I got my first JD and I can"t start it. I am not getting spark to the points. I believe that there may be a shut off switch that I am not getting. I notice that there is a lever on the steering post by the throttle. I can"t figure out what that does as it goes under the hood. I apprecaite your helping w/ this as it is my first Johnny Popper and I am hoping to get her started.
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thanks for the reply! It has a distributor. I am not sure what year it is as I have not checked the serial # yet. Im pretty sure it is a later model based on the front frame rails. I notice a pull switch on the dash under the guages and tried that but I think it is for the lights. Thanks for the info on the radiator shutters.
I"m assuming you have a Delco type distributor with an external coil. First of all, check clean and tighten all of your electrical connections.
Get yourself a cheap voltmeter, if you don"t already have one, and see if you are getting any power to the coil on the terminal that runs to the switch, Check this with the switch in various positions. If you have no power to the coil because your switch is bad, you can jump the power to the coil directly from the battery. Your battery should be connected with the positive terminal to ground, (if you still have a generator). So if positive ground, connect a wire from the negative terminal to the coil. If your system has been switched to negative ground, use the positive terminal.
After you are sure you have power to the coil, check the other terminal on the coil and see if you have power there too. If not, I expect you have a bad coil. Then check the terminal at the distributor and make sure you have power there. If not, the wire from the coil to the distributor is bad.
If you have the WICO XB distributor, the coil will be inside the distributor, and you can check for power at the terminal on the distributor.
Would also be a good idea to replace your points and condenser.
This should get you started.
Lots of technical info still available for the two bangers, plus a lot of good folks here will be happy to help you out.
Kurt
Get yourself a cheap voltmeter, if you don"t already have one, and see if you are getting any power to the coil on the terminal that runs to the switch, Check this with the switch in various positions. If you have no power to the coil because your switch is bad, you can jump the power to the coil directly from the battery. Your battery should be connected with the positive terminal to ground, (if you still have a generator). So if positive ground, connect a wire from the negative terminal to the coil. If your system has been switched to negative ground, use the positive terminal.
After you are sure you have power to the coil, check the other terminal on the coil and see if you have power there too. If not, I expect you have a bad coil. Then check the terminal at the distributor and make sure you have power there. If not, the wire from the coil to the distributor is bad.
If you have the WICO XB distributor, the coil will be inside the distributor, and you can check for power at the terminal on the distributor.
Would also be a good idea to replace your points and condenser.
This should get you started.
Lots of technical info still available for the two bangers, plus a lot of good folks here will be happy to help you out.
Kurt
thanks Kurt. It is the distributor w/ the coil inside. I will go test w/ a voltmeter and see. I am assuming it is a positive ground and that is what I am trying. How can I tell if it has been changed? The guy I got it from knew very little as it was his dad's. I thought of hot-wiring it by connecting a wire from the positive terminal of the battery to the distributor but didn't want to damage anything.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
What is the model #on the dist if it is wico model xb it is junk if xh it is a mag and no wire needed
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
Don't spend the money to fix that XB dist. Money will be better spent on a Delco dist. or an Wico XH magneto.
Take a good look at the battery, it should be marked + and - at the terminals. The braided ground strap should be fastened to the positive terminal. If the tractor has had an alternator fitted to it, almost certainly the ground will have been changed to negative because most alternators are negative ground, and will not work positive ground because they contain diodes which will only pass current one way.
Take a very good look at the serial tag on the alternator. If the number starts with XB you have a WICO distributor. If it starts with XH you have a WICO magneto, and no power from the battery is necessary. The XB distributor is very problematic on a 12 V. system like your A, and if this is what you have, it is not surprising if it does not work. They were really designed for 6V systems, and require a ballast resistor for 12 V systems. Coil burnout is very common if used on 12V systems.
Kurt
Take a very good look at the serial tag on the alternator. If the number starts with XB you have a WICO distributor. If it starts with XH you have a WICO magneto, and no power from the battery is necessary. The XB distributor is very problematic on a 12 V. system like your A, and if this is what you have, it is not surprising if it does not work. They were really designed for 6V systems, and require a ballast resistor for 12 V systems. Coil burnout is very common if used on 12V systems.
Kurt
In re-reading my post, I see I said look at the tag on the alternator. 'Course I really meant look at the tag on the distributor.
Also, of you have positive ground system, the coil (or in the case of an XB distributor) should be attached to the Negative (hot) terminal of the battery.
Kurt
Also, of you have positive ground system, the coil (or in the case of an XB distributor) should be attached to the Negative (hot) terminal of the battery.
Kurt
It's an xh so it's a magneto. OK now I am getting some spark but it will not start. fuel is getting to carb but when I pull the plugs they are dry. I am going to get a set of plugs tomorrow and see what that does. Any suggestions re: the fuel issue? Also, how can I tell if the spark is powerful enough. I can see the spark when I remove the plug and ground it on the tractor. I will also check the gap on the points. Do you have the points and plug gap specs? thanks again
It's an xh so it's a magneto. OK now I am getting some spark but it will not start. fuel is getting to carb but when I pull the plugs they are dry. I am going to get a set of plugs tomorrow and see what that does. Any suggestions re: the fuel issue? Also, how can I tell if the spark is powerful enough. I can see the spark when I remove the plug and ground it on the tractor. I will also check the gap on the points. Do you have the points and plug gap specs? thanks again
There is a bowl drain on the bottom of the carb. You can open this and see if you are getting a good fuel flow. It should be a steady stream. Let it flow for a while and catch the fuel in a cup. See if it looks dirty and grungy. If you do not get a good flow, you might have trash blocking the flow somewhere.
Points should be set to .015. Spark should be nice and blue.
Here is a link to Deerely departed. They sell the operators manual. Check your serial number before you order, and get the right one. The also sell the service manual for the B. SM2004
Kurt
Operators manual
Points should be set to .015. Spark should be nice and blue.
Here is a link to Deerely departed. They sell the operators manual. Check your serial number before you order, and get the right one. The also sell the service manual for the B. SM2004
Kurt
Operators manual
Ok, Here is the link to an A operators manual. The B service manual would still be good to get, as they did not make one for the A. You will need to check your serial number to get the right manual.
Kurt
Manual for the A
Kurt
Manual for the A
Walt in Jaxn Tn.
Well-known Member
Where's the battery? under the hood or under the seat?
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