Author	[Modern View]
Dodge2500 09-05-2012 13:28:02 99.197.130.73 Report to Moderator	I've got a 200 that that is very hard to start, runs rough and has little to no power. I went through the fuel side and replaced many parts on the electrical side with no improvement before doing some actual trouble shooting. I gapped a spark plug to 1/4 inch and tried it on each cylinder. Number one had a nice spark and all others showed no spark. The engine only tries to start with #1 wire attached. The points and condensor are new as is the coil, rotor and, cap. Plug wires look good. I pulled the rotor and cap and watched the points while cranking the engine. They don't appear to hit evenly on all four cylinders. It seems like this could be causing my lack of spark, but I'm not sure why the points whouldn't be striking evenly. Anyone seen this before or got a better explination for my lack of spark? Thanks [Reply]   [No Email]
Jon Hagen 09-07-2012 11:15:47 69.26.17.61 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   Connect a dwell meter to the tractor and crank it over with the ignition on, coil tower wire grounded. Watch if the dwell reading remains fairly constant or changes a lot. If it indicates more than 2-3 degrees change from cylinder to cylinder, you have a worn distributor shaft point cam, worn shaft and bushings, or a bent distributor shaft. [Reply]  [No Email]
mkirsch 09-06-2012 12:41:30 64.80.110.74 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   Not to be nit-picky, but that post says, "the spark will jump a 1/4" gap" or something like that... It doesn't say anything about setting an actual spark plug to 1/4" and using that to test... All you need to do is pull each wire out of the distributor cap, roll back the rubber boot, and hold the metal contact 1/4" away from its post. [Reply]  [No Email]
Matt E. 09-06-2012 13:28:43 173.216.243.151 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to mkirsch, 09-06-2012 12:41:30   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see That's the way I read it, spark should jump 1/4 inch space - like pulling the wire and it jumping to the block with the wire held 1/4 inch away from it. But I can see where someone could take it to mean gap the plug 1/4 inch since it wasn't specific. We take for granted we all test or do things in the same way. Obviously not true. :lol: [Reply]  [No Email]
mkirsch 09-06-2012 05:14:26 64.80.110.74 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   What do you mean by "hit evenly?" Where did you read to set the plug gap to 1/4"? That's a new one on me, and I read a lot of these tractor fix forums. A good spark should be able to jump 1/4". As long as you just use it as a test plug, and don't actually try to use it in the engine... [Reply]  [No Email]
Dodge2500 09-06-2012 07:00:31 99.197.130.73 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to mkirsch, 09-06-2012 05:14:26   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see mkirsch, check the last post on thes page http://ytforums.ytmag.com/viewtopic.php?t=939239 and that's not the first place I've heard it. And, yeah, I was just using to test the spark, not putting it in the engine. Thanks fr all the advice guys, hoping to get some time to work on the tractor today. The tail end of haying is keeping me busy. [Reply]  [No Email]
rustyfarmall 09-06-2012 12:23:03 67.55.162.174 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-06-2012 07:00:31   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see Like I said in my other reply, consider the source. I'll say no more. [Reply]  [No Email]
Janicholson 09-05-2012 18:42:31 96.24.99.126 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   I am going to address the last portion of your post. If the distributor shaft is worn in the bushings where the shaft comes through, or is bent, or has some of the cam lobes worn down, it will run on only one cylinder, (or none, or all of them erratically). With the rotor removed, Try to wiggle te shaft toward the engine and away from it, Up and down, and diagonally. If you detect any movement you can feel or see easily, it is time for a rebuilt distributor, or to have bushings put in yours. The tolerance is at or less than .001". Worn bushings allow radical timing changes and dwell changes than can prevent spark to some plugs. I give it a 90% chance of being the issue. Setting the point gap at like .030 might get some more cylinders operating, but that is not going to fix it, just a possible check. Putting the distributor on a Sun Distributor machine will tell the story. If the bushing is bad no other help will be effective. Jim [Reply]  [No Email]
Dodge2500 09-05-2012 19:48:19 99.197.130.73 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Janicholson, 09-05-2012 18:42:31   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see Thank you very much. This is the info I was looking for. I'll try some of the other suggestions, but I think you're right. How do I go about getting the distributer rebuilt? [Reply]  [No Email]
Janicholson 09-05-2012 20:05:20 96.24.99.126 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 19:48:19   A good place to start (since you didn't say should I take it apart)is with local auto electric shops. The ignition centrifugal advance mechanism lives behind the breaker plate, and also needs to be checked for operation, and shaft wear is usual. There are probably specialty shops (and machine shops) that can do it as well. Jim One source that will do it [Reply]  [No Email]
rustyfarmall 09-05-2012 14:13:23 67.55.162.174 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see The spark plugs are supposed to be gapped at 0.025". 1/4 inch is 0.250". See the difference? The spark may not be able to jump THAT far. [Reply]  [No Email]
Dodge2500 09-05-2012 16:01:49 99.197.130.73 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to rustyfarmall, 09-05-2012 14:13:23   Quoting Removed, click Modern View to see I went out and looked at the plug I used. It was gapped less than 1/4", but wider than the IH spec. I read on this forum and was told elswhere that this is a good way to test the strenght of you spark. [Reply]  [No Email]
gene bender 09-06-2012 05:01:25 207.177.56.236 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 16:01:49   Gaping the plug 1/4 is crazy need to be careful of the info on this site. Next time you have it running use your timing lite and clamp from one wire to the next and watch for steady fire uneven means bad dist. I cannot find around here anyone with a strob machine. Seems like all the old hotrodders have moved on. Stopped at one good repair shop and the younger guys didnt even know what i was asking about. [Reply]  [No Email]
RustyFarmall 09-05-2012 16:18:23 67.55.162.174 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 16:01:49   Set the plug gap at 0.025" and then look for a nice, FAT, blue spark. If you have a thin, weak, yellow spark, gapping the plugs wider will NOT make any improvements. There is a LOT of misinformation on this board. Be selective as to what you believe, or don"t believe. [Reply]  [No Email]
ken house 09-05-2012 14:13:13 173.242.240.50 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   check wires and make sure that they are copper and not something else. I H will not run well on anything else. [Reply]  [No Email]
Dean Olson 09-05-2012 13:50:00 75.53.96.101 Report to Moderator	Re: 200 only sparking on one cylinder in reply to Dodge2500, 09-05-2012 13:28:02   Try readjusting the points. Should be 20 thousandths gap. Make sure the adjusting plate is square and making 100% contact. I've had some cheap points that where poorly made not come together square. Take that plug wire from #1 and swap it and see if it sparks on another cylinder. You may have 3 out of 4 bad wires even though they "look good". [Reply]  [No Email]