Dead 2N

[DZG300]

1945 2N
12v converted ( not by me)

I had the hood off recently to do the head gasket, in the process of reassembly i broke the end off the ceramic resistor bolted to the dash on the hood bolt.

I taped it back togther. All seemed fine, tractor ran good, charged, etc.

Today i went to use it to drag some brush around and use my slip scoop to move some horse crap.

Anyways, i noticed it was running a bit goofy, acted like a carb issue (the float gets sticky sometimes, i tap the carb, it straightens out). I tapped the carb but it kept running goofy. I hopped back on to take it back to the barn and it died.
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I concluded it was not getting spark. I popped the battery cover and thought i seen smoke from the broken resistor. I wiggled the wire to it and it really smoked. I unhooked the battery and used my cub to tug it back to the barn.

My question is...

1- Will this resistor keep it from getting spark?

2- Is the resistor likely the only issue, or did something else fry it? Or is it likely the resistor shorted and fried the coil and/or points?

I did some reading and seen posts about the points melting on 12v converted tractors. But didnt see if this was resistor related

Any input is apperciated

 

[Jim L WA]

It sounds like your 12 volt conversion kept the original 6 volt coil and used that ceramic resister as a voltage drop.
It's probably shorting to ground now, thus the smoke and no spark. You could just replace the resister or go with a 12 volt coil and eliminate the resister all together. You still need the ballast resister that's mounted on the back of the dash.

 

[DZG300]

It sounds like your 12 volt conversion kept the original 6 volt coil and used that ceramic resister as a voltage drop.
It's probably shorting to ground now, thus the smoke and no spark. You could just replace the resister or go with a 12 volt coil and eliminate the resister all together. You still need the ballast resister that's mounted on the back of the dash.

Im gonna replace the ceramic one. Hopefully that gets er fired.

Thank you!

 

[Non-farmer]

Im gonna replace the ceramic one. Hopefully that gets er fired.

Thank you!

No need to guess. Take a jumper wire and bypass that resistor. If it starts and runs, that's your problem. And no, running it for a few minutes without that resistor will not destroy your coil. I ran a 12 volt conversion for several years with a 6 volt coil and no ceramic resistor. The coil never failed. I finally put a 12 volt coil on it, but that 6 volt coil is still in inventory as a spare.

 

[DZG300]

No need to guess. Take a jumper wire and bypass that resistor. If it starts and runs, that's your problem. And no, running it for a few minutes without that resistor will not destroy your coil. I ran a 12 volt conversion for several years with a 6 volt coil and no ceramic resistor. The coil never failed. I finally put a 12 volt coil on it, but that 6 volt coil is still in inventory as a spare.

I bought the resitor, stuck it on, and it fired up.
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Cool...its fixed. Guess again. I drove it 20 feet out into the yard and it started running like crap. Once again acted carbish.

Started playing with the adjusting screws (im decent with carbs) got it running good up high, like garbage down low. Kept playing and it finally just died.

It would start, kinda run at a real, real low RPM for about 15 seconds, probably on 2 or 3 cylinders...then die.

Towed it back, pulled the intake pipe off and there is gas in it. Pulled the carb off (it was disgusting inside), cleaned it, reinstalled, same thing. Still start and run like described in last paragraph.

I pulled a plug and couldnt see spark...but its gotta be gettin spark if its popping i would think.


So i pulled the carb off again thinking maybe the float had a pinhole....nope. Left bowl off, hooked up fuel line, ran float up and down by hand....everything is fine. Float goes up, fuel off, float down, fuel on.

But im still getting fuel running out of the throat.

Im totally lost.

I know this thing burns a decent amount of oil...im wondering if the rings have finally had enough? Its weird though cause it ran great untill it quit the other day.

Or maybe a points issue? Im not really very versed with points ignition systems

 

[Non-farmer]

But im still getting fuel running out of the throat.

The commonest cause of that on these tractors is over-choking.

When it's cold, heating the manifold and carb with a light bulb or hairdryer works wonders.

Once i've warmed that stuff up, assuming it needs it, this is what I do. I first turn it over a couple of times with no choke. Then I'll turn it over again and pull out the choke briefly - like no more than a second or 2. It should at least try to fire at that point, but may not catch. If not, lather, rinse, repeat.

 

[DZG300]

The commonest cause of that on these tractors is over-choking.

When it's cold, heating the manifold and carb with a light bulb or hairdryer works wonders.

Once i've warmed that stuff up, assuming it needs it, this is what I do. I first turn it over a couple of times with no choke. Then I'll turn it over again and pull out the choke briefly - like no more than a second or 2. It should at least try to fire at that point, but may not catch. If not, lather, rinse, repeat.

I usually do basically what you describe. I get it cranking then pull the choke and it pops right over, but its weird because itll sometimes want choke even after its run a while and i try to restart.

