JOHN DEERE 60 NO SPARK

I HAVE A JD 60 WITH NO SPARK. IT RAN WHEN IT WAS PUT IN THE SHED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, NOW I'M STUMPED. I PUT IN A NEW SWITCH. IT NOW HAS 12 VOLTS TO THE COIL PLUS SIDE. ALSO HAS 12 VOLTS AT THE DISTRIBUTER SIDE NO MATTER IF THE POINTS ARE OPEN OR CLOSED. SHOULDN'T THE DIST SIDE GO TO 0 VOLTS WHEN THE POINTS ARE CLOSED? POINTS HAVE BEEN FILED AND ARE CLOSING. NEW CONDENSER. 12 VOLTS INSIDE THE DIST. AT TYHE POINTS. WHAT AM I MISSING? PLEASE HELP.

It was original POS ground meaning the coils - gets voltage via the ignition switch while its + wires to distributor. If polarity got swapped (like alternator use) then its reversed.


Yes indeed when the points are closed if they are providing a good ground voltage should go to zero. The current path is from the coils low output to dist terminal,,,,,,,,to and through the distributors side insulated pass through bushing,,,,,,,,,,,,,,to the points terminal,,,,,,,,,,,,,to the round metal base,,,,,to distributor,,,,,,,,,,to frame ground to battery when closed.

Insure wiring and continuity from the coils output to and through the plastic bushing to the points terminal.

The distributor itself needs a good ground to the tractor frame as does the round steel plate upon which the points are
mounted. See if the round metal plate where points mount has good continuity to frame and, of course, to the grounded
battery post. Check any braided grounding strap..

Check the continuity and resistance through the points when closed, should be near zero ohms resistance if they are not burned and closing with good contact AND THEN IT HAS TO GET TO THE ROUND METAL BASE THEN THE DISTRIBUTOR THEN FRAME GROUND TO BATTERY............

NOTE you say 12 volts inside the distributor and at the points THEREFORE the wiring and pass thru bushing must be okay, but if the points close good and aren't burned voltage should go to zero IFFFFFFFFFF the round mounting plate and any ground wire and the distributor are effectively grounded??? Paint or rust or anything preventing a good distributor ground????

With ignition on take a jumper wire to the coils low output to distributor terminal and each time you touch it to ground then remove it the coil should fire SAME AS IF POINTS CLOSED THEN OPENED Does it fire if jumpered????? if so the coils not getting a good ground via the closed points and round base then dist then ground

CHECK THE POINTS for good low resistance continuity when closed, maybe points is your only problem assuming they close good n tight ???

If all else fails see my Ignition Troubleshooting Procedure but shes never gonna fire until theres good low resistance from the coil to the points to ground to battery

John T
John Ts Ignition Testing

With the distributor cap off and the ignition on open and close the points by hand. You should both see and hear a spark when you do so. If you do not then the points are not clean and need better cleaning and or replaced simple as that. From what you say that tells me the points are still dirty and if you used say sand paper or Emory cloth you left sand etc behind which do not conduct power

THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH I GOT IT. WENT BACK TO THE BARN (10 MILES) TESTED THE DIST GROUND WHICH WAS GOOD THEN TRIED TO MAKE THE COIL WIRE SPARK BY USING A JUMPER WIRE TO GROUND AS SUGGESTED BUT NOTHING. THEN TOOK THE TESTER BACK TO THE COIL NO VOLTAGE ON EITHER SIDE. VERY STRANGE BECAUSE I HAD 12 VOLTS ON BOTH SIDES BEFORE. TOOK THE DASH BACK OFF ONLY HAD 2 VOLTS TO THE SWITCH. I HAD 12. 5 VOLTS AT THE BATTERY. THERE ARE 2 WIRES THAT ARE HOOKED TO THE POSITIVE BATTERY CLAMP BY A TERMINAL RING WHICH WAS BROKEN AND RUSTY, I REPLACED THAT TERMINAL RING AND THEN HAD 12 VOLTS BACK AT THE COIL AGAIN. THEN TRIED THE COIL WIRE SPARK TRICK AGAIN, LOTS OF SPARK NOW. PUT IT ALL BACK TOGETHER AND DROVE IT TEN MILES HOME IT NEVER MISSED A BEAT. THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP MUCH APPRECIATED.

CONGRATULATIONS and you're welcome. Yeppers a bad connection will do it every time.

John T