Electrical Problem 1988 580K

[hammerhead3006]

A 30amp fuse in the fuse block by the starter that controls all the accessories, Lights, Heater Fan, Clutch solenoid keeps failing. Wher do I look to fix the short?
Thank you in advance,
Hammerhead

 

[Blueboy]

It's hard to help if you don't respond. How far did you get with these other post's?

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?39813-1988-580K-oil-light-alarm&p=596379&highlight=#post596379

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/showthread.php?55674-Electrical-Problem-1988-580K&p=600088&highlight=#post600088

Try unhooking the "accessories, Lights, Heater Fan, Clutch solenoid" and see what that does. Then hook them up one at a time and see what that does.

Respond back to this post and we will try to help further.

 

[hammerhead3006]

Sorry about that. I didn't get a chance to do any thing with it tonight. I will get into it over the weekend and get back to you.
Thank you
Hammerhead

 

[Learning-more2]

Ok sorry to jump in on your post but there's something that caught my interest. My friend's 580K gets neglected fairly constantly, well until I started using it. I hate things that don't work and one of the worst is the fuel gauge. Well by chance one day after reading this post a while back, I was looking for that fuse block under the starter but there is none there but there are three leads going to the starter. One from the battery, one from the alternator and the third I'm guessing went to that fuse block. For some unknown reason I touched the ground strap to the chassis to find it loose, so put three full turns on it before it started to tighten. Well low and behold the shift clutch button started working but quit again about a week later, can you tell me where to find it?

 

[Learning-more2]

I didn't want to make my last post too long but after almost three years I finally convinced my friend to invest in a new alternator after getting stranded when it didn't have power to restart and walked home. What a fantastic surprise to see the tach start working for the first time and the charge gauge actually move hallway up. I now have him searching for a new fuel gauge sender. Any advice on draining the fuel so I don't get soaked in it since there's only a plug there. I apologize my post get long but really long story after a deadly car accident I came back from!

 

[CMSMOKE]

In my experience, the brushes usually wear down, the rest of the alternator is good. It is a cheap, simple fix, just 2 screws. Now it would be a different story if you ran it for an extended period of time like that, which would ruin the commutator rings. A new alternator would probably be cheaper at that point.

 

[Learning-more2]

In my experience, the brushes usually wear down, the rest of the alternator is good. It is a cheap, simple fix, just 2 screws. Now it would be a different story if you ran it for an extended period of time like that, which would ruin the commutator rings. A new alternator would probably be cheaper at that point.

Thanks for the information, I had assumed the same thing since all my fords have a very similar set up and as it worked out recently my alternator in my Expedition quit 200 km from home, Thank God for CAA I get four 200 km tows on my membership plus my wife and son get the same, all on our one membership plan.

Getting off topic again as usual but looking at the way it's set up is so similar I figured it had to be the same but as I said the 580K belongs to a friend and when he was offered a new alternator for $120.00 I had to agree with his reasoning lol I had called a dealer up here and he gave me a price of $100.00 just for that piecs with the brushes and voltage regulator so he got a good deal too.

I was having a hard time getting this piece for my Ford and if it could be found it too was about $90.00 and the new alternator was $200.00 so I went to my old reliable source for parts, www.amazon.com and found it for my Ford for $9.95, yeah you're reading right just under $10.00. Since I have 3 fords I ordered 3 thinking it had to be a mistake and it was only the brush section but still with shipping and the exchange rate it came to $50.00 so even if it was just the brushes section I was way ahead but surprise, the whole thing came, all 3 of them. I feel someone has been watching over me lately.

 

[Learning-more2]

As you see again my messages can get involved lol So forgive me but I can only blame it on the accident. Now maybe you can answer a couple more questions for me. None of the lights worked on this 580K neither front or rear work lights but it was the same right after the alternator change too. So two days ago I was up checking out the wires behind the lights and came to the conclusion that age and neglect had taken out the bulbs and I was going to open up one to check the bulb and see if power was anywhere up there the following day but after getting back in the cab and starting it, I turned the light switch and damned near crapped myself from surprise, they all came on!! Front and rear but then found there are two positions on this switch. First gives front and second gives both. Now here's the question, I found when shifting they would go out, next shift back on, any logical ideas? I've noticed a relay beside the main interior fuse bo but no idea what it's for but I can't help but wonder if a loose wire is being moved upon shifting.

 

[Learning-more2]

Tach Issue again

Ok I got the tach back with the alternator change on the 580K but when driving and the RPM hits 2000 it quits again until I upshift. The lower RPM allows it to come back on. The green zone on safe RPM shows up to 2500 RPM. I tried it out a few times and did the exact same thing each time. So any ideas appreciated...

 

[Willie B]

In my experience with a 580K these tractors had most of the wiring in a vulnerable place on the side console. They get wet often!, under the floor is a bunch of multi conductor plugs. When water, usually contaminated with corrosive gunk , flows down the wires, it ends up in the plugs. Over years wires and harnesses chafe, or get torn by foreign matter like brush. Many of the wires in mine have been replaced with new. I can't bring myself to spring for a whole harness or harnesses, but individual conductors aren't a big deal.