L185 tachometer and hour meter

Buggyman · Sep 6, 2014

I am sorry if this is a repeat but I could not find this issue so here goes.
The Tach/hour meter on my L185 does not work. I checked and found that the cable end at the engine is in tack, the fork is not broken and it is hooked up fine. So the question is.. is there some sort of repair at the tach end that is common or am I faced with the issue that the tach is just shot. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Mike

Daren Todd · Sep 6, 2014

with the tack cable disconnected from the engine side. verify that the spade inside is turning when the engine is running. That will tell you if it's at the motor or if it's the cable or tach.
You can slide the cable out of the sheath to see if the cables broke. The other end of the cable should have a rectangular shaped piece that slides into the tach.
And lastly, I used a screw gun when I was having that issue to verify that the tach worked. I just hooked the screw gun to the end of the cable. made sure that the other end was inserted into the tach, and then eased into the trigger.

coachgeo · Sep 6, 2014

In general is the hour meter mathmatically calculated by gears etc. with RPM as a factor or is there an oil pressure Hobbs like device on the engine that the hour meter gets it's info from?

Hobbs Meter/Switch http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/hobbsswitch.php

My tractor is an L235 but I get the feeling this is very similar to the L185... just a lower power engine wiht different gear ratio's in Tranny etc.

Buggyman · Sep 6, 2014

No Hobbs device. This is all mechanical. In the next day or so I will tape the end of my drill on the engine end of the cable and check it out. I had not thought of that but should work as suggested. I will also start the engine and make absolutely sure the mechanism in the engine is turning.
Thanks for the help.

Daren Todd · Sep 7, 2014

If it's the part that bolts to the motor, there are 2 options to fix it. The first is service dept vics video on how to rebuild them, or getting a new one and modifying it to fit. Since kubota doesn't make the exact controller any more for your tractor. On the new one, that shaft is a little smaller. If you need to go the new route, i can talk you through how to modify it.

Buggyman · Sep 7, 2014

Daren Todd, Thank you for the reply. I did find that the problem is in the engine end. The cable and tach seem fine. In looking inside with the motor running the thing inside is not turning. How do I get to, Service Dept. Vic's video? I would like to see so I can see if it is something I can do with my limited mechanical skills. if not I would sure like to talk to you about the NEW route. I assume that Vic's video fix would be a lot cheaper, which is of course a consideration.

Daren Todd · Sep 7, 2014

It's on the home page under videos. If you can't find it, I'll look tonight and see if I can figure out how to post the link.

To make the new one fit the cam, I cut down a piece of 3/8 copper tubing to fit the beveled end of the shaft, coated the shaft with hi temp/ hi strength lock tite and crimped it in a vice

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Buggyman · Sep 7, 2014

Houston we have a problem. I took the unit off the tractor. It does not look anything like I expected after I had it off. What it has is a pin that comes out of the unit that is round but flat towards the end somewhat like a big screwdriver on the end of it. That is way to heavy to have gotten broken like what is described in Vic's explanation. I am surely looking at something else. I don't know what the "Likely broken part is". After taking it off, I spin the outer pin but the part inside that the cable hooks to does not move. Does this thing come further apart than just taking it off the tractor?
Thanks Mike

Daren Todd · Sep 7, 2014

I just tried taking apart the old one I had. Couldn't figure out how to get the guts out. On the new one, the flat spot on the end of the shaft is a little smaller. Sleeving it with a piece of 3/8 id pipe, and crimping the end in a vice will make the flat part wide enough to catch the edges of the groove in the cam shaft. Just make sure the end of the sleeve is even with the end of the shaft.

North Idaho Wolfman · Sep 7, 2014

Buggyman said:
Does this thing come further apart than just taking it off the tractor?

Nope, it's sold as one complete unit.
Old P/N 37150-34660 @ $107.56
http://www.messicks.com/partsearch.aspx?pn=37150-34660&ven=KU
New P/N 1G633-83300 @ $73.31
http://www.messicks.com/partdetail/1G633-83300.aspx&ven=KU

So ordering the newer Part# is cheaper?? Odd but the way it is.

Also order the gasket: 15296-88130 @ $1.36
http://www.messicks.com/partdetail/15296-88130.aspx&ven=KU

Or you could try West Kentucky Tractor Parts for a used one:
http://wkytpstore.com/

Buggyman · Sep 30, 2014

Thanks for the help. I ordered the cheaper one. Got it in. Looks like the old one. Will put it in today if I get time. Thanks again.

Daren Todd · Sep 30, 2014

Buggyman said:
Thanks for the help. I ordered the cheaper one. Got it in. Looks like the old one. Will put it in today if I get time. Thanks again.

Double check the end of the shaft. The one i got was a little smaller. Please post back and let us know how it worked out

Nobleswood · Oct 25, 2016

Hi,

I'm a new member here. Got my early 1980's L 185 this march & primarily use it for mowing the grass with a Woods mid deck mower & managing trees on 2 1/2 acres.

Here's my problem. The hour/ meter or tachometer started screeching about 1 engine hour ago. I pulled it out, believing it to be a dry bearing and as it's sealed dribbled oil in from the back hoping to get some lube in the right place.
Well that didn't work for long. Does anyone have advise on opening up the tacho itself? The glass is crimped on & that looks like the way to get in.

Thanks

MarkyP · Feb 9, 2017

Did you get this figured out? I had the same problem this morning.

North Idaho Wolfman · Feb 9, 2017

MarkyP said:
Did you get this figured out? I had the same problem this morning.

I would start with pulling the drive cable, clean and lube it.

MarkyP · Apr 9, 2017

Thanks for that. I'd already ordered a new cable. Finally got around to fitting it this afternoon. Tach now works, but it's a bit jittery. After she warmed up I ran her down the street and though the revs weren't changing at about 2000rpm the tach would jump between 2k then 2.2k then 2k then 1.8k. Any suggestions as to what to try now? I saw a post on the tach drive needing oil but on my L1501 it doesn't look like there's an oil fill screw on the drive unit.

ventiman · Jun 30, 2021

Well my issue is. The gauge works and so I replaced the cable. Then after I notice the RPM still Not moving. upon further look I noticed a fork part on the engine side broke.
That looks like a bit of a major engine disassemble to replace a little part on the engine that can turn the cable.

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L185 tachometer and hour meter

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coachgeo

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