2N Tractor won't start

[sbaugh1964]

The tractor was running but sat for 3 months in the winter. I winterized it and started it just to keep it happy. However, now it won't start. I have clean connections
between the ignition, ballast resistor, ammeter, cutout, solenoid, battery, generator, and distributor. The carburetor is in excellent shape and fresh gas. The ignition and
ammeter and distributor were replaced two years ago. I have new plugs with gaps at 025 and wires. The battery has plenty of cranking amps and I get 6.4 volts at the coil,
the lower terminal on the resistor and both the upper left and right terminals with the key in the on position. I've tested the ammeter with two other ammeters (original and
replacement and the needle in all three remain stationary. While I do read 6.4 volts at the coil, I don't get any spark with the new plugs or using an old one set at 3/16.
Right now I'm ready to take a look at the coil and distributor but the ammeter issue is also a concern. Would a bad starter switch produce both the ammeter to not work and
result in no spark, even if the coil was OK? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Stuart

 

[neverfear]

Take a dollar bill from your pocket and run it through the points and try again.

 

[circus]

Check the points gap

 

[Den N Ms]

Sbaugh,No amp meter movement when trying to start if hooked up correctly means points are corroded or not making contact.Clean or replace points set gap at .015 polish contacts with a dollar or business card to remove foreign dirt,protectant ect.Good spark should jump 1/4" gap in open air.

 

[Steve@Advance]

Revisit the distributor. If you are getting power to the coil, but no spark, chances are the points are not making contact.

If it is a front mount distributor, pull it out and check the point gap, and check the points with an ohm meter.

If it's a side distributor, connect a volt meter to the point side of the distributor. The volts should read near battery voltage with the ignition on, points open. With the points closed, should read 0 volts.

The amp meter just passes power through it, in one side, out the other. If you have power at the ignition switch, and power at the coil, the amp meter is not keeping it from starting. If the needle is not moving, it may be wire wrong, or stuck.

 

[Tim PloughNman Daley]

As mentioned, it is most likely in the distributor. No spark, yet battery is good, usually indicates points. I'd pull it off again and check everything, may be a short to ground somewhere, test it before remounting. Coil pigtail often isn't making good contact- try tugging it out a bit longer. Just for what it is worth, check the carb for proper fuel flow too.

Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)

 

[sbaugh1964]

Installed new points, rotor, and cap. Admusted points to 0.015. Tractor seemed to want to start (4 attempts) but didn't. The ammerter did register a few amps with the key turned to the on position. Had a few other things to attend to and removed key from the ignition and came back 10 minues later. Now it won't even turn over, nothing. The battery is fully charged, the wiring is 100 percent correct but the new ammeter does register now. All the previous readings with voltage have not changed (6.4 volts). What is going on?

 

[sbaugh1964]

Looked over every connection again and then went through the distributor again and then gave it another go. Started right up and sounds great! In the end it was the distributor points not making contact and I want to thank everyone for your advice and comments. I feel I got to know this tractor so much better and it's great to know that it still have many useful years on it.