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Calling Electrical Experts--WICO XB Distributor Problems

K

Kerwin

Member
Hello all. Got an H with an XB distributor that doesn't want to start.

Still 6V, positive ground. Electric start.

Distributor has new points and gap set correctly. Started just fine 2 weeks ago, but when I needed it to move today it wouldn't fire at all. Not a pop. When I pulled a plug and grounded plug while cranking engine, I got no spark or very sporadic spark at best. Only difference that I can think of between the last time it ran and today is that air was a lot more humid. There was a little moisture (droplets) on the inside of the distributor cap when I took it off today.

Checked and had 6V going into the terminal on the side of the distributor.

Newer plugs but original wires and distributor cap.

Body of distributor was very hot after making several attempts to get the H started.

Is there a good way to check the coil? Something else that could go wrong and cause coil to noticeably heat up?

If it ends up needing a new coil or cap, where's the best source for reliable replacement parts?
 
The WICO XB is a distributor. It looks a lot like a magneto, but really is a distributor with the coil inside. Used on the John Deere model "H" with electric start.
Should not have moisture inside.
 
It's stored in a shed, so I attributed the droplets on the inside of the distributor cap to condensation from the humid SW Wisconsin weather.
 
JD H. Parts catalog only shows a magneto, so either PC never got updated for distributor or someone in my family swapped a magneto for XB distributor at some point in the tractor's life. Great uncle bought it new in 1942.
 
Coils are one item that can't reliably be 'tested' to be good or not due to possibly intermittent shorting within windings. May test good and still be bad when trying to use it. Replace it and when the problem goes away you have your proof only then.

You can check the coil for ohms readings on the primary, it should have 1.5 ohms there and the secondary should be 10,000 to 20,000 ohms typically. If the primary shows much less than 1.5 ohms then it's faulty and the source for the heat has a reason.

Fleabay has a Standard Magneto store front which is the current owner and supplier of WICO parts. Once there search for 'Wico Magneto Manuals CD' and you'll find the store pretty quick.

Moisture inside the cap isn't supposed to happen, look for water drops collecting right at the vent for the XB distributor. A fine wire left running up in there allows water drop to run off instead of being sucked on inside, it may also discourage small wasps from building a nest in the hole defeating the hole's purpose entirely. A new cap gasket might be in order?
 
The XB distributor has a voltage dropping resistor under the little rectangle plate where the ignition wire connects. Make that resistor hasn't failed.
 
Interesting! I have maybe 15 Hs in all states of repair and
all have mags whether electric start or not.
Seems I saw somewhere that they only came out with C mags but
X mags were replacement.
 
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