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persof

312-8 Re-wiring

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persof

My 1988 312-8 will not start. Turn the key and nothing? I only need the tractor to start, the lights need to work, the battery to charge and nothing else.

After a long struggle I removed the ckt card with all of the indicator lamps (never worked any way), all associated wiring and all interlock switches and associated wiring.

Using the wiring diagram and the dymistification guide the tractor will now turnover using the starter switch and the lights will work (with the key in the run position)

The wiring diagram shows a "dark blue" wire and a "white" wire. My tractor has a "purple" wire and a "white" wire.

I think that If I connect my "purple" wire to the "M" pin on the ignition switch and the "white" wire to the "R" pin on the ignition switch things will work the way that I want. Am I correct? The wiring diagram seems to say that the "M" pin will ground out the "purple" magneto wire to stop the engine and the white wire will supply power for charging the battery when in the run position.

Thanks

Francis

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persof

Please see the ignition switch diagram

Thanks

Francis

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persof

Please see the wire photo

Thanks

Francis

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Fiddlestix

I think that If I connect my "purple" wire to the "M" pin on the ignition switch and the "white" wire to the "R" pin on the ignition switch things will work the way that I want. Am I correct? The wiring diagram seems to say that the "M" pin will ground out the "purple" magneto wire to stop the engine and the white wire will supply power for charging the battery when in the run position.

Thanks

Francis

See this thread for some discussion of the very same nature.

312-8 Wiring

I believe you are cornfuzing Kohler's wires with Wheel Horse's wire colors.

If the white and the violet (purple) wires you speak of, are on the engine side of that connector, DO NOT SUPPLY POWER TO THE WHITE WIRE. See that earlier thread I linked. If the two wires you have pic'd are on the engine side of the plastic connector, the Violet wire is the B+ (battery charge) and the White wire is the magneto ground (kill) wire. This should change color on the tractor side of that connector. The White will exit as Dark Blue. The Violet should change to White wire on the tractor side of the connector. Is this true for your tractor as well?

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persof

Fiddlestix,

Please note in my picture that the purple and white wires shown are between the engine and molex connector. On the other side of the connector the wires are black and greese color?

If the white wire is the magneto kill wire then it will go to the "M" pin on the ignition switch.

Should I look under the engine covers and trace back to the magneto?

Thanks

Francis

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Fiddlestix

It looks to me that the wiring on the Kohler is correct. I don't think there is any reason to look further there. But, of course, it wouldn't hurt, other than time lost, to make sure the violet is from the little reg/rec and the white is coming from the ignition unit.

That said the white would then go to the M terminal at key switch. As this needs to be grounded when shut down (kill), we can see in the diagram you posted that when in off position G, M , & A are connected. This is where things get goofy with those diagrams and what Duff was commenting about on that linked thread: Why would you connect the REG/REC B+ (violet then white) to the A terminal at switch and GROUND this when off? That is how the Wheel Horse overall schematic shows it. Shouldn't that go to the R terminal (which the bird's eye view labels as "wire #1 rectifier" ???

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Duff

Aaah, the matrix of WH wiring diagrams. :USA:

EZ and Francis, for what it's worth, I've connected the white "coil kill" wire to the "M" terminal on my ignition swtch, the purple wire from the rectifier/regulator to the "Rectifier" terminal, and the lighting circuits to the "DC Accessories", or "A" terminal, which also feeds my hour meter and volt meter.

Both my tractors run extremely well. They're both 312-8's, an '88 and an '89, with the Magnum 12 motors.

If I were more of a purist I would have restored the original wiring harnesses, but both had been hacked up, made into rats nests and were chafed, cracked and corroded, so I completely stripped the wiring from both tractors and replaced the essential circuits (minus safety switches-disclaimer posted elsewhere!) with fresh wire and new waterproof fuse holders.

Where I did have to use connectors I sealed them in heat-shrink tubing except for the feeds to the headlights. There I used marine-grade bullet connectors so I can unplug the wiring to take the hood off (which admittedly doesn't have to happen very often) while working on the tractor. I also encased most of the wiring in the flexible corrugated(?) tubing like they use in autos to protect it form future chafing.

Duff :D

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Fiddlestix

EZ and Francis, for what it's worth, I've connected the white "coil kill" wire to the "M" terminal on my ignition swtch, the purple wire from the rectifier/regulator to the "Rectifier" terminal, and the lighting circuits to the "DC Accessories", or "A" terminal, which also feeds my hour meter and volt meter.

That is how I would do it Duff! Wheel Horse schematic appears to have the A terminal and R terminal of the keyswitch reversed in that full diagram that is posted above. :D

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persof

Duff,

I solder and heat shrink all connections and will get my hands on the corogated protective tubing. I will start with the white "kill" wire and verify proper operation 1st.

I need this machine to work for me not sit in parts in my garage

Thanks

Francis

WHPlowing.jpg

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persof

Thanks Guys!!!

The engine starts and stops when I want it to, the lights work like they should and when I placed a volt meeter on the battery terminals it measured 12.58V just after starting but began to slowly rise over time with the engine running.

Dress the wires and fix some rust

and we will be back to work

Thanks

Francis

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suprsax316

I have a 312-8 about 1988 and I need thewire colors for the ignition switch. The only ones I'm sure of are the white and purple. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 I rebuilt the engine and now I can jump across the solenoid and start it but I have to pull the plug wire to kill it.

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gwest_ca
12 hours ago, suprsax316 said:

I have a 312-8 about 1988 and I need thewire colors for the ignition switch. The only ones I'm sure of are the white and purple. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 I rebuilt the engine and now I can jump across the solenoid and start it but I have to pull the plug wire to kill it.

Garry

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