John Deere 50 distributor/spark

[kpx1]

My 50 has been running very well lately, but when the weather turned cold, cylinder #2 began to act strangely. The spark plug will only fire when I have the plug wire loose from either end (distributor or plug) and arcing. At that point, it fires good on cylinder #2. But, when the plug wire is connected direct, it won"t fire. I"m sure that it is arcing somewhere else, just not sure where. Any help?

 

[Andy Motteberg]

Remove the spark plug and see if it has ice over it. That can happen when starting a 2 cyl JD in the cold.

 

[John T]

I dont think arcing is the problem but a partly fouled plug instead. If she only fires with an extra artificial gap in the plug wire circuit sounds like a carbon or oil fouled plug. Try some fresh Autolite 3116 non resistor plugs and use wire core NOT carbon core suppressor plug wires n give her a good general ignition tune up if needed (poinst condensor etc). Dont run the carb any richer then necessary and try n get n keep the engine temp up to 180 or a lil more and that with new plugs n a tune up may be all you need for a while.

John T

 

[johns48jdb]

i generally don't use a lot of additives ecause i've found most of them don't work. its different with stp gas treatment. i know from first hand experience that this stuff is worth its weight in gold. i put gas stabilizer in all my engines each fall and they crank and run the next spring with no problem. even at that i'll get all my small engines out on a warm day in jan and mar and start and let them run a while. i've been told that electric generators will lose their ability to work right if they are used with something plugged into them ever few months to. i'd try some stp gas treatment in your jd and see if that helps with the plug fouling problem if nothing else works for you.

 

[F-I-T]

I agree that a tune up is the solution to many a problem. I had an interesting one on my
little VAC Case chore tractor a week or so ago. It just plain quit while I was finishing up the rye grass drilling, I mean quite like you shut it off. I pulled one wire at the distributor cap, and it was very rusty, and the plug end was corroded , so I ordered a new spark plug wire set, got my wife to pick up points, cap, rotor, condenser at NAPA (they just look at you like you are on drugs if you mention copper-cored wires), and I figured I was fine. Put everything in today, except for the points, which actually looked pretty good, and nothing. Suspected the coil, put in another one I had on an old Kohler engine, nothing. Put in the new points, fired up and ran like it did when it was tuned......four year ago. Set the timing, and it sounds the best it has in ....four years.

Tune it up and then, make your decisions.....

 

[John T]

Seems even a gray oxide coat on the points can kill a mag while battery coil ignitions are more forgiving as far as minor points problems. Also on cheap mass produced (China I guess) conatct points Ima thinkin spring n other assembly shorts can easily develop not to mention how a cheap mass produced condensor could short or develop an open circuit which weakens the spark and causes premature point burning. I guess other then Tractor Supply or Rural King etc if you want wire core wires you need to buy the bulk role n make em up yourself???

As I often quote Billy Bon Thronton (Carl) in Sling Blade "Hmmmm its probably the points um huh"

I wanna see your shop someday so I can be "Green" with envy......

JT

 

[kpx1]

That was the whole problem: a fouled plug. I didn"t know that it would begin arcing like that if the plug was fouled, but I guess that should be common sense. Thanks!

 

[55 50]

As John T said, "The problem is that the plug is NOT ARCING. The charge is going right to the sparkplug case through the fouled material (whatever that may be, oil, carbon, etc) and is NOT ARCING across the gap as it should do.

 

[F-I-T]

Well, the only reason you'd be green right now would be from being sick to your stomach. The "shop" is currently in a thoroughly disorganized level of mayhem. My projects keep coming in faster that they go out. I haven't even had time to put up additional shelves or run airlines. I'll need to retire someday so I can have time to work on it.

Up at 3:30 AM tomorrow to head out for another two week stint. Home for 2 weeks (Woo-Hoo!), but still working from home, then out for three weeks straight. I wonder what's it actually like to live here.....

Frank

 

[F-I-T]

I had to go out and move a hay roll with the VAC, so I grabbed my camera in the shop. I finally got a computer down there today, so my office is internet ready, twin satellite lines to the TV/TIVO, a remote TV on a video rabbit that I can haul around on a tool cart so I can keep up on stuff. The office turned out really whandy, but as you can see, the place is a mess.

I built that welding table a couple of months back for my "new" 72" deck project. I got a NOS deck stamping on eBay, but it was for a 4000 series tractor, so I had to cut off the mounts and refit it with the mounts for my 855. I hope to finish that over the holidays. That's my first try at urethane paint and I think I'll keep using it. It is tough stuff!