[Ed Williams]

My Ford thermostart is fed via a bypas line on the fuel return line to the tank. It keeps the thermostart pot full by gravity. Mine was also disconnected when I got the tractor. I ran a 1/4" copper line to the the thermostart as it is subjected to heat at the top of the motor. The soft copper was easy to route using a bender to prevent collapsing the line. I was afraid the heat would deteriorate rubber tubing and only wanted to fix it once.

 

[Ed Williams]

Awesome! Would you be able to share any photos with me showing how you routed it and where you tied in at?

I would be glad to when I get mobile again. The botched hip surgery is keeping me down at present. The attachment screw is bent and coming loose, so mobility is restricted until repair sutgery on the 15th. Projected 3-4 in hospital and 2 wks of rehab. Total about 4 months before I am allowed out again. Hope that is not too late.

I will try to hobble down to the tractor shed before the 15th, but cannot guarantee outcome now. Walking is very painful on existing hardware.

The repair was very simple. I ran the copper tube down from the feed pot with a clamped hose connector, turned a 90 and ran next to firewall til it passed the valve cover, then another 90 and ran parallel to the valve cover, then hand bent it slowly to match the tie in at the thermostart. I work rather slowly now but it took about an hour to run the copper tube and wire and replace the thermostart. I meant to insulate the copper tube but never got around to it.

The key switch did not work to activate the thermostart so I ran a direct wire with 30 amp marine fuse to a momentary ON push button to the trim panel below below the cowl and used the screw attachment thermostart type with a soldered eyelet on the wire from the push button. Works perfectly now.

 

[Ed Williams]

I triedto get down to the tractor shed while it was still daylight, but the wood ramp was ice covered and I cannot risk another fall right now. I did remember. that I enclosed the copper tube in 3/8 fuel lline to prevent the copper from rubbing on the intake manifold and causing a leak.

 

[Ed Williams]

From what I can see the line does not look like it has been spliced previously and repaired. Appears to be one single line. Yeah the existing lines are 1/4".It is strange that the set up is not fully functional but the plug heats up great. This tractor was made in Mexico which I imagine all the 5610S were. It actually has a FORD engine but from what I have been told the 5610S went to using the Genesis engine. This diagram is very helpful. At the threads on the thermostart, would you recommend fittings to screw it on or just furl hose and clamp? Thank you for this help.

Hose and clamp are good. The line is pure gravity from the feed pot with little to no pressure. Actually less pressure than the injector return lines and those are OEM hose and clamps. Much easier install than hard fittings plus you need a vibration isolator between the motor and the feed pot to prevent failure of the hard piping.

 

[Ed Williams]

I do not understand why mine was completely disconnected unless the key switch wss bad and they wanted to clean the piping up. I spent less than $25 including the thermostart from ebay for $9 and $10 for wiring and switch. My memory is getting bad. The push button failed after 8 months. Cheap Chinese crap. Replaced with a HD 75 amp rated push pull switch. Have to remember to shut it off now after use. Also forgot to mention I used 10 ga stranded wire and a 30 amp rated marine fuse holder that is sealed when snapped shut. I have a 20 amp fuse in it and seems to hold the load okay. I used zip ties to get the wiring up off the motor to protect it also. I replaced the nuts on the sheet metal with wing nuts that hold the zip ties.

 

[Ed Williams]

I am probably wrong, but my thermostart system is fed by direct line from the injector return line to the tank and keeps the pot full. there is no check valve or any other type of control. Probably modified by previous owner.

Since it is an independant system and not part of the fuel circulation system and is seldom used in my area of the country, I have little concern of copper contamination in the fuel system or detriments in the combustion process. Being frugal, I used materials that I had on hand. I ran 1/4 because that was the existing connections on both the pot and the thermostart unit. Just seemed logical to use the same size as the fittings on both ends of the system.

 

[Ed Williams]

The "Hydraulic valve" is in the New Holland diagram 09A01. That diagram is for 5610 and it has details that resemble Lykins Farm's tractor. The diagrams for 5610S has details that does not resemble Lykins Farm's tractor, for instance the fuel injection pump and the fuel tank. Therefore I asked if there is a valve on his tractor, like in the diagram for 5610.

Lykins Farm's tractor has no pot.

I think mine was heavily modified by the previos owner judging by the stuff that was left and what was missing. I hooked it up from the existing pot and installed a complete wiring system as the key switch would not work on the heat position just to help out if needed in winter. The confusing part is the previos owner was a farmer that lived in very northern Ohio in the snow belt and the tractor sat outside according to him. I wonder how he got it started in winter. Judging by the low hours, it may have just sat all winter and he used other tractors in winter. Who knows.

 

[Ed Williams]

I mentioned the copper/zinc detail, just to clearify that I have not recommended anything else than steel and plastic. I have no opinion in the matter, just wanted to tell. Everyone do as he likes.

I may change mine to plastic eventually, but I would use premade barbed 90's with clamps for the bends. I have never had good luck with trying to bend plastic ells. A friend told me to fill the tube with fine sand prior to heating to make ells that maintain full bore instead of crimping. No way I would do that for a fuel line. Might be okay for encasing electric wire, but that is all I would consider.