Case Vai HELP???

[tjeepinit]

I have a 1952 Case Vai with no spark. She has been converted to 12 volt. Instead of explaining everything I have tried would someone please get me restarted and researching what might be the problem. I installed GMs single wire alternator. new ignition. I have power going in but none coming out. Thank you your help means a great deal to me!!

Tim Fisher

 

[Daniel Bear Kelley]

Lots of possibilities. I assume you've checked for spark and you're not getting it.
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Shorted points? Have you replaced the points? Is the inside of the distributor clean? Spray-on contact cleaner may help. Make it clean enough to eat out of, then lube the points cam.
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Worn points cam? Are the points adjusted properly? Have someone crank the engine with the distributor cap off. Do the points actually open and close? They should.
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Worn-out distributor? Grab the rotor and wiggle it. Is the distributor shaft very wobbly? There is usually some play. Too much wobble will lead to misfiring.
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Shorted capacitor? Have you replaced the capacitor? Try disconnecting it. Does she fire now? If so, bad capacitor, replace it.
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Bad coil? A 6v coil running on straight 12v will burn out fast. Be sure you have a ballast resistor. Are you getting fire at the coil?
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Bad ballast? Without the ballast, the coil will get no juice. Try shorting across the ballast for a quick test. (Very quick, so as not to burn out the coil) Does she start now? If so, bad ballast.
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LOVE the VAI's! I have a VAIW I'll eventually rebuild for the Commemorative Air Force, the WWII airplane folk.

 

[tjeepinit]

Thank you so much for your reply. Where are the points located? Could this have a magnetto? I just need a bit more percise info if you have a moment and the knowledge.

Thanks
Tim Fisher

 

[Kestrel in CT]

Doubt it. Pry open the cap and you'll see them. If you haven't already done so, pick up a shop manual. I bought one for my '54 VAI on this site.

 

[Jerry W]

Very possibly has a magneto. Distributor sits vertically in the block and runs off of the camshaft - a Magneto is mounted horizontally out of the cam gear chest. It could possibly be mounted and driven off the back of a hydraulic pump.

Jerry

 

[Daniel Bear Kelley]

I forgot about magnetos (I must be dain bramaged!). I don't know much about those. And I agree--Get the manual.
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Assuming a distributor, the points are up under the distributor cap and up under the rotor. But you may want to just do a thorough tune up to be sure the distributor system is up to snuff.
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Get the manual, a feeler guage to set the points, a cap, rotor, points, condensor and spray contact cleaner, too. To be thorough, get a set of plugs, a sparkplug guage and plug wires. A bad coil wire was something I forgot to mention. That'll stop you dead, too.
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1) Unsnap the cap from the distributor. Don't undo the spark plug and coil wires just yet.
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2) Pull off the rotor and throw it away.
The points and condensor (capacitor) are under the rotor.
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3) Thoroughly clean out the inside of the distributor with the spray stuff. If it is particularly gunky, an old toothbrush helps, but expect it to melt a bit in the spray stuff. Let it dry out well.
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4) Follow the manual instructions for replacing and setting the points. Don't forget to lube the cam with a little grease! Don't use too much, or you will gunk up the inside of the distributor.
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5) Just unscrew and replace the condensor.
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6) Press on the new rotor.
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7) Put the new cap on the distributor.
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8) One at a time, replace the plug wires, making sure that the position on the old cap for the old wire is the same as the position on the new cap for the new wire for that particular spark plug. It's easier done than said.
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9) With the new plug wires in place, verify the firing order. #1 cylinder is at the front.
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(Could someone remind me, I'm dain bramaged. What is the firing order for a VA/VAC, and is it clockwise or counter-clockwise rotation? I'm thinking clockwise, but... The manual will tell you.)
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10) Gap each sparkplug to factory specs. Do not rely on them being gapped right. A bump or two in shipping and the plug gap won't be right.
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11) Replace the plugs one at a time, making sure that the firing order remains right.
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12) Fill the grease cup on the distributor (that's the twisty looking thing on the side of the housing), and then give her a twist or two to be sure the shaft is lubed. If you can find it, long-fiber low-speed grease is great for this.
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If this does not solve the problem, it will certainly help your machine run better when you do get her running.
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THANK YOU, by the way, for letting me help someone on this site. I owe this online team so much, I like very much to replay the favors I owe.

 

[mEl]

If it has a metal cap covering the points and condenser be sure the terminal for the condenser is bent down to keep it from contacting the metal cover. If you use a test light on the terminal on the distributor, it should flash as you turn it over with the starter. It should be lit when the points are open and not when the points are closed. if not lit when the points are open look for leads touching metal within the distributor, if the lead is disconnected from the dist, both terminals on the coil will be hot. If not the coil is faulty. Also, you can tell if the condenser is working by the intensity of the flash of the test lite as you turn it over, You can actually see the intense flash that happens when the condenser unloads its energy back into the circuit when the points open. Hope this helps, mEl

 

[tjeepinit]

I GOT SPARK!!!! I had power going to the distributer and should not have. I am searching for points and a condenser. Its a magneto distributer 1952 Case VAI. I have searched all over online. Any ideas??? Thanks to those who answered she popped and grunted for the first time in over 20 years and after an extensive overhauling!!
Untitled URL Link

 

[tjeepinit]

I have found out that I have the original mag distributer points and condenser. I found a tractor shop about 50 miles from here that has the parts I need. I was unable to find anything online anywhere that seem kind of weird.