B6200D FIRE around glow-plug indicator!!

[Nick Mayne]

My glow-plug indicator lit brightly and then a lot of smoke appeared and the power failed as shown by the fuel gauge. I then saw a flame under the console and had to put it out with water. I have a manual and it shows a fusible link near the battery and indicates fuses but I cannot physically find any of them them. The instrument individual panel screws seem to have inaccessible nuts behind. I need to remove the front console to look at what burnt but I cannot find any instructions in my manual. I can see how to remove the steering wheel so I could lift the console upwards but I cannot see how to remove the speed control lever which penetrates the console.
Any advice would be much appreciated re what might have happened and also how to remove the console. Is it possible I held the glow plug heater on too long or could there be a short in one glow-plug thus allowing too much current through the indicator?
Nick in the UK nickbomayne@tiscali.co.uk

 

[GeoHorn]

Someone mis-wired the GP circuit on my JD-powered roller…and I let the smoke out of it.

They apparently decided the large solenoid which activated with the dash-board push-button was not necessary and wired the GPs thru the dash switch….. which is totally inadequate, of course.

I re-wired the entire GP circuit correctly and installed a solenoid as it was originally designed…. no more problems.

I wonder if your 30+ year-old B6200 hasn’t suffered a similar fate.

Hope this helps.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

No emails on open forum:

Glow plug shorted will do that.
Fuse link will be just above the starter.
Dash removal, 2 pan head screws (philips) in the center 2 bolts under the dash.
Throttle lever, loosen nut 160 from nut 150, and remove then nut 150 then 50 then the throttle shaft will come out.

 

[N3BP]

Definitely a short somewhere in the system. It's also possible the indicator element got brittle, cracked, fell and made contact with the frame.

I rewired my B7200 glow plugs to a toggle switch. One time, I forgot to turn it off and the plugs were on for about 10 minutes before I discoved it. I didnt have any issues as a result, so I am going to assume that wasn't the cause of your malfunction.

Check all your under-dash wiring/connectors/adjacent cables for melted/cracked insulation when it's out. The B200 series dashes are not fun to remove on these machines and the last thing you want to do is remove it twice. You will need a three jaw puller to remove the steering wheel. If the splines are rusty, they are pure misery and will have to hammer on it while the puller is on.

 

[Nick Mayne]

Thanks for the answers gentlemen! I have got the console apart and in the attached picture you can see:
1. A half connector block with burnt wires. There is no mating half for this burnt or otherwise so maybe it was for another option and not secured so abraded the wires?
2. The picture also shows the glow-plug indicator wire is broken.
Any idea re item '1'?
3. I took the wire off one glow plug and it measures continuity to earth! Can you tell me how many ohms it should be?
4. I still cannot find any fuses although the circuit diagram shows some. Anyone one point

me in the right direction? Thanks again, Nick

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The glow plugs should be 1.35 to 1.65 Ohms each, really anything close, like 1 to 3 ohms is good.
If you getting a dead short remove the jumpers and check each glow plug individually and with wire removed from glow plugs check wire again to make sure it's not grounded.
I don't have a manual for that model, but it's not uncommon for there to be extra plugs under the dash, for things like turn signals or other options.
I know there is a voltage regulator bolted to the dash are all the wires on it?
And in reading several had mentioned that the fuses are up front under the air cleaner?
Not sure if that is true or not.

 

[mikester]

Thanks for the answers gentlemen! I have got the console apart and in the attached picture you can see:
1. A half connector block with burnt wires. There is no mating half for this burnt or otherwise so maybe it was for another option and not secured so abraded the wires?
2. The picture also shows the glow-plug indicator wire is broken.
Any idea re item '1'?
3. I took the wire off one glow plug and it measures continuity to earth! Can you tell me how many ohms it should be?
4. I still cannot find any fuses although the circuit diagram shows some. Anyone one point View attachment 102618 me in the right direction? Thanks again, Nick

That photo gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside like when I replaced my fuses with 12 gauge copper wire...

Sorry about your frustrations. Joys of old equipment.

 

[N3BP]

No doubut you do have quite the mess to clean up there. The plug the melted will be difficult to source so you might hvae to make spade ends for each individual wire. There are two in-line fuses under the air cleaner as Wolfman said. The thrid "200A" fusible link is located in the area of the starter.

 

[Nick Mayne]

Thank you. I have melted the wires apart and used heat shrink etc to isolate them. I think they were for an 'add-on' so not used but nevertheless live. I also found the glowplug power supply wire was not restrained properly and had been touching the hot exhaust. Additionally the fusible link on the main supply from the starter terminal was missing and had been by-passed! Someone in the past had made a real mess of the wiring. I have found an excellent uk company who have most B6200 parts and are supplying a fusible link and new glowplug indicator wire.
It seems these tractors are almost collector's items in the usa?
Thanks for your support. Nick

 

[Nick Mayne]

The glow plugs should be 1.35 to 1.65 Ohms each, really anything close, like 1 to 3 ohms is good.
If you getting a dead short remove the jumpers and check each glow plug individually and with wire removed from glow plugs check wire again to make sure it's not grounded.
I don't have a manual for that model, but it's not uncommon for there to be extra plugs under the dash, for things like turn signals or other options.
I know there is a voltage regulator bolted to the dash are all the wires on it?
And in reading several had mentioned that the fuses are up front under the air cleaner?
Not sure if that is true or not.

I have repaired all my burnt wires and have a proper fusible link and a new glowplug indicator on order.
However I cannot get a sensible reading from number 1 glowplug nor from the remaining pair. They look in-accesable for removal so do you know if the inlet manifold has to be removed or are there special tools that reach in somehow?
Thanks for your support, Nick

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I have repaired all my burnt wires and have a proper fusible link and a new glowplug indicator on order.
However I cannot get a sensible reading from number 1 glowplug nor from the remaining pair. They look in-accesable for removal so do you know if the inlet manifold has to be removed or are there special tools that reach in somehow?
Thanks for your support, Nick

Yes you have to remove the intake to change the glow plugs, no special tools needed.