How do I wire the solenoid?

I tore out the old wiring when I began the engine rebuild last March. I am putting the wiring back together now, all new wire, correct gage, etc., but I have run into a snag.

I found a 12V wiring diagram with the help of the archives, but I'm not clear about a couple of things. One is, how I am supposed to wire the solenoid? There are four terminals; one large terminal on either side of the solenoid and two smaller ones, marked "I" and "S" in between the larger two. From the diagram I have, it appears that the "+" side of the battery goes to some terminal on the solenoid, obviously one of the two large terminals. I am left to assume, because the diagram is unclear, that the other large terminal of the solenoid connects to the starter terminal. I do not know which large terminal connects to what. The diagram shows a wire from the solenoid to the push-button starter switch, with the other side of the starter switch connected to ground. I expect that either the "I" or "S" terminal connects to the starter swtich, but which one? The last connection is between the solenoid and the "+" terminal of the ammeter. Again, I expect this connection begins at either the "I" or "S" terminal. Can someone please explain which wire goes where?

My other question involves the terminal block. There are three posts on the block, one on either side of the resistor and then a "third". Since my ohmmeter reads open between this third post and either of the other two, I take it to mean that I can run a jumper between one of resistor posts and the third post and then consider the third post to be electrically the same as the post it is connected to. I seem to recall that that is how this thing was when I took it apart. Is this correct, or should that third post be somehow connected to a specific point on the resistor? The third post is open with respect to either other post (when there are no wires attached to any post); is this OK or does it indicate that I should have forked over the $15 for a new terminal block when I was at the tractor store getting a new ammeter this week?

Two final notes: This is a 2N front mount, and, the way I have it wired now, the side marker lamp does not light when I turn on the ignition switch.

Any help will of course be appreciated. I'll go look in the archives for now.

Hope this Helps,

The OEM starter solenoid is a 3-terminal unit, mounted so the little terminal is next to the engine block and hard to get to. The big terminals obviously transfer the BIG starter AMPS.

What is not so obvious, the OEM 3-terminal starter solenoid coil gets its power internally from the BIG BATT terminal and you activate the solenoid coil by GROUNDING it with the BIG starter button by the tranny shifter when the tranny is in NEUTRAL.

To use a 4-terminal starter solenoid on your tractor, connect eather the I or S small terminal (don't matter, which ever is eaziest) to the BIG BATT terminal. This will activate the solenoid coil when you GROUND the other small terminal with the tranny shifter pushbutton.

As to your 3-terminal ballast resistor question, the center terminal is usually connected to both the BIG BATT terminal on starter solenoid (so it gets battery power) and then one side of the simple ignition switch is also connected to the center terminal.

The other side of the 2-terminal ignition switch is connected to eather side of the "infamous ballast resistor" and ALSO to the sidemarker light same place. Then the other side of the ballast resistor is connected to the frontmount ignition coil terminal.

But since this is a 12 volt conversion, and since I didn't do it, I'm not certain wheather you are using a 12 to 6 volt converting resistor and the OEM 6 volt ignition coil. And if you are, it could be before the ballast resistor, or it could be after. Electrically, doesn't make a difference.

Or you could be using a real 12 volt frontmount coil and different rules apply. I flunked mindreading, just ask my ex-wife of 32 years..... ..... ..Dell

You may wish to re-think that.... do you really want for you or somebody else to be able to start the tractor with the transmission in gear ????

Hey, how do I test the solenoid, to make sure it is working?

The other side of the Ammeter has a wire that goes to the Third Term (lower) of the term Block, and the ignition switch also has one wire on the third Term. The other wire from the ignition Switch goes to the Upper Left Terminal of the terminal Block (left side of Ballast)The Alt side marker also connects to this left side terminal.

The right side of the oem ballast should have a wire going to the "Second" Ballast Resistor (ICR-13 or equiv) and then a wire from second Ballast to the Coil.

The S and I (Small) Terminals are not normal for this tractor but you can make the relay work. (I think the "I" is used for ballast bypass in auto's but not used on your tractor )..

Try with jumper wires to "make" the relay with one wire (hot) on the "S" terminal and another wire connected to the solenoid frame.. If the relay clicks (Makes) Those are the connections that you must use... You will have to isolate (remove from Ground) the Starter switch or... isolate the frame of the solenoid.

Hope this Helps