

When the lift cover was installed, Frank installed the engine cover and hood. I had tried to install it the night before but it did not want to fit properly. I thought it was going to have to be trimmed to fit. But Frank got it back on without having to cut anything.

It is nice to have good help!

Frank then started reinstalling the throttle linkage.

He found it had been incorrectly connected to the return spring and fixed that too.

The wire feeding the equipment light on the rear fender was missing. It had been torn off many years ago. Frank suggested we fix it.

I found a roll of 1/4" soft copper tubing and some wire. Frank started forming the tubing and fabricating supports for it to run along the upper part of the transmission to keep it protected. With the tube on top it should last much longer than the old wire.

The wire and tubing installation turned out great!

The original light switch had an OFF position and three ON positions. After a quick continuity test of the original switch I did not think it would work to serve the equipment light. The terminal I thought I could use broke off due to corrosion while I was testing it.

So, I installed a push-button switch under the light switch and used the last terminal on the original switch that I believed would be hot all the time to feed it.

After I had installed the original switch and connected the equipment light, we tested all the lights. The equipment light would not come on when the new push-button switch was ON.

So, we tested the headlights again. When the original light switch was switched to the first ON position, the equipment light came on. OOPS! That means I did not need the push-button switch. The connection I made to feed the new switch on from the original light switch is a switched terminal. Live and learn!

The good news is that all the lights now work using the original light switch. I just need to make a knob to complete the light repairs.

I found an old piece of aluminum that I had knurled many years ago for a knob on something. I drilled the center hole to 1/4" then used a piece of 1/4" Allen wrench as a broach to make the hole a hex. I drilled a hole for a no. 6-32 set screw.

That will do nicely!

Frank had almost gotten the horn apart to see if we could fix it. I was curious what was inside anyway, so I finished taking it apart.

Not much there, but this one has no continuity. I guess I will still be looking for another horn?

I did finally find the horn on the Sirocco. It was hidden just in front of the driver's side front tire and completely under the car. I guess they use the pavement for acoustics?

I pressure washed it and used a short piece of angle for a bracket. Here it is ready to install.

I installed it where the original one was mounted in front of the radiator.

That is a LOUD horn!

I think everything I can fix about the dash is now done. All that is left to get the tractor going again are some bushings for the brake pedals. Hopefully, those will be here this week. I have some holes to dig and some plowing to do!

On 09/29/2016 I tried out all the repairs. I found a punch list of issues that needed to be fixed. Some of them had to be fixed before the tractor could be used. Others could wait until later.

First the PTO seal had to be replaced again. See the final entry at the end of E. Ford 4000 Fuel Tank Replacement .

Then, the proofmeter and tachometer did not operate and the generator light stayed on all the time. I knew the proofmeter drive cable was intact but the meter and tachometer were not moving. So, I suspected the drive gear in the generator was bad.

When I visited John Scudder to ream the brake pedals he had been working on his Ford 4500 backhoe. While we were looking at it, I notice he had an alternator on his tractor. I told him of my proofmeter problem and he said the old generator removed from his tractor was around his place somewhere and I could have it if I wanted to try and fix mine using its parts.

He found it that evening and delivered it to me the next day. It was in much better shape than the one on my tractor. So, I removed the proof meter drive gear cover and discovered the gear was missing. I then checked mine and it was still there. So I installed the one from mine into the generator he brought me. Then I put it on my tractor.

Now the proof meter worked. The tachometer also worked too. But the generator light still stayed on so the charging circuit needed attention.

So, I tested it. It was putting out well enough to move on to the voltage regulator. I labeled the regulator wires and removed the regulator.

Inside the regulator I found enough corrosion to go ahead and order a new one.

The new one should be here on Monday 10/03/2016. I hope that fixes the charging circuit.

The new voltage regulator did arrive on Monday. But I was tired so I waited until Tuesday 10/04/2016 to install it. It was easy to install since I had already labeled all the wires.

Believe it or not, the generator light goes out now. That means the charging circuit is charging for the first time in many years!

I sure hope this is the last tractor repair I have to do for a long time too!