Need help with no spark / no start please

ws6power1

New User
I inherited a 1957 ford 600 from my grandfather I'm trying to get running. It used to run good but sat up for the past year and a half. Anyway I'm not sure what's going on but I can't get any spark. A lot of the wiring looks rough so it's a little hard to narrow down. At first I thought it could be the ignition switch so temporarily I took off the 2 wires and twisted then together to make sure I'm getting connection. Still I'm not getting any spark from the coil itself. I went and got a new coil and still no spark from the coil. I even tried wiring it strait to the battery. Measuring on the coil with a multimeter I have 12 volts on both sides of the coil and at the output. To make sur the coil wire was ok I measured at the end and get 12v there too, but still I can't get any fire when grounding the coil wire or a plug. Am I only supposed to get 12v at the coil output? Shouldn't it be multiplied by the coil? What could keep it from firing if the coil is strait wired? Also my starter button isn't working. I have 12 volts on the wire connected to it. Is that something that could keep it from firing? If I touch the 12v wire coming from the starter swirh to the grounded button the starter turns. Is that supposed to do that? Thanks in advance.
 
I'm baffled too. You have done or checked everything I would have looked for. It's probably something simple that most of us would over look.
 
if the condensor is bad, or the points are stuck open or closed would that keep me from getting spark at the coil?
 
It sounds like your points may have corroded. I would pull the dist. cap and look at the points and if they look decent clean them, re-gap them and lube the rubbing block.
 
You should have 12V to both small terminals on the coil when
the points are open, but when they close the distributor side
should drop to near zero. If they are physically closing they
may be corroded or you may have a broken connection between
them and the coil. Maybe inside the distributor.

On the push button, you should have 12V there until you push it.
Pushing it should ground that wire going to the small terminal
on the solenoid to cause it to spin. So that sounds right other
than the push button not working.
 
Your points are not stuck closed. They are in fact
probably no closing. Time to clean the corrosion
of the points so that they make contact. Set them
to a .025 gap. Report back
 
" At first I thought it could be the ignition switch so temporarily I took off the 2 wires and twisted then together to make sure I'm getting connection."

That's the same as leaving the key on. (see tip # 38) That's a sure way to burn up a coil & points. You have a meter; use it to check the ignition switch.

As others are telling you, your points are corroded. You can try cleaning them or just get a new set. Gap is .025. If you file the points to clean them, you will need a new set very soon. Usually, running card stock or brown paper through them will work.
75 Tips
 
as HC said. check them points contacts. you apparently are not getting points closing. look them over and make sure thay for some reason are not broke and stuck open.

a open condensor would allow the points to burn

a shorted condensor would be like closed points.

a shorted feedthru insulator would be like closed points.

thus with you saying 12v on both sides of the coil.. i'd look for dirty coroded points... or an open wire from coil to side of dizzy
 

I did test the ignition with my dmm , but the wires on the back were badly corroded and frayed so I was was unsure if the connection was going to be strong or intermittent. Twisting the wires was just for testing. I've picked up a toggle switch to wire in instead of the key switch. I don't think anyone will try to steal this rust bucket.
 
Ok so I picked up a tractor tune up kit including, points condensor, cap and rotor, plugs and wires. I just replaced the coil so it will all be new. The old coil was probably good. It did measure ok with the dmm, but it has a crack and looked dry rotted so probably a good thing to replace anyway. I'm going to work on it today and I'll let you guys know. Thanks for the advice.
 
" I've picked up a toggle switch to wire in instead of the key switch."

Toggle switches aren't very nice when your knee hits it & turns the tractor off. Or worse, turns it on!
 
One more question guys. I mentioned the starter swirh being bad. Does it just screw out or do you have to remove the whole cover to get a nut off the bottom?
 
To replace that starter button yes you have to pull the transmission cover off. Not all that hard a job. Make sure it is in neutral. If no one said it point gap is 0.025 and is most like the cause of no spark
 
(quoted from post at 07:43:21 03/04/15) To replace that starter button yes you have to pull the transmission cover off. Not all that hard a job. Make sure it is in neutral. If no one said it point gap is 0.025 and is most like the cause of no spark


Thanks, I know I will lose the neutral safety switch, but couldn't I just get a push button starter from the store for less than 10 bucks and install it in the sheet metal? I'm not too worried about the neutral safety. I don't have any kids or anything like that. I appreciate the gap info. The kit I bought has a feeler gauge with it so I should be ok.
 
If you got the kit at a farm and home store it is very likely to be made in China and not work well if at all. I buy my parts from O'Reilly's auto parts but then that is about the only place I have other then a farm and home store.
As for the switch yes you could use a push button switch. The factory switch grounds the solenoid so you would have to wire it so it grounds or the engine still will not spin over. My Ford 841 is wired that way
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top