<html><head></head><body><div class="ydp121cb1abyahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:16px;"><div></div>
<div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">JD seems to have a following so they must have done something right over the years. I have never owned one just observed some of the trials of neighbors. We never had that much trouble on the other brands. Maybe the neighbors were just bad mechanics.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false">We had a big land owner that raised thousands of acres of rice. They had all JD. 4020's and such. Plus JD combines. I drove the combines when they were in a pinch for a couple of summers. I have no problem with the combines and the 4020 tractors. Except they looked like a steam engine with all that black smoke coming out of the stack. Boy those Detroit Diesels could scream and blow smoke.</div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false"><br></div><div><br></div>
</div><div id="yahoo_quoted_0715908559" class="yahoo_quoted">
<div style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;color:#26282a;">
<div>
On Sunday, May 17, 2020, 7:40:09 PM CDT, Dean Vinson <dean@vinsonfarm.net> wrote:
</div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<div><div id="yiv1160036549"><style>#yiv1160036549 #yiv1160036549 --
_filtered {}
_filtered {}
_filtered {}
#yiv1160036549
#yiv1160036549 p.yiv1160036549MsoNormal, #yiv1160036549 li.yiv1160036549MsoNormal, #yiv1160036549 div.yiv1160036549MsoNormal
{margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:New serif;}
#yiv1160036549 a:link, #yiv1160036549 span.yiv1160036549MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;text-decoration:underline;}
#yiv1160036549 a:visited, #yiv1160036549 span.yiv1160036549MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;text-decoration:underline;}
#yiv1160036549 span.yiv1160036549EmailStyle17
{font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;}
#yiv1160036549 .yiv1160036549MsoChpDefault
{font-size:10.0pt;}
_filtered {}
#yiv1160036549 div.yiv1160036549WordSection1
{}
#yiv1160036549 </style><div><div class="yiv1160036549WordSection1"><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;">I like pretty much all the old tractor makes, and have a red one, green one, and a newer (~1980) blue one, and all three get pretty regular use. The green one is a 620, same model Dean VP was describing. Difficult starter access aside, my guess is you’d have to hunt pretty hard to find a better engineered, better built, more reliable, tougher-down-to-the-last-breath series of tractors.</span></p><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;"> </span></p><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;">Not that I’d kick an Oliver 77 out of bed, so to speak.</span></p><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;"> </span></p><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;">Dean Vinson</span></p><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;">Saint Paris Ohio</span></p><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#1F497D;"> </span></p><div class="yiv1160036549yqt5552463054" id="yiv1160036549yqt07853"><div><div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;"><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;"> AT [mailto:at-bounces@lists.antique-tractor.com] <b>On Behalf Of </b>ustonThomas Mehrkam<br clear="none"><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, May 17, 2020 10:38 AM<br clear="none"><b>To:</b> Antique Tractor Email Discussion Group <at@lists.antique-tractor.com><br clear="none"><b>Subject:</b> Re: [AT] Starter installation trick on the later two cylinder JD Tractors.</span></p></div></div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"> </p><div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Why do you guys LOVE those pain in the ass John Deer tractors so much. I have owned international, Massey Harris, Massey Ferguson, Oliver and Miniapalious Moline tractors. All were acceptable. All of those tractors still run. :-}</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">There was always a lot of Cussing, Wrench Throwing, Pulling etc from the JD owners. :-} </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;">Now I did it and insulted your Religion. :-}</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:sans-serif;"> </span></p></div></div><div id="yiv1160036549yahoo_quoted_9754932269"><div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">On Sunday, May 17, 2020, 2:46:43 AM CDT, <a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:deanvp@att.net" target="_blank" href="mailto:deanvp@att.net">deanvp@att.net</a> <<a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:deanvp@att.net" target="_blank" href="mailto:deanvp@att.net">deanvp@att.net</a>> wrote: </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">I just went through a few days of hassle that caused me to remove/reinstall</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">the starter on my 1958 JD 620 high Clearance tractor. There is an</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">abbreviation for this procedure called a complete PITA unless you know a</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">trick I knew at one time and had completely forgotten about. My situation</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">was compounded by a 10" shorter battery cable than what is supposed to be</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">installed. Mine was 54", the std is 64" that makes it a triple PITA. I am</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">referring to all the late Two Cylinder tractors, letter and numbered series,</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">that have the starter inside a cast cavity in the underside of the main</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">case. The battery cable is fed to an anodized copper semi-ridged ribbon the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">connects to the starter switch mounted on the starter. To use the proper</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">terminology on a JD 620 it is called a cranking motor. To pull the started</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">one is supposed to disconnect the battery cable from this copper ribbon</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">before trying to remove the starter. Well folks unless all the planets are</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">in alignment and the nut that needs to be loosened is oriented such that you</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">can get to it between the flywheel and the main case there is no way in hell</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">that is going to happen. Well, unless as JD very casually mentions that the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">flywheel may need to be removed. That is not a casual decision. So if you</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">have to remove the starter with the cable still attached, the battery cable</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">needs to be worked forward and downward to provide enough slack to slide the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">starter out of the cavity so one can get to the nut that holds the battery</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">cable to the copper ribbon. That in itself can be difficult. But now lets</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">say you are ready to reinstall the starter with the cable attached removing</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">the slack at the starter in inserted into the round hole in the main</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">casting. Here come the trick that will save you all kinds of grief and time.</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">As you slide the starter cone into the hole you will all of a sudden hit a</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">dead stop and are unable to get the starter further into the hole. </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">What you will discover is either the copper ribbon and bolt/nut tied to the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">battery cable is hitting the casting or the lever that actuates the button</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">on the starter switch is hitting the cavity hole casting or both. The</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">cable/copper ribbon and the starter switch lever go through an oblong</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">horizontal hole above the hole the starter goes into. So one comes to the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">conclusion that somehow the battery cable/copper ribbon is bent to go</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">through that hole and then somehow pry the switch lever up high enough to</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">get thought the upper hole. I can assure you that just plain doesn't work.</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">BTW, this is all hidden behind the flywheel. But what completely fools you</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">is the starter can be raised another 1/2" or more in its hole because the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">whole cone isn't in yet and the lever simply slides over the interference</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">and all is cool, I will guarantee you will convince yourself that the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">starter can't go higher because it is in a tight hole. Wrong it will go</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">higher. I used a floor jack to get the starter up close to the cavity and</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">tiled the starter to get it started in the hole and then carefully found the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">center of gravity of the starter and lifted that whole sucker up the extra</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">half inch or so and boom the lever and cable/copper ribbon fall into place</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">by taking the slack out. Once I did it the right way I realized I had been</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">here before but probably 20 years ago. And then all the lights started</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">blinking. This trick will save you hours of frustration and heartache. </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">I also changed the cable to a longer version even longer than standard</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">version. I went to 72" rather than the std 64" I wanted more wiggle room.</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">I never could really firmly establish whether the original cable size was</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">2/0 or 1/0 from the factory but since there are places where the cable goes</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">though that are tight fits the OD of the cable cannot be much over 0.5" I</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">went out cable hunting at all the local Auto Parts stores as well as Napa.</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">I found out there is a bunch of different cables out there with varying</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">thickness of insulation. None fit my requirement until I found some 1/0</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">Welding cable. That fit four requirements. High current carrying capability,</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">OD wasn't too big, the cable was reasonably flexible and it was less</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">expensive than anything else I had looked at. Now where do you get that</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">stuff? Of course at a welding supply store except the closest one for me is</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">a bit of a hike so I went to a "Batteries Plus" dealer. Sure enough had</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">exactly what I needed. Cable cut to length. </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">So I hope this might save you some time and grief you when you work on the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">late letter series and numbered series Two Cylinder JD starter issues. </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">BTW, the thing that caused me to remove the starter to begin with was a</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">complete misdiagnosis on my part. !@#$%^&*( Starter went dead. Made the</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">assumption the starter switch had gone bad because I knew I had a good</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">battery and 12 Volts at the starter switch. The real problem was I had a</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">resistive ground between the battery cable and the battery box and then to</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">top it off an even more resistive ground (15K ohms) between the battery box</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">and the rest of the tractor. Now why did this all seem to happen when I</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">thought I was going to go to a plowing day . I Power Washed the tractor</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">which I hadn't done in a long time. Rust developed immediately where it</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">doesn't belong. So the moral of this story is to never wash your tractor.</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">Dean VP</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">Snohomish, WA 98290</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"> </span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">_______________________________________________</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;">AT mailing list</span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"><a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:AT@lists.antique-tractor.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:AT@lists.antique-tractor.com">AT@lists.antique-tractor.com</a></span></p></div><div><p class="yiv1160036549MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif;color:#26282A;"><a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" target="_blank" href="http://lists.antique-tractor.com/listinfo.cgi/at-antique-tractor.com">http://lists.antique-tractor.com/listinfo.cgi/at-antique-tractor.com</a></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="yqt5552463054" id="yqt51528">_______________________________________________<br clear="none">AT mailing list<br clear="none"><a shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:AT@lists.antique-tractor.com" href="mailto:AT@lists.antique-tractor.com">AT@lists.antique-tractor.com</a><br clear="none"><a shape="rect" href="http://lists.antique-tractor.com/listinfo.cgi/at-antique-tractor.com" target="_blank">http://lists.antique-tractor.com/listinfo.cgi/at-antique-tractor.com</a><br clear="none"></div></div>
</div>
</div></body></html>