electial probem

[jeeper55]

A couple of questions, first where are the numbers located to find out for sure what year and model tractor i have. it said 100 on the hood but but the holes were butchered to get the stuff to fit through it. 2nd. coil got hot and no fire to points, put in new plugs, points, condenser rotor ,with the switch pulled out i have no fire at points at all. any help is appreciated. i think the coil burnt out i can pick one up but i have a brand new 12v. just wondered if it would work if not i will pick one up.

 

[khouse6]

if you have a multi meter or a 12 volt bulb; check, with switch on, if there is voltage/current at the coil

 

[Lucid]

Serial number lookup can be found at the main part of this site. Look for serial number link (i think). Could've been a super A with 100 tin on.

 

[Janicholson]

A hot coil happens for one of two reasons: either it has shorted internally from age and vibration and heats from the short, or it is a coil requiring lower voltage by design running on 14.2 charging voltage and heating from the extra volts. Coils are usually in the range of 3 ohms for 6 volt or with a ballast resistor, or the area of 4 ohms for a 12 volt coil used with no resistor on 13.2 volts. Checking the voltage from the battery to the amp meter then to the switch and to the resistor or coil can make sure it is supplied with volts. (do not leave the key on, it will burn the points and coil from heat if the engine is not running) the pass through from the coil to the points at the side of the distributor is tricky to get right. The insulator and washers must be in the correct order or it will short to the metal. Jim

 

[old]

Before you start throwing parts at it do some simple trouble shooting.
#1 with the points closed run a hot wire form the battery to the coil with the ignition turned off. Touch the ignition side of the coil with that wire. Watch for a spark. If you get a spark that says thing maybe working like they should be.
#2 turn the engine so the points are now open and do the touch the wire to the coil again. This time you should not get a spark. If you get a spark you have a short in the distributor some place. Could be the points are shorted out or a wire is hitting the distributor side wall or the insulator going inside of the distributor has shorted out.
#3 to check if the coil is working have the points closed and pull the center wire out of the cap and hold it close to the block. Then use that same hot wire and you when you touch and then pull the way back off should get a spark form the coil wire.
Learned decades ago one can trouble shoot a lot of stuff with out any fancy meters or test lights etc.

 

[David G]

Agreed, glad you brought that up, was probably one simple thing to start with, now could be compound issues.

 

[old]

Now days when ever I buy another non-running tractor one of the first things I do is try the hot wire thing. That tells me form the get go if the points are working if there closed that is. Simple way to trouble shoot. Get a spark when there closed there good if no spark then they need cleaned or replaced. Driven more then one tractor I picked up cheap off the trailer just by cleaning the points

 

[David G]

I put a screwdriver between lobes and points, look for good spark out of coil, if not, then work from there.

 

[old]

Why mess with a screw driver when a simple hot wire does the same thing as for knowing if the points are good. No spark then pull out the points file

 

[gene bender]

if the coil gets hot you have voltage there but none at the points so between the coil and the points is the problem. Use you meter to find out why it isnt getting to the points from the coil. Bad wire in the dist or maybe the block on the dist is bad and not letting coil output getting to the points maybe just a varnish on the points so they dont make contac

 

[John T]

Before you get all carried away, to find the cause of no spark work through my Ignition Troubleshooting Procedure linked below. It can save time and expense.

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=farmall&th=5745

John T
John Ts Ignition Troubleshooting

 

[jeeper55]

I replaced everything in the distributor points set them on 020, new condenser , rotor button. there was no fire from the coil. before it totally quit firing it would run for about 30 seconds and shut down dead as a door nail. i am going to pick up a new coil Monday. hope and see if that works hopefully it will.

 

[old]

Stop throwing part at it till you do the trouble shooting or you will just add to the problem. With the point open try a hot wire from the battery ignition side to the coil. Touch it to the ignition side of the coil. You should not get a spark. Then get eh points closed and do the same thing this time you should see a small spark. No spark you have a point problem as in dirty etc. Spark when the points are open you have a dead short some place in the distributor

 

[jeeper55]

well,got 6 volts going to new coil but nothing leaving it,checked inside of distributor i can't find nothing wrong, still no fire at points. tiered of messing with going to take a break for a few days and give brain a break,will touch base when i figure it out.

 

[Lucid]

Wire from coil to dist shorted?

 

[jeeper55]

well after walking away for about a week finely found my problem, the insulator where the wire goes through the side of the distributor on the inside was gone,although i didn't find where it went but put one back in it , it fired right up. now thinking about changing it to 12 volts since it is not charging anyway.