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1950 Farmall M

L

lee1988

New User
I have a couple of question
Question 1 The tractor will only stay running when I keep my foot down on the starter switch. As soon as I let off the switch the motor dies. I have put all new points, condenser, plugs, wire, fuel, cleaned carb, new battery and cables. I have cleaned the filter in the carb and have good fuel flow going to the carb. Could my problem be something with the ignition coil? Should I be getting power at the coil even when I don't hit the starter button?

Question 2
I am having a hard time figuring out if it is negative or positive ground. The only way I seem to get my plugs to spark is with it being negative ground. All the wiring diagrams I have found show that the tractor should be positive ground. Is there an easy way I can figure this out?

Thanks
 
Something can't be wired right on yours. Farmalls were originally 6 volt and were all positive ground. 12 volt systems I understand can be either. What is you tractor - 6 or 12 and is it a generator or alternator.Find out which post on your battery goes to ground and that will tell you what you have for that.Does your tractor have the normal starter button or has it been changed to something else. I think we need some more info to help you.
 
My tractor is the 6 volt system and does have a generator. The tractor did not come with a battery so I do not know how it was hooked up before and both battery cables are black. I have looked over the wiring with a diagram in hand and everything seems to check out. My tractor has the starter switch that you push with your foot.
 
See if the around a number 10 gauge wire on one of the starter switch button terminals is on the side battery cable is, not on starter wire side. This information is for a original type M starter switch.
 
Sound like some one wired it so the ignition wire is on the wrong side of the starter switch. An easy way to be sure of that is a simple hot wire from the battery to the ignition side of the coil. If it runs that way then you know for sure it is not wired correctly
 
Is the tractor really running, or just popping as the starter is cranking it over?

If the tractor is running, it will kick the starter drive out of gear and the starter will just spin freely while the tractor runs.
 
positive gnd is the wiring original sounds like something is messed up cause letting up on starter makes it die there is no solenoid on the original set-up and hot wire goes to the coil from switch and has nothing to do with starter button. Is your starter buttom mounted at the bottom of the steering post or has that been changed to something else.
 
Power for everything but starter comes from a wire that goes on the starter switch in rear tank support. on the same terminal as battery cable to starter switch. If that wire is on starter terminal side of starter switch coil will only get power when starter switch is used. Just one possibility I thought of without seeing the tractor.
 
To clarify what old has said, he is suggesting powering the coil with a temporary hot wire you will place between the battery post that is not connected to the frame of the tractor and the ignition coil. It will connect to the coil terminal that is not running to the distributor. You must take all the other wires off the coil terminal you are connecting to and tape or place them so they do not short out to the engine or frame. Then you will be ready to test if the tractor will run properly. Be sure you have a way to easily disconnect the wire to shut down the engine in case there is the unexpected need.
 
You do not need to remove ANY wires. You simply do not turn on the ignition switch when you hot wire. As for a way to shut it down that too is simple just pull the wire off at the battery
 
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