follow for Bruce (VA) and old

[rodgernbama]

Followup from yesterday. I checked my spark(borrowed plug from push mower) and it was yellowish not blue as others said it should be. Took distributor out and inspected point gap. It had closed up some so I re-gaped to.015 and cleaned with dollar bill. Put distributor back in and it fired off so I got to finish bushogging. I've considered going with pointless ignition to cut down on problems.
 

[souNdguy]

a little maintenance will cull the need for the ei..
 

[Bruce (VA)]

" I've considered going with pointless ignition to cut down on problems."

I'd consider annual maintenance on the points before I'd consider EI.

EI will not work well at all on 6v (it won't fire below 5.2v) so you would need to convert it to 12v.

EI does not give you higher spark voltage, eliminate all maintenance on your ignition system or give enough of a horsepower boost to cause the tractor to do wheelies. It replaces the points. That’s it. It will not correct or overcome other problems in the ignition system. While it may give you more HP or improve fuel economy, both would be so insignificant as to be hardly noticeable on a 23 hp engine. If you can’t set points or don’t care to do it, or you don’t want to spend the 30 minutes or so a year to check the gap & lube the cam, then you will be happy w/ EI. And, the EI unit itself will be maintenance free. (but the rest of the ignition system won’t) You will spend probably $235 for an EI kit & 12v conversion. If you install them correctly you will have an easy starting tractor for a long time. And, the 12 volt conversion & EI will have just about nothing to do w/ the good performance. What will make the real difference is the new wiring, cables, clean grounds & new battery.

The key advantage to EI is that you do not need to gap & lube the points every year & replace them every 4 or 5 years or. If you perform annual maintenance on the points & change them every 4 years or so using quality parts, you will see no difference whatsoever between a points ignition system & EI on an N.

The key disadvantages to EI on an N are initial cost, nearly impossible for the average N owner to repair, will not work w/ low battery voltage, & easily damaged beyond repair by polarity reversal & other common mistakes.

Bottom line……….this is the question you need to answer: “If tens of thousands of other N’s operate just fine on 6v and points, why can’t mine?”

Your money, your tractor, your call........
50 Tips

 

[Richard G.]

I will never go with EI as a solar flare or Iranian nuclear attack WILL shut it down.
Richard the practical
 

[oldtanker]

[old]

I have way to many tractor but I almost never have any problems with the points. Most of the ones I have sit for 6 months or more and when I go to fire them up they will fire up 95% of the time and if not simple cleaning of the points a 5 minute job fixes them. Some I have not tuned up in 5 plus years and other then having to put in a fresh battery they fire up just fine. It is not the point it is the simple little things that get over looked. Plus it things hit the fan as some think it is going to do I want things that might run LOL
 

[Ken(Ark)]

[old]

I do it the easy way I keep a couple extra back up tractors that way if I need to get it done I have a back up for the one that is being a pain most of the time
 

[Hobo,NC]

[Dud Tx]

Bruce, with a regapped old plug. Do you connect plug to plug wire and then touch plug to block to check for spark and spark distance. Thanks wanting to make sure I understand.
 

[Bruce (VA)]

Open the gap on the plug. Attach the plug wire. Hold the plug firmly to the block or manifold.

A plug checker is more accurate & easier to use for a number of reasons. But an old plug is cheaper!
50 Tips

 

[ZANE]

Go with pointless ignition and when it fails you'll miss a week or so waiting for a replacement!

Zane
 

[oldtanker]

[Ultradog MN]

No Zane.
You stash your old points and condenser under the hood and stick them back in if the EI fails.
I did that for the first 5 years I had EI but it never failed. Finally used the spare points in another tractor.
Sold the EI tractor this summer after 7 1/2 years of having EI in it. Never touched the distributer in that time.
 

[Ultradog MN]

From the late 1970s onward Everything built had Electronic Ignition in it.
Tractors, cars, pickups, snowmobiles, outboard motors, mototcycles, small engines, 4 wheelers,
Everything!
Reason?
EI is more reliable, does not require maintenance, spark does not degrade due to wear on points, dwell is more accurate and so better fuel efficiancy, better allows for wear on the distributer, plus other reasons.
12V EI for a front mount is $96 from this site.
Side mount kit is $77.
Decent set of points and condenser is at least $30 now. Likely more.
By your own estimate - 4-5 years on a set of points - the tractor I mentioned above would have needed 2.5 sets of points in the 7 1/2 years I ran it with EI. That is at least $75.
Getting awfully close to the price of EI for a side mount aren't we?
Plus never having to touch the points again?
Priceless.