Starting a stubborn NAA

[RJSw/NAA]

I let my NAA sit for a year without running. Now it won"t start. Friend said to start with replacing points. Thus far I have replaced points, set gap, replaced condenser, rotor, spark plugs and wires. Turns over but still is no spark. Where is the most common place to check next?
 

[souNdguy]

no spark?

hot wire it.

run wire from bat hot to side of coil.. recheck spark and post back.


double check points at .025
 

[old]

#1 stop throwing parts at it till you know what is needed. #2 take the cap and rotor and dust cover off. Turn on the ignition switch and by hand carefully open and close the points by hand. You should both hear and see a spark when you do that and if you do it wrong you will feel it. If you do not have spark at the points with them closed run a hot wire from the ignition side of the battery to the ignition side of the coil. If the points are closed when you do that watch when you hook that wire up for a spark. If you have a spark then you have something wrong from the coil back to the battery if not spark you problem is a short in the distributor area
 

[RJSw/NAA]

So I ran a wire from hot side of battery to near side of coil, nearest to resister that enables it to be 12 volt. I saw small sparks as I turned the engine over. So, that means the problem is in the distributor?
 

[Royse]

You saw a small spark where? At the points?

At the plug wires (or coil wire) you should have a good strong blue/white
spark that will jump from the end of the wire to a good metal ground 1/4 in
away or more. A small spark or yellow/orange spark will not do it there.

If hot wiring it got power to the coil and you didn't have power before, there
is a problem upstream, likely the key switch, but you can get it running
before you fix that problem by continuing to hot wire it while testing.

When you put the new points in, did you clean them? They come with a film on
them that can be cleaned off by clamping a piece of brown paper bag between
them and pulling it out a few times.
 

[Bill Rowles]

The key switch on my NAA functions poorly. If I turn it fully "on" the tractor will not start...also the ammeter needle doesn't "wiggle" as the points open and close as starter motor cranks it. So I back the key switch position slightly toward "off" till the ammeter wiggles and it starts and runs fine. I am too cheap to buy a new switch and I understand these switches are so unreliable that the trctor and I have been living successfully this way for may years.
 

[RJSw/NAA]

The small spark was between the wire and the coil. The battery is near dead as I have been turning it over a lot this evening. No I did not clean the points and the gap may be wrong as I only had a spark plug gaping tool. Used the video from This web site to tell me how to set points. Mice had made a nest in by the key switch. the wires are all very old and cracked at many places. I will try hot wiring again after cleaning and checking gap on points. Will watch with distributor open also. Thanks for all the advice.
 

[Royse]

[LeoinMI]

I agree with what the other posts have said. One other thing to look for is the copper strip from the points to the base of the distributor. If that strip is broke or the insulator it runs through is cracked,..you will not get any spark. That is a common problem with the NAA in the spark department.
 

[36 Coupe]

My switch has been working fine for 25 years.If it acts up its gone.A new one might cost 5 bucks.
 

[David G]

Old has a good procedure. Start with the primary ignition circuit and work towards the secondary. You have replaced enough parts that you do not know what works at this point.
 

[RJSw/NAA]

Well I got the NAA to spark without bypassing all the "electronics." Also learned the distributor will spark your point setting gauge if you leave the ignition switch on. Now I need to check the plugs to see if their wet after turning over for a while. Getting closer.
 

[souNdguy]

post back what ya find
 

[TMFORDY]

Soundguy sent me to jumpers and it worked well. Had a wire broken on the inside that tested well with a meter and did not send enough power.. work your way thru, jump it with jump wires..

Thanks again sound..
 

[RJSw/NAA]

So I talked to a friend who said it was probably fuel supply. Put on a different carburetor and she fired right up. I was smelling fuel before but must not have been enough. Nothing nicer than the sound of a tractor that hasn"t run for a while.