FRONT MOUNT COIL REPLACMENT

Is it best to remove the dist. Or can a person replace the coil with the dist. On the tractor? The tractor is a long ways from my location. And thanks to all that reply.
 
Unscrew the wire, shove the bale forward & remove the coil. Replace the gasket. Gently pull the pig tail & bend the tab to insure good contacts when you put the coil back on the distributor.

If the coil is loose when you re-install it, replace the bale or put a piece of cardboard under it.

But the bigger question.......

As coils rarely fail unless you left the key on, why are you replacing it?
75 Tips
 
(quoted from post at 13:55:36 12/09/12) Is it best to remove the dist. Or can a person replace the coil with the dist. On the tractor? The tractor is a long ways from my location. And thanks to all that reply.
o problem replacing coil with distributor on the tractor, BUT........ultimate success may be better when you remove distributor as then you can be sure the coil 's spring contact makes electrical contact with the concave screw and has no short as in touching metal parts that it shouldn't touch. Besides it then gives you a chance to look over other things for potential shorts & at the points condition & gap.
distributor_pig_tail_clear.jpg
 
He told me it runs great for ten to fifteen min. Then it stumbles and dies....that is the message he gave me if I got the correct version. A couple years ago I did a complete tune up with a new gas tank, total carb overhaul, new coil, plugs , condenser etc.
 
" He told me it runs great for ten to fifteen min. Then it stumbles and dies..."

And based on that, you're going to replace the coil?

No other troubleshooting.....just start replacing parts that may or may not be bad?

It could be the coil. It could be the ignition switch. It could also be a fuel problem.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to getting a non-running tractor to start. One way is to just start replacing every part you can get to until it starts or you run out of money. The other way is to take a step-by-step approach to solving the problem, working from most likely to least likely. The trick to fixing these tractors (or trouble shooting any piece of equipment) is to be systematic about it. You need to isolate the problem step by step and work from most likely to least likely.

Bottom line.......coils do go bad, but I'll venture a guess that 75% of new N coils sold today are sold to folks who do not understand how to diagnose a poor spark problem or how a coil works. So, for those who don’t know any better, in a no spark situation the first suspect is usually the coil……and, more often than not, it isn’t the problem.

Or as one regular around here humorously suggested: "Well, it is like this...I don't know or really understand what that black thing does & I am suspicious of the unknown, so I think the problem is the black thing."

At this point, you do not know if it's a spark problem or a fuel problem.

Might be worth your time & money to find out.

It is important for you to tell us if your tractor has a 6 volt or 12 volt electrical system. The troubleshooting is different based upon the configuration of your engine.

It takes three things for an engine to run: spark at the right time, compression, & fuel in the right mixture. For the moment, forget about compression & concentrate on narrowing the problem down to spark or fuel.

There are three very important tools you always need to have in your N tool box: a 3 inch piece of wire w/ alligator clips on each end, an old spark plug w/ the gap opened to at least 3/16” ( ¼” is better) and a 7/16 box end wrench. (see tip # 50 at the link below) And, you really do need a working ammeter on the tractor; it is a very important diagnostic tool. With these tools, you can quickly narrow down most N problems to spark or fuel.

Next time it stops, check quickly for fuel then spark. When I say quickly, I mean get off the seat, grab the tools & do it right then. Do not wait a minute or two. First, check for fuel. Get a can & put it under the carb. Remove the bolt in the bottom of the carb; as long as the fuel is turned on, you should see gas flowing out of the carb. Let it run for at least 30 seconds. If it’s a dribble, or runs for 5 seconds & stops, or none at all, you have solved half the problem: it’s fuel related. If gas flows well out of the carb & only stops when you turn it off at the sediment bowl, chances are very good it’s not a fuel problem. So, next, turn the key on, crank the engine & look at the ammeter. What is the needle doing? Does it show a constant discharge, no movement at all, or does it move back & forth slightly? Next, get the old plug, ground it to a rust & paint free spot on the engine, turn the key on & crank the engine. If the spark jumps the 3/16” gap, you probably don’t have a spark problem. If it won’t jump the 3/16” gap, you have a spark problem. If the ammeter needle shows a constant discharge, or doesn’t move at all, that also tells you that you have a spark problem. Jump the ignition switch w/ your jumper wire & see what happens. If it runs, you found the problem. If it doesn’t have spark after you jump the ignition switch, post back for more info on further troubleshooting. (and do not forget to turn the ignition switch off; see tip # 38)

If it does not have gas coming out of the carb at a steady stream w/ the bolt out for at least 30 seconds, you have a fuel problem. First, remove the gas cap. Your vent could be clogged & it vacuum locked. If that doesn’t work, tap the carb bowl w/ a hammer handle in case the float is sticking closed. (don’t whack it w/ the head of the hammer; you can crack the bowl). If you still don’t see gas flowing, the N has three fuel screens; one in the brass elbow, one in the top of the sediment bowl & one on the stem of the sediment bowl in the gas tank. Check the screen in the elbow & the screen in the top of the sediment bowl. (don’t worry about the one in the tank) Both probably need to be cleaned. If you have the fuel knob turned on all the way, & 1 gallon or less in the tank, it may be trying to feed off of the reserve inlet which is probably clogged. Only open it 2 full turns. Put at least 2 gallons in the tank. (and do not forget to turn the gas off; see tip # 9)

There are ways to check for spark & fuel that work & ways that don't. For example, having gas to the carb is nice, but having it past the float is what counts! That’s why removing the 7/16” bolt in the bottom of the carb is the way to check for fuel. And, same thing w/ spark at the plugs. Some folks think that checking for spark means pulling a plug wire off & looking for one. Well, it's the distance the spark jumps at the plug that gives you the info you want. It takes about 17kv to jump a 3/16" gap & 22kv to jump ¼” in the open air. Remember, it’s 14psi outside of the engine & about 90psi at a 6:1 compression ratio in the cylinders & compressed air creates electrical resistance, so you really need the 17-22kv to fire the plugs when the engine is running. A store bought plug checker will work better than an old plug because it won’t shock the snot out of you like an old plug might!
75 Tips
 
And based on that, you're going to replace the coil?

No other troubleshooting.....just start replacing parts that may or may not be bad?

It could be the coil. It could be the ignition switch. It could also be a fuel problem.

There are two schools of thought when it comes to getting a non-running tractor to start. One way is to just start replacing every part you can get to until it starts or you run out of money.


A couple years ago I did a complete tune up with a new gas tank, total carb overhaul, new coil, plugs , condenser etc.

The tractor is a long ways from my location.

Seems like a simple question to me , one which doesn't require an attitude to answer .

If I were going A LONG WAY to work on a tractor that I had some knowledge about , then taking a $25 coil and a box of tools would get me up and running . Cleaning filters or by passing a switch would not require a trip to town for parts . Who said he wasn't going to do more trouble shooting once he got there ? Its not like he is buying a new carb , points , cap , rotor , plugs , plug wires , resistor , filters , etc .
 
15 minutes doesn't really sound like a coil, but if you determine it is,
I would remove the distributor.
While I had it off I would clean and gap the points and set the timing.
Its a lot easier for me to get it all put together and then just put the
two bolts back in instead of wondering if I got the gasket in right and
the pigtail and contact touching.
Plus, you can bench test the points and check for slop in the bushings.
 
Thanks to everyone, I have been repairing all the old ones for over fifty years now, so I have a system. That being said my question I thought would be a real simple answer, but got out in left field somehow. I was supposed to remove the woods mower...then he added a tume up on his second reminder. So if anyone needs a woods mower it will no doubt be for sale.
 

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