TO-30 ignition

Bowman

New User
My TO-30 was running great as it has for a long time. After mowing in Aug. I parked it. When I wanted to mow again in Oct. it did not start. It is a 6 volt positive ground system. The starter turns as it should, I have 6 volts at the Neg. post on coil, and when turning the starter I have 6 volts at pos. post also. How ever there is no spark coming out of the coil. The coil seems to test O.K. Does any body have a suggestion as to what else I should check?
 
(quoted from post at 16:03:03 11/19/14) My TO-30 was running great as it has for a long time. After mowing in Aug. I parked it. When I wanted to mow again in Oct. it did not start. It is a 6 volt positive ground system. The starter turns as it should, I have 6 volts at the Neg. post on coil, and when turning the starter I have 6 volts at pos. post also. How ever there is no spark coming out of the coil. The coil seems to test O.K. Does any body have a suggestion as to what else I should check?

Have you checked the points and condensor?
 
While the starter is turning the points will be opening and closing rapidly. Should the voltage reading be changing as that happens. If I disconnect the lead that goes to the distributor and activate the starter should I be getting a spark out of the coil? I'm not sure that there is any current getting to the distributor
 
The voltage should be going to 6(or 12 if a 12 volt system) and back to zero as the points are opening and closing. It is the collapse of the secondary coil that induces a spark in the primary. If your voltage is staying constant at 6 volts (measured at the distributor or at the points)as you rotate the starter, I would say that your points are not closing either from maladjustment or burnt or worn. If it were mine, I would just replace them.Good luck
 
The first thing I did was to check the points and dist. for water etc. But I didn't reset the points as the tractor had been running fine when I shut it down. As soon as we get a little warm air around here I will take them out to clean em, and reset them. Would the points keep the coil from giving a spark?
 
If the points are working properly, the voltage on distributor side of the coil should alternate from battery voltage to near zero as you crank the engine with the ignition switch "ON".

If you remove the center high tension lead from the distributor cap and hold it near a good ground and crank the engine with the ignition switch "ON" you should have a FAT BLUISH-WHITE SPARK, the color of lightning every time the points open.
The primary ignition circuit is from the battery through the key switch, through the coil, through the points alternately(i.e. wen the points close)to ground.
 
Absolutely. If the points are not closing, there will be no spark from the primary lead.Right now, it appears that you have a dwell of zero.The longer the camshaft rotates with the points closed, the higher the dwell and the hotter the spark when it opens. I have had this happen years ago. After a few months of just sitting the tractor would not start. The points had developed a little film over them preventing them from closing (electrically),even though the gap was set correctly.Hope this helps
 
O.K. Thanks to all for the help. I'm truly humbled, I took the points out, filed the off and reset them, The tractor is running again. I should have done that in the first place. Case closed!
 

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