no gauges work - MF150

MF150. No gauges work. Which ones really need to work? Thinking about my automobiles which have oil pressure, ammeter, temperature, rpms, I can't remember in my life ever paying attention to unless something is wrong. Usually, I know immediately what's wrong even without the gauges. Oh, I do pay attention to the gas gauge!

On a tractor (I'm a newbie) which ones need to work to save me lots of heartache? I'm guessing oil pressure? Temp?

Do I really care about the ammeter or tach?

On my MF-240-S I have to warm it up at 1200 rpm for 3 minutes, then operate it at 1700 rpm for the best gas mileage, per the operator's manual. I believe rpm's are important. I would certainly want a temp gage, in fact I'd want them all. My opinion.

They were installed when the tractor was new for a reason, and that reason still
exists today. For simple peace of mind at least and to protect your machine from
damage , really, they are cheap and easy to replace. The tach can help you operate
more efficiently esp. when using pto driven equipment, plus gives you an idea of
the service intervals. Keep your machine original and it will operate like it did
when new.
Ben

So, could you help me start with the oil pressure gauge? What is required to fix? Does it need battery power or is it solely mechanical? I see a copper tube from the engine running to it. Does this get clogged? If so, I could replace. I see a kit on this website.

Is it gas or diesel? The gas tractors have an "on" position on the key switch whereas the the diesels have an oil pressure switch that activates the electrical system. The fuel gauge and ammeter won't register if that switch isn't working. The tractormeter (tach), temp. gauge and oil pressure gauge are mechanical.

Continental z145 gas.

Mechanical. This site(YT Parts) has "Universal Complete assembly with oil tube and mounting hardware. 80 psi. Line uses 1/4 inch connection with adapters for 3/8 and 1/2 inch. (Part No: SSW0002)" for less than nine bucks. Carefully take your oil line loose and run a wire through it if you think it's plugging up. Swap the gauge and use your line if possible, it usually doesn't need replacing unless it has cracks or leaks. Don't worry about the wires for the gauge light you can work on that later. If you are willing to chance it you can also replace the ammeter while you are in there. Ebay sells new tachs. I would ensure that your old one is properly connected before I bought another one. A temp gauge is something needed but you may want to wait before you replace if you have wiring problems to solve. A test light helps a lot to see if you have power from the key as Bob NY mentioned. Good Luck!

Thanks. These comments are very helpful.

I have both a MF50 gas and a MF65 gas, both have the Continental gas engine.
When purchased, neither of mine had an operating Tachometer. So for years I used the tractors by ear, estimating RPMs. Recently I put a tachometer on the 65 because it still has the original generator. So I could run a cable to The new tachometer. that was easy. However the generator on the 50 had been converted to an alternator which does not have the mechanical Drive port. so I still don't have a tachometer on the 50. But since I've been driving it for 20 years without a tach, I guess I can get by a few more. I Occasionally use the 65 to square Bale hay And then the tachometer Is handy.

Neither Amp meter works but The worst that can happen is A dead battery.
Both Temperature gauges work. The operating temperature will climb A lot in real hot weather and heavy loads, like a Brush hog in dense grass. So I like Having a Working Temp gauge. Butthe real critical gauge in my opinion is the oil pressure gauge. When I got The 65, the oil gauge was not working. so I put a new gauge on it. It's very simple And inexpensive fix,and a major Factor in avoiding catastrophic engine failure. The biggest problem when putting on new gauges on the tractor is not cost. It is the gymnastics of getting up underneath the dash To install The gauges. If it was my tractor I'd be sure I had a good Oil gauge And a working temperature gauge.
Check the parts section of this website they have lots of gauges at a reasonable price.

I would rather have a volt gauge than amp gauge, and amp gauge can be a fire hazard if the gauge should short out. I had a aftermarket amp gauge short out on my old 1968 Ford F100 truck that my dad bought brand new in 1968. The wires to the amp gauge were separated from all the others, had the been bundled together no telling what all would have burned besides the two wires to the amp gauge. There is a reason all new stuff comes with a volt gauge, not a fire hazard like a amp gauge (think about it).