The point of the problem

[Charles in Aus.]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

 

[timcasbolt]

Is there an electronic points replacement kit available for this? Maybe something from the Pertronix people?

 

[Geo-TH,In]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

WD 40 was designed to displace water and WD 40 is an insulator too.
Try it.
If your Fergy was converted to 12v, you may have the wrong ballast.
Too much current will burn points too.

 

[Ralph, Ohio]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

Do you get enough sunshine to power a solar panel connected to a small incandescent lamp or even a resistor placed temporarily in the distributor to provide a little bit of heat to prevent condensation?

 

[Janicholson]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

Turning the engine far enough to open the points prevents them from reacting to each other. (can't hurt and is free.) noting how far the rotation moves can keep you from needing to watch the points when rotating the engine with the fan, or hand crank. Just past TDC will work. Jim

 

[wore out]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

You need to try JMOR's trick to electrically zap the points to burn off the oxide!

Hopefully he will come along and post the details!

 

[Charles in Aus.]

You need to try JMOR's trick to electrically zap the points to burn off the oxide!

Hopefully he will come along and post the details!

That sounds interesting Woreout .

 

[Charles in Aus.]

WD 40 was designed to displace water and WD 40 is an insulator too.
Try it.
If your Fergy was converted to 12v, you may have the wrong ballast.
Too much current will burn points too.

My first thought Geo , my concern is that the oil may burn onto the point's surfaces and complicate the trouble .

 

[showcrop]

With little use and high humidity you need to also be monitoring all of your oil reservoirs for condensation which makes your oil appear milky.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

My first thought Geo , my concern is that the oil may burn onto the point's surfaces and complicate the trouble .

Charles,
Try it on your old points.
I never sand or polish points, I replace them.
Have new points on hand.
WD 40 is a disappearing oil.

 

[Watthour]

Look up "piano heater" through your favorite search robot. It may be educational.

 

[wore out]

That sounds interesting Woreout .

JMOR must be taking the weekend off, so here's the info from a previous thread. (Proceed at your own risk!)

https://forums.yesterdaystractors.c...to-get-it-started-saga.1624567/#post-10708267

 

[Texasmark]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

 

[Texasmark]

My Ferguson tractors sit for weeks at a time without being used . Both are restored 50's models and I dote on them .
Their barn is dry but the weather in Gippsland is notoriously damp , even though i cover the distributor with an oily cloth the ignition points are always corroding and causing trouble with starting .
Is there something I can use to stop this ? Cleaning them is easy enough but it does become tedious .

I grew up on the Texas coast and humidity was always a problem. Spraying the dist. cap inside in particular with WD (Water Displacement 40th trial/iteration) solved the problem back then. I wouldn't spray the point gap with it.

On the point gap I had a 1977 Toyota Celica and it used points to drive a transistor switch (that controlled coil current) in the dist. Sometimes I would be driving down the road and it would just quit. Roll over to the side of the road, pop the distributor cap and rotor, wipe a business card though the points until it came out clean, put it all back, jump in, hit the key and be on my way. My guess is that the points would corrode and since you are talking about Base current in a Transistor, there wasn't enough current to keep them cleaned off.......now how did I find out that was the problem and a simple fix for it.....I don't remember.

 

[Dusty MI]

I was once told that a folding dollar, what ever size, was a good thing to use on ignition points.

 

[zuhnc]

240 volts down there, so the "plug-it-in" trick is especially dangerous! Electronic ignition, if available for your tractor, will eliminate any point issues. zuhnc

 

[Ultradog MN]

High humidity and infrequent use is a perfect recipe for getting that "invisible corrosion" on your points and having poor or no spark.
I suggest you consider electronic ignition.
EI won't give you better spark but it will eliminate that problem.
Try it on one tractor and see for yourself.
I put EI in a 3 cylinder Ford and can attest that the distributer cap did not have to be removed in nearly a dozen years.

 

[zuhnc]

EI (NOT AI) in my '52 Ford 8N:



Only removed the cap and other parts to re-ring and correct front and rear seal leaks. zuhnc