"M" quit

[mailman1]

This AM when I was using my M to pull posts it just up and quit, I checked gas, all wires were hooked up no broken ones and it was getting gas when I tried to restart it just no spark. What I'm wondering is if the switch could of went bad? Is there a way I can jump the switch to see if that's the problem otherwise is it possible that the coil has gone bad and how would you check that? Thanks for any help.

 

[old]

This AM when I was using my M to pull posts it just up and quit, I checked gas, all wires were hooked up no broken ones and it was getting gas when I tried to restart it just no spark. What I'm wondering is if the switch could of went bad? Is there a way I can jump the switch to see if that's the problem otherwise is it possible that the coil has gone bad and how would you check that? Thanks for any help.

You need to learn a bit of trouble shooting.
So did you check for spark at the center wire of the distributor cap?? One of the best and cheapest piece of test equipment is a simple piece of wire. Hook the wire to the non ground side of the battery and then touch the ignition side of the coil. You should se a small spark when you touch it and take it on and off a few times. If no spark the points need to be cleaned or replaced or they are not closed. If you get the spark try to start it. If it starts you have a problem from the coil back to the battery. BE SURE it is out of gear while doing this

 

[Janicholson]

A sample from Harbor Freight
A wire from the non-grounded battery terminal to the coil (a jumper with alligator clips is very helpful) terminal no connected to the distributor will bypass the ignition switch. We do not know where you are on the mechanical knowledge base, so here is more: Take the distributor cap off and with the ignition on, use a plastic handled small screw driver to open the points while watching closely there should be a spark there. if none, the points may be coroded. use the tip of the driver to bridge between the two point contacts. if a spark there, then the points need to be cleaned. If no spark, at the points, the ignition switch or wiring may be at fault. Use a cheap circuit test light (link) to trace the power in the ignition system it is simple. If you take the front off of the electrical box, disconnect the battery until you can be sure nothing inside touches metal, use a small block of wood to hold it away then reconnect the battery for testing. Jim
PS do not leave the ignition on with the jumper, or ignition switch for more than 5 minutes. Jim

 

[Charlie M]

Do you have a 12 volt system with a resistor on it. I've had those go dead in the middle of running a tractor more than once. I've also had the wires rust off the switch and kill the tractor. I even once had the metal piece fall off the rotor in the middle of using the tractor. With a test light I would start by finding out if you have power to your coil, then work from there.

 

[mailman1]

Yes I do have a 12 volt system on the tractor and I thought about the resistor but went ahead a checked for power to the coil which I had, then took the cap off and found quite a bit of carbon build up on the rotor and cap carbon center, went ahead and cleaned them, reset the points to .20, and tried it and it started. As far as I can tell it must of been the carbon build up that shorted it out. Thanks to one and all for the help and suggestions.

 

[old]

Yes I do have a 12 volt system on the tractor and I thought about the resistor but went ahead a checked for power to the coil which I had, then took the cap off and found quite a bit of carbon build up on the rotor and cap carbon center, went ahead and cleaned them, reset the points to .20, and tried it and it started. As far as I can tell it must of been the carbon build up that shorted it out. Thanks to one and all for the help and suggestions.

If you used a feeler gauge when you reset the points good chance in doing so you cleaned them just enough for them to start working again so if it dies on you in the near future clean the points better

 

[Tom in OR]

That's also how they act when a coil goes bad. Would it start and run again after cooling for a half hour?

 

[mailman1]

That's also how they act when a coil goes bad. Would it start and run again after cooling for a half hour?

Yes it had been sitting while I was charging the battery so along with maybe some other issues it very well could be part of the problem. If I remember right I think I have a coil that I had taken off of the tractor years back that I kept so will see if I can find it in case it dies again when I'm using it.

 

[mailman1]

Well back to not starting, this afternoon when the tractor was sitting at a idle it quite again, once it cooled down it still wouldn't start and no spark so I'm wondering if it is the coil. I couldn't find the coil that I thought I had and if I'm going to replace it do I replace it with a 6 volt coil which is what it came with or a 12 volt being that's what I converted the starter to? Or does it make any difference?

 

[Charlie M]

You can do either a 6 volt or a 12 volt. If you use a 6 volt you need a resistor in line with it. You can buy a 12 volt that says no resistor needed and eliminate something that will go dead sooner or later - the stand alone resistor. I would buy the 12 volt if it were mine. Concerning what you currently have maybe you still have a bad resistor. They get quite warm when running and maybe it stops working if it gets too hot. If so its going to die sooner than later no matter what, maybe finally dead now.

 

[mailman1]

Yes I do have a resistor on the coil so probably is the original and when I checked when it quite you could not touch the coil it was so hot.

 

[Janicholson]

Yes I do have a resistor on the coil so probably is the original and when I checked when it quite you could not touch the coil it was so hot.

A very hot coil is defective if the coil is 6v and there is a resistor in the input to it. Either or solution works. 6v with resistor, or a coil not needing one

 

[mailman1]

I checked this AM and still wouldn't start so I found a 12 Volt coil at the Local IH dealer but it didn't have a resistor built in and they would have to order one so I tried the coil with the old resistor that I had on the 6 volt and it started right off. My question is will that resistor work with either 6 volt or 12 volt?

 

[Janicholson]

I checked this AM and still wouldn't start so I found a 12 Volt coil at the Local IH dealer but it didn't have a resistor built in and they would have to order one so I tried the coil with the old resistor that I had on the 6 volt and it started right off. My question is will that resistor work with either 6 volt or 12 volt?

Truth and reality: The 12v coil that needs a resistor is a 6 volt coil. it will work perfectly. The resistor (you have in place reduces the voltage to about 6. The resistor allows more voltage to go to the coil when it is first passing current as the ignition is turned on. Then its resistance increases to the running 6 volt average to supply the coil. Coils that are designed to operate without a resistor are just wound with enough wire and wire size for operation at 14 volts (charging voltage) there is no resistor inside, just primary and secondary windings.
6 volt coils (with very few exceptions) do not use resistors and need to be used on 6v systems charging/running at about 7 volts. Jim