However with it not starting (or barely starting/running) i suppose that could cause the fuel issue.

Im gonna go out today and see if it starts after its sat all night. Im wondering if the coil is getting hot and giving up.

 

[Eman85]

By replacing the resistor you fixed the human error of cracking it when you pulled the hood off. Now you need to find the original problem. You said the carb looked bad when you pulled it apart. Did you drain the tank and clean all of the screens?

 

[DZG300]

By replacing the resistor you fixed the human error of cracking it when you pulled the hood off. Now you need to find the original problem. You said the carb looked bad when you pulled it apart. Did you drain the tank and clean all of the screens?

Yep i did that. Twice.

Its something ignition. Thinking coil.

I went out today, reassembled carb, remounted it, and it fired up and ran like a new tractor.

Drove it around the yard for a bit, and it ran great.

Went out back, put scoop on, and while it was idleing i noticed it sounded like it was loading up with fuel. (I let it idle 10-15 minutes when i first started it with zero issue) I rapped it up and it belched a bunch of black smoke and was fine for a bit longer, about 10-15 min after that it kinda sounded like it had a popcorn missfire, then died. Would pop a few times cranking that was it.

Let it sit about 1/2 hr, went out, it started, acted loaded up with fuel, cleared up, ran 15-20 seconds, then missfire, then dead.

Im gonna pull the hood again, change points/coil/condensor etc etc.

 

[Jim L WA]

You said you can't see any spark at the plugs. Why are looking at the carburetor? Pull the distributor, just two bolts, look at the points for burned or pitted contacts. Clean up or replace them. Set the gap at .015. It's possible that the coil has gone too. When you put it back together, make sure the tang on the distributor is fitting into the groove on the cam shaft. Then check the firing order. 1,2,4,3 CCW.
Another thing to look at is, the wire from the ballast resister to that ceramic resister. It might have burned up when the old resister was smoking. Speaking of that ceramic resister, how many ohms is it?

 

[DZG300]

You said you can't see any spark at the plugs. Why are looking at the carburetor? Pull the distributor, just two bolts, look at the points for burned or pitted contacts. Clean up or replace them. Set the gap at .015. It's possible that the coil has gone too. When you put it back together, make sure the tang on the distributor is fitting into the groove on the cam shaft. Then check the firing order. 1,2,4,3 CCW.
Another thing to look at is, the wire from the ballast resister to that ceramic resister. It might have burned up when the old resister was smoking. Speaking of that ceramic resister, how many ohms is it?

The reason i attacked the carb is because it acted like it was flooding, i changed the resistor and it fired right up (but, it also sat for a couple days) so i figured that was the no spark, and since ive had carb issues (float sticking at times) i figured that was it...

I didnt think far enough ahead to think about it could act rich because its not burning the fuel its getting lol.

As for the resistor...i dont know the ohm. I just got the one from TSC that said it was for N tractors, and it was the same as the original one i broke.

I will check the wire.

I did order new points/condensor. Do i have to remove the distributor to change them? Ive never really screwed with points besides on small engines.


If i do remove the distributor obviously ill mark it...but how do you time one of these? Ive timed alot of cars, so i assume its similar right?

 

[Non-farmer]

Iirc, 1.5 ohms is recommended. Regardless, I'd check the one you got, as there is a wide variation in the actual resistance of these parts. A clerk saying "this is what you need" is often inaccurate - sometimes way off.

I was supplied with one that was 3.5 ohms. I thought that was bad until I saw someone say he had gotten one that was 5.5 ohms.

No need to time it. Take a close look at the tangs on the back of the distributor and what they mate with on the engine. It will only go back on correctly, unless you have extreme wear rendering the offset tangs meaningless, or you try to force it on 180 degrees off, in which case you'll break the distributor when you tighten the bolts. There's also a screw on the left side of the distributor that rides in a slot. That's the actual timing screw. In my experience, it will run great if you center that screw in the slot.

 

[boler76]

the internals of the coil are probably tar and when it got hot due to broken resistor the tar melted, when it cools the tar heals again until it warms up and when it melts it shorts out some of the windings causing bad spark, get a 12 volt coil and a new proper ceramic resistor that changes resistance with temp,

 

[lha]

The commonest cause of that on these tractors is over-choking.

When it's cold, heating the manifold and carb with a light bulb or hairdryer works wonders.

Once i've warmed that stuff up, assuming it needs it, this is what I do. I first turn it over a couple of times with no choke. Then I'll turn it over again and pull out the choke briefly - like no more than a second or 2. It should at least try to fire at that point, but may not catch. If not, lather, rinse, repeat.

I use a modified procedure that was advised to me when I had a '48 Dodge truck[ 6v +g flathead]. I simply open the gas valve,then key off,turn it a couple of revs with the choke on,then with key on,it starts up immediately. I have to play with the choke until it starts running without it,usually 15 seconds.