Super C dies while driving

[Bohn Super C]

I have a 1954 Farmall Super C tractor that has been converted to a 12 V system. The tractor was starting right up and running smooth, but after I ran it while the tractor would up and quit, just like somebody turned the key off. ( Someone replaced a push pull button with a key when they converted the 12 Volt system before I bought it. ) Sometimes I will pull the starter lever and it will start right back up, and other times the engine turns over good, but I have to turn the key off then back on again before it will start. Last time I used the tractor is started up but it ran terrible, like it's not running on all four cylinders. I was wondering you think it could be a bad coil acting up, or points and condenser, or maybe even a bad key switch? Any comments would be appreciated thank you.

 

[old]

Do some simple trouble shooting before you do any thing else.
#1 run a hot wire from the ignition side of the battery to the ignition side of the coil. Start it up and run it a while say 30-60 minutes. If the problem goes away that way then the problem is from the coil back to the battery and good chance the switch is going bad. My BA will do that once in a while and I have a hot wire set up on the tractor so when it happen I just hook up the
hot wire and keep working. Always find the problem then parts NEVER the other way around. If it has a ballast resister you may want to hook the hot wire to the ignition side of it and run it so as to not hurt the points or coil.
Another thing you might do is check for spark when it dies when running ti with the ignition switch. No spark or weak spark try the hot wire and see if you then have spark

 

[John M]

First thing Id do is move that battery cable.

 

[Janicholson]

Definitely move the cabe inside all those movable parts, and restrain it so it doesn't chafe. Fi it fails to start, use a simple test light (probe) to see if there is 12v at the coil. If not expect the switch to be bad. Most switches like that are not waterproof. If volltage, check the other side of the coil. (most engines stop with the points closed, so there should be no voltage there. If voltaage make sure the points are in the closed position, and use a screw driver to touch across them to see if they are dirty. If spark there, and the distributor side of the coil now has no voltage, (no light) the points are bad. Jim

 

[FBH44]

My H died on me, at lunch at the DQ. Cranked and cranked, had lots of power, but no fire. Turned out the center electrode in the distributor cap was really old and worn, would not make contact. Easy cheap fix, a new cap and rotor, all fixed.

 

[504]

Bad switch. and while you are there, run a ground wire(12 gauge)between the pedestal and the battery ground.