Electronic Ignition starting problem

[HeyObie]

This is my first post so I hope I don"t screw up.

But here is my situation. I recently bought a 49 8N because my 50 8N developed an engine problem and I had to keep running. So I have basic 8N knowledge

What I didn"t know when I bought the 49 was that it was converted to an Electronic Ignition system (this is a 6 volt system).

Now I did a little reading on the boards and I understand that I have the bad combination for EI systems. That is 6volt side mount.

With that said, I"d like to make it work if I can. So here is my problem.

It seems to usually starts right up but not always. But what is really unacceptable is that if I turn it off, it won"t start back up. It is like no spark but not sure. On another board, I was told that this is a sign of a bad coil. So I have one on the way.

My concern is that I an afraid that I will just fry the coil because the coil does not connect to the ballast resistor. The coil is grounded to the engine. There is a wire that runs from the electronic ignition to the same negative terminal as the ignition switch.

So I don"t know what to do to make this 49 start consistently. I don"t want the expense and effort of going 12 volt.

So if no one has a fix for me, I may just go back to points and condenser which will be another adventure because I don"t know what was yanked out of the distributor. I would prefer to make this work as it is if I can

Thanks,

Obie
 

[Dell (WA)]

Obie........electronic ignitions do NOT like 6-volts. Why, 'cuz the solid state electronics quit working at about 5.7-volts. Just starting drags the 6-volt battery down to about 4.5-volts. Ittza LAW, lead-acid law. You can NOT do anything about the LAW.

Unfortunately, the squarecan coil needs the "infamous ballast resistor" ...or... the internal insulative tar melts and shorts out the sparkies. Howsomevers it takes about 1-hr fer the tar to melt. NOT yer problem.

Didja know that you can replace yer points (0.015") every year for 10-yrs for cost of poorly performing electronic ignition?

Ittza 2-bolt, 15-min job to remove the weird 4-nipple frontmount and replace the points (0.015") on the kitchen table. Just un-snapple yer capple and letter dangle. Installation is a reversal of the removal ...except... gently start yer 2-bolts and putt'chur rotor ON. Now rotate yer rotor until the OFF-SET drive tang fits into the OFF-SET camshaft drive slot. Now tighten yer 2-bolts and re-snapple yer capple. Simple, eh?

Remember to "polish" the INVISIBLE CORROSION from between the points. (0.015") Me? I use a clean $1-bill clamped between the points and pull. Iff'n yer really cheap, tear a strip from HEAVY brown paper grocery sack and use that. ........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister
 

[NOXJohn]

I am a fan of EI but only when the tractor has been converted to 12 volts. If your tractor is actually a 1949 it is a front mount not a side mount as you indicated. Regardless you best solution is to purchase a new breaker plate assembly and convert the tractor back to points. Both this site and just 8n's sell the plate assembly for $30-40. I would call and ask the manufacturer of the points prior to purchase. If they are made by TISCO I would buy some place different. TISCO points are junk.
 

[Hobo,NC]

[HeyObie]

Here is how it is wired as I mentioned in the
original post. I can not use the ballast resistor
because my EI is grounded to the tractor (this is
the opposite polarity - positive ground vs the
ballast resistor which is Negative) The coil does not connect to the ballast resistor. The coil is grounded to the
engine. There is a wire that runs from the
electronic ignition to the same negative terminal
as the ignition switch.
 

[Hobo,NC]

[HeyObie]

Correction - I said side mount in the above post, this is a FRONT mount 49 8N
 

[HeyObie]

Hobo,

Let me get this straight. If I am standing at the
FRONT of the 8N looking at the ballast, you are
saying, run a wire from the top of the coil to the
LEFT post of the ballast. On that same LEFT post,
run a wire to GROUND.

Obie
 

[JMOR]

[Hobo,NC]

[HeyObie]

Electronics is not my strength. I have a meter but I do not know where to put the probes to check the resistance. I assume the engine and ignition is off.
 

[Hobo,NC]

[HeyObie]

Got busy at work. Back to my problem.

So I need to run the coil through the resistor which it is not currently doing. As I said earlier, the coil is grounded to the engine because of the EI conversion.

What I need to do is remove the coil wire that is grounded to the engine and run it back to the left side of the ballast resistor (standing at the front of the tractor) and ground the right side of the ballast to the 8N.

To do this I need to buy a SECOND ballast resistor because the one that is on there is HOT (battery negative). Nothing is on the Left terminal (since it was converted to EI). but the Right terminal and bottom terminal has several wires on it

So am I correct that I need a new ballast resistor (I'd rather not use the old one, because it may not even be working)? Will this one work from JUST8N? It has 1.0 resitor and cost $5.

http://www.just 8n's/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=541

or do I need to buy the original that costs $20

http://www.just 8n's/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=884
 

[Hobo,NC]

The original is being used as a junction at this time,,, Find another way to tie those wires together... Then use the original as has been stated... If it has a aftermarket amp meter (not the original loop style) you can move the junction to one of those studs...
 

[HeyObie]

How do you test the resistor ballast? I'd like to make sure it works before I hook up a new coil