My first Diesel

massey12h

New member
Sep 3, 2019
20
0
1
Ont Canada
Just bought a TG1860 diesel which is the first diesel I have ever owned. Trying to get some things figured out. When I turn key to on what lights should I have showing. I have oil and thats it. Should the battery and temp light also come on. Also I am wondering if I have a problem with a broken wire. I have a hanging white wire connected to nothing on right side of engine. The schematic I got from internet shows a white wire from battery light connected to terminal on alternator. I have no white wire going to alternator. Any ideas?
 

Roadworthy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
Normally when you turn on the switch you'll get a generator light and the oil pressure light, just like a car. In addition you may get a glow plug light if the outside temperature is cool - or you may not, depending on the tractor. Your user manual will tell you how much to use the glow plugs and when.
 

massey12h

New member
Sep 3, 2019
20
0
1
Ont Canada
Thanks for reply. When you say generator light I assume you mean battery light. Do you know where the battery light would feed off from
 

Roadworthy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
When you turn on the ignition the indicator lights illuminate as kind of a bulb test to show they're working. They should extinguish when you start the engine giving oil pressure and charging the battery. The alternator light or battery light is illuminated when the engine is running if the battery is not charging. I do not know how Kubota develops the signal. It will originate in the alternator and is a kind of comparison between battery voltage and alternator output voltage. If the alternator output is lower than the battery voltage the light will be on. Obviously if the tractor is not running the battery voltage will be higher than the alternator output so the light will illuminate confirming the bulb is good. Short of examining the wiring diagram I can't give more information and depending on the diagram there may be no more information to be had.
 

dlundblad

Member

Equipment
G5200, L2501, ZD1211
May 16, 2009
503
10
18
IN
Can you turn the key counter clockwise? This could be how you turn on the glow plugs.

The manual should tell you this. Either way, the broken wire isn***8217;t good.
 

Roadworthy

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L2501 HST
Aug 17, 2019
1,649
525
113
Benton City, WA
With your L2501 turning the key to the left does activate the glow plugs. The user manual gives you a length of time to activate the glow plugs relative to ambient temperature. By the way, not all diesel engines use glow plugs.
 
Last edited:

massey12h

New member
Sep 3, 2019
20
0
1
Ont Canada
Glow light does work. The key is ON then GLOW and then START. The start position does not work as I think the previous owner added a push start button to bypass solenoid. I still have to figure out why battery light does not work