Ford 801 Select O Speed No Spark

801SOS

Member
I have a select o speed that I was using until about a year ago was running just fine. Haven't used for a year or so and went to start it. It turns over fine but there is no spark at all from the coil. I have replaced the coil, distributor cap, rotor, condenser, points, voltage regulator, the wire that runs from the coil to the distributor, ignition switch, battery. All the wires look to be in good shape. I do have the transmission disengaged so I could tow it, but didnt think this would affect starting it. I have tried running a jumper wire directly from the battery to the coil and still no spark and have gotten another coil just in case. Could it be the safety starter switch or the distributor. or any other suggestions would be appreciated. It is 6 volt system.
Thanks
 
Stop throwing parts at the poor thing and start diagnosing the problem. Voltage regulator, really? Using a volt meter, do you have 6 volts or so at the coil wire coming from the ignition. If so, good. Now take the cap and dust cover if there is one off the distributor, and with the points open do you have 6 volts or so on the other side of the primary side of the coil. If so, good. Now with the points closed, what do you see? Please report back with your findings.
 

It definitely has nothing to do with the safety starter switch. As Jim says do some diagnostics. If you can't do those, you'd likely be money ahead to pay someone who can.
 

When you ran the jumper to the coil did you check for power to the coil with your test light? You should not go condemning those poor electrical parts for not working if you are not giving them juice to work with.
 
Disconnect the wire from the coil to the distributor, then check for continuity from the threaded terminal lug on the distributor body to the body itself to see
if there is an unwanted grounding between those two points. The insulating washer (outside) and paper barrier (inside) tend it disintegrate over time.

Why they didnt just run a single wire from the coil to the points through a pass-through grommet here is truly one of life's unsolved mysteries......
 
(quoted from post at 10:53:45 04/18/20) Disconnect the wire from the coil to the distributor, then check for continuity from the threaded terminal lug on the distributor body to the body itself to see
if there is an unwanted grounding between those two points. The insulating washer (outside) and paper barrier (inside) tend it disintegrate over time.

Why they didnt just run a single wire from the coil to the points through a pass-through grommet here is truly one of life's unsolved mysteries......

You're right, these can be a rather sneaky problem when they short out to the distributor body. I grew up cursing Ford flathead V8's that had the same issue. I think their logic was to have an easy way to disconnect the wire so you could easily remove the distributor. Some one (Prestolite, maybe) used to sell you that block along with the new points & condensor.
 
Ok have 5.3 at coil. .17 with points close 0 with them open. I didn't figure the voltage regulator had anything to with it the coil, cap rotor had visual defects so knew they were going to be needed to be replaced.
 
Have almost 6 at the coil. Barely have any at the points when closed and 0 when open. I didn't figure the regulator had anything to do with it. Just didnt look good just like the coil, cap and rotor.
 
Have almost 6 at the coil. Barely have any at the points when closed and 0 when open. I didn't figure the regulator had anything to do with it. Just didnt look good just like the coil, cap and rotor.
 
Im sure this is a dumb question but I wanted to do the diagnostic that the manual shows but not sure how to crank the engine with the starter, with ignition off.
 
(quoted from post at 12:02:51 04/18/20) Im sure this is a dumb question but I wanted to do the diagnostic that the manual shows but not sure how to crank the engine with the starter, with ignition off.


The manual may say that because the prior model, the 800 would crank with the key off. You will need to run a jumper to the starter solenoid.
 
(quoted from post at 15:29:54 04/18/20)
(quoted from post at 12:02:51 04/18/20) Im sure this is a dumb question but I wanted to do the diagnostic that the manual shows but not sure how to crank the engine with the starter, with ignition off.


The manual may say that because the prior model, the 800 would crank with the key off. You will need to run a jumper to the starter solenoid.

Ahh to the solenoid.. Not the starter itself. I didn't have another 6 volt battery either to try that.
 
Dang stop wasting money and throwing parts at it.
The dist cap; rotor; voltage regulator; have nothing to do with no spark at the coil.

First thing to do is see if you have power from the key to the coil.
Your jumper wire from the battery to the coil should have solved that.

Now with the points open see if you have power to the points.

Now take the wire from coil to points loose at coil and with points closed see if you have continuity to ground with a ohm meter.

Let us know your results.
 

801SOS, it appears that you may have taken resistance readings if those are what those numbers are. That is nice but they don't mean anything without knowing where the other end is that you are reading from.
 
(quoted from post at 03:15:55 04/19/20)
801SOS, it appears that you may have taken resistance readings if those are what those numbers are. That is nice but they don't mean anything without knowing where the other end is that you are reading from.

Actually those were the voltage readings. at the pos & neg on the coil I have 5.3 volts. So getting power there. But at the points with them closed I have next to no voltage and none when they are open.
 
(quoted from post at 11:07:02 04/19/20)
(quoted from post at 03:15:55 04/19/20)
801SOS, it appears that you may have taken resistance readings if those are what those numbers are. That is nice but they don't mean anything without knowing where the other end is that you are reading from.

Actually those were the voltage readings. at the pos & neg on the coil I have 5.3 volts. So getting power there. But at the points with them closed I have next to no voltage and none when they are open.

Disconnect the wire from the coil that goes to the points and rotate the engine until the points are open and measure resistance/continuity from the coil end of the wire to the points. If you have infinite ohms (no continuity) then something is not conducting in that part of the circuit. If you have zero, or close to zero, ohms (continuity) then you should have voltage at the points when the wire is connected to the coil and the points are open.
 
801SOS, your voltage readings are a bit confusing. I take it that you have 6 volts on one side of the coil and 5.3 on the other? That would be about right with the points open. Then with the points closed it's dropping to almost zero at that same post? If so, that's good. Next, I would put everything back together and with the key on pull the coil wire from the center of the cap and hold it about a 1/4 inch from a clean ground while cranking the engine and see if there is spark there. By the way, don't throw your old voltage regulator away. The new ones on the market today are basically junk. Let us know about the spark.
 
(quoted from post at 09:49:07 04/19/20) 801SOS, your voltage readings are a bit confusing. I take it that you have 6 volts on one side of the coil and 5.3 on the other? That would be about right with the points open. Then with the points closed it's dropping to almost zero at that same post? If so, that's good. Next, I would put everything back