743 hour meter trigger and light switch positions

[MalcolmV8]

Couple questions on my new to me 1986 743. First on the hour meter. I noticed when you key on it starts counting right away. Normally on most equipment that should only go as the engine is running. I pulled apart the dash and I can see the hour meter has a positive supply from the key switch and the second wire has been cut. Someone ran wire to chassis ground which explains why it runs as soon as the key is turned on.

My question is where does the wire they cut go too? I tried using my DVM and tracking it back by the engine testing various possibilities such as engine oil pressure or hydraulic pressure switches etc. and nothing checks out. I'm starting to think the wire had a break in it which is why someone just cut it and attached to ground. I'm thinking if I know where it goes perhaps I can run a new wire and fix it correctly. Anyone know where it's supposed to go?

Second question is on the light switch. Mine did nothing and no lighting worked. So I pulled everything apart, cleaned contacts all over and got things working. The switch has 4 positions like this:

0) off
1) power to empty wires (see pics below)
2) front two lamps and rear lamp turns on
3) front two lamps only

After tracing wires I found that position 1 of the switch (the first click from the off position) sends power to these two connectors on the right side (passenger's side if it was a car)



and it also sends power to this connector over on the left side



What did those used to go to? What would have normally light up or happened on the first click of the light switch?

Thanks
Malcolm

 

[MalcolmV8]

I got to looking under the cab and possibly found the hour meter wire. Found the same looking yellow with black stripe wire and not far from it is some sort of pressure switch.







I unfortunately ran out of time and had to bolt to work so I haven't traced out the wire yet but if that checks out does this pressure switch nearby seem like it might be the place to go? That looks like some sort of pressure switch on the hydraulics but I don't know if that activates when the engine starts up or when the unit is backing up or what?

Thanks

 

[MalcolmV8]

After some searching I found this thread (for anyone searching)

want to try to get hour meter working on 743

The hour meter does not work. what is the exact name for the pressure switch under the seat that powers the meter? it needs replacing. The back of the hour meter has two holes but not spades to plug into like a expected. will a little machine oil possibly make it work again after wiring it...

www.skidsteerforum.com

There's a post in there by a guy named Michael that explains that pressure switch I found under the cab has two connections. One normally closed and the other normally open. When the switch gets pressure they toggle.
The normally closed lights up the oil pressure light on the dash at key on and the normally open side turns on the hour meter once the engine is running.

Since the previous owner cut the hour meter wire off of it I'm assuming the switch is bad. I have one on order and will hopefully have everything working next time I get out there to mess with it.

 

[haymaker]

After some searching I found this thread (for anyone searching)

want to try to get hour meter working on 743

The hour meter does not work. what is the exact name for the pressure switch under the seat that powers the meter? it needs replacing. The back of the hour meter has two holes but not spades to plug into like a expected. will a little machine oil possibly make it work again after wiring it...

www.skidsteerforum.com

There's a post in there by a guy named Michael that explains that pressure switch I found under the cab has two connections. One normally closed and the other normally open. When the switch gets pressure they toggle.
The normally closed lights up the oil pressure light on the dash at key on and the normally open side turns on the hour meter once the engine is running.

Since the previous owner cut the hour meter wire off of it I'm assuming the switch is bad. I have one on order and will hopefully have everything working next time I get out there to mess with it.

Good job on detective work Malcolm. Good info for everyone.
Thanks

 

[MalcolmV8]

Good job on detective work Malcolm. Good info for everyone.
Thanks

Yeah that was a good find. I wanted to make sure and post it in here too for people searching. It's no fun finding a thread of your exact issue and no resolution was ever posted lol.

As for my light switch I haven't found much of anything. I'm thinking I may just wire that first click of the switch to light up my gauges on the dash. So if I ever need to start it or move it at night I can click that switch once and see what's going on the gauges without having to turn on the head lamps draining the battery till it's started and running. Or maybe I just want to key on and check fuel level etc. I can just click on the gauges. Might as well make that first click do something