9N Starting trouble resistor block? help

My 9n ran fine a week ago. I trailered it up to my farm and tried to start it. It did not start. The battery ran down to nothin. I hooked it up to my truck and jumped it. It did not start. I checked gas flow...good. I jumped a wire across the key switch...good. I checked for spark...good. It still did not start. I jumped a wire to bypass the resistor block. IT STARTED. With the wire in place,I let it idle for about 5 mins. while I hooked up my bush hog. When I tried to move the tractor, it stalled.
I bought a new resistor block from tractor supply and installed it. The tractor would not start. The only way I could get spark was to connect the two wires that go o the resistor block.(weird) The tractor stated a few times with those wires connected but would oly run at low rpms and only for a min or so. while jump starting it it would back fire alot with black smoke.The only thing I changed between when it ran good and now was that I put high test gas in it...didnt think that could cause any prolems.

Any help would be much appreciated.

It's going to be difficult to help you w/o knowing if the tractor is 6v or 12v. And if you are using the OEM ballast resistor. And the value of the resistor you got from TSC. If you don't know the value, just tell us what it looks like.

It works like this.....you need 5 or 6 amps to the coil on start-up & not more than 4 amps when it's running. All of the components (ballast resistor, additional resistor & the coil) have internal resistance. Too much, it won't start; too little, it starts fine & runs great until the coil melts.

Post back; plenty of folks here can figure it out for you.
50 Tips

Sorry, its a 6v system. and I dont know the value of the resistor I bought. Here's a pic of it. The old one on the tractor looks almost the same. Why did the tractor start only when I bypassed the resistor?

And what else did I screw up?

Ron.......would it surprize you to learn, hi-test gasoline has 'nuttin' to do with yer problem but the WRONG resister has everything to do with yer problem.

You write......."I jumped a wire to bypass the resistor block. IT STARTED. With the wire in place,I let it idle for about 5 mins. while I hooked up my bush hog. When I tried to move the tractor, it stalled. I bought a new resistor block from tractor supply and installed it. The tractor would not start. The only way I could get spark was to connect the two wires that go o the resistor block.(weird) The tractor stated a few times with those wires connected but would only run at low rpms and only for a min or so. while jump starting it it would back fire alot with black smoke"

By by-passing the "infamous ballast resistor" you have BURNED-OUT yer squarecan ignition coil and have WEAK SPARKIES that cause backfiring. And from the picture, I'd even guess that it is NOT the correct resistor.

Don't try to "cheat" the system, its EXPENSIVE. And I'd even guess the invisible corroded POINTS (0.015") were yer original problem. But you FLOODED yer engine trying to start it. Replace yer FLOODED sparkies with AutoLite 437's gapped to 0.025".

ALWAYS remember to turn OFF the under-the-tank glass gas valve when yer thru tractoring or when yer TRAILERING ........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

Running 5 minutes without a resistor very likely did not damage the coil (too much mass to heat), but if you left the key on in an engine stalled condition, then coil may have been damaged. That style resistor is not the OEM resistor and those generics are available with a huge range of values from ~0.1 to 5.0 ohms, so you don't have a clue as to what you have by looking. You need the OEM which changes value depending on temperature (but will run at about 1 ohm).

if the old one looked like that.. then the coil may be toast by now unless it was the correct value.. as it may hav ebeen running hot for years..

soundguy

This sounds a lot like my buddies 9N. Starts, runs, dies, hard to start. It has a 12V conversion. What would be the right resistor, and I also expect to replace the points (again), and the coil too.

Advice appreciated.

New already are: Plugs, carb, battery, head gasket, wires, and lots more.

(quoted from post at 18:08:51 04/09/11) This sounds a lot like my buddies 9N. Starts, runs, dies, hard to start. It has a 12V conversion. What would be the right resistor, and I also expect to replace the points (again), and the coil too.

Advice appreciated.

New already are: Plugs, carb, battery, head gasket, wires, and lots more.

Click to expand...

n a 12v, use the 2.5 ohm (called 12v coil) AND the OEM #12250 resistor. That's it. Simple & easy.

Pete........surprizingly enuff, BOTH the original 6V squarecan coil and the modern 12V squarecan coil use the SAME "infamous ballast resistor". p/n: 8N-10306.

Then depending upon whether yer buddies 12V conversion is a "cheap Bubba" conversion, you may need a 12-to-6V converting resistor. I have NO WAY of knowing the conversion. We recommend using the MODERN 12V squarecan coil with the "infamous ballast resistor" ONLY. DO NOT USE a 12-to-6V converting resistor with the modern 12V squarecan coil. DO YOU KNOW WHY???

Ennytime you have "starting issues", CHANGE yer sparkies. NO ARGUE!!!!

You have FLOODED yer sparkies with INVISIBLE CONTAMINATES and they will NOT SPARKLE 'cuz them lazy sparkies just dribble down the side of the center electrode. Don't throw yer FLOODED sparkies away, clean'n'dry them one-atta-time in HOT running engine and save'um fer the next time. (and there will be a next time) .......Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

infamous ballast resistor

Dell, are you smokin or on the hootch? "Pete........surprizingly enuff, BOTH the original 6V squarecan coil and the modern 12V squarecan coil use the SAME "infamous ballast resistor". p/n: 8N-10306. " That number & picture is the so called "converting resistor" not the OEM ballast #12250. You contradict your own posts & confuse the h3ll out of folks who don't know & are looking for help!

JMOR........nope, not onnna the hooch. Yer picture is CORRECT for the "infamous ballast resistor"; p/n 8N-10306. Sorry, my picture was so small, (frown) yers is much better. You might wanna check yer eyeballs (grin) ........respectfully, Dell

(quoted from post at 03:51:56 04/10/11) JMOR........nope, not onnna the hooch. Yer picture is CORRECT for the "infamous ballast resistor"; p/n 8N-10306. Sorry, my picture was so small, (frown) yers is much better. You might wanna check yer eyeballs (grin) ........respectfully, Dell

Click to expand...

ot #10306. #12250. see YT Parts

Pete's resistor when examined was broken in a few places. We plan to replace it and the coil with a 12V version and see if the swap out helps.

His 12V conversion is full, except for the starter.

Thanks for the pointers, the advice really helps.