'Coil failure?

[Mike(NEOhio)]

Three cylinder 2000. Took the snowplow off today. It hasn't been used in about a month. It lit right up and ran beautifully as always, idled nice. After I pulled it into the corner and disconnected everything it refused to start. No spark. Can a coil go out "just like that"? It's got battery voltage from at the primary terminal but only show .35 volts at the other. Haven't taken it off to test it yet.

 

[rvirgil_KS]

"Can a coil go out "just like that"? Possible but not likely your problem

"It's got battery voltage from at the primary terminal but only show .35 volts at the other." Sounds like points are stuck closed or something shorting to ground in distributor.

 

[old]

Three cylinder 2000. Took the snowplow off today. It hasn't been used in about a month. It lit right up and ran beautifully as always, idled nice. After I pulled it into the corner and disconnected everything it refused to start. No spark. Can a coil go out "just like that"? It's got battery voltage from at the primary terminal but only show .35 volts at the other. Haven't taken it off to test it yet.

Try a hot wire from the ignition side of the battery to the ignition side of the coil and try to start it. Your ignition switch may have gone bad. If that doesn't do it check your points and make sure they are clean and if you open them by hand you see a small spark

 

[560Dennis]

Was very hot to touch ?

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I went out to try it this morning. Had all my meters and jumper wires, ready to do some testing. Didn't touch a thing and when I hit the key it lit right up. I had a feeling that would happen. Don't know why it was dead yesterday. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

 

[old]

I went out to try it this morning. Had all my meters and jumper wires, ready to do some testing. Didn't touch a thing and when I hit the key it lit right up. I had a feeling that would happen. Don't know why it was dead yesterday. I'll have to keep an eye on it.

An ignition switch can do that and that says it is likely to let you down when your as far from the house/shop as you can get

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

An ignition switch can do that and that says it is likely to let you down when your as far from the house/shop as you can get

That's what I'm afraid of. I turned it on and off several times while I was playing with it, didn't help though. I think I have a spare switch here.

 

[old]

That's what I'm afraid of. I turned it on and off several times while I was playing with it, didn't help though. I think I have a spare switch here.

I have a cub that I can turn the ignition switch on and it doesn't start. I then hot wire it and it fires right up and after a few minutes I can unhook the hot wire and it keeps running sort of like the vibration makes the switch start working

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

It started OK this morning and I pulled some limbs that had fallen on the side of the road then it quit again. Put the new key switch in but that didn't help, still no spark but a new problem emerged. The starter doesn't want to engage, spins but doesn't grab the flywheel. Managed to start it and left it running while I changed the pulley bracket back to the stabilizer pin. While I was doing that it stopped so I went to the distributor and found the points were really bad. I use Blue Streaks and I always say "Put em in and forget em for ten years". Well, that's just what I did only it's been way more than ten. Got a new set in and going to check out the starter tomorrow. Hope it's only the bendix.

 

[560Dennis]

I like blue steak , got them in the Chevy , got thirty years on them .
suggestion ,take that starter up to Painesville to Buckeye Auto electric for a Tune up ,won’t have any issues with it for a long time .

 

[Mike(NEOhio)]

I like blue steak , got them in the Chevy , got thirty years on them .
suggestion ,take that starter up to Painesville to Buckeye Auto electric for a Tune up ,won’t have any issues with it for a long time .

I like to work on my own stuff. I do go to Buckeye when I need parts. Tore the starter down today to replace the bendix and found one of the brush holders loose. Each one is fastened to the end plate with two pop rivets, and one was missing along with its insulating washer. Made a new fiber washer. Ford starter with the moveable pole shoe that actuates the bendix. I'm thinking this may have been the not engaging problem, maybe not getting full current to the field. Couldn't get the bendix till Monday so it can't hurt to try.

 

[chris142]

Old style round coils don't fail often. Most vehicles with them went to the scrapper withgthe original coil.

They do ocasionally fail but nothing like todays coils. Todays fail often.

 

[560Dennis]

My blue streak tune up specification for 1964 any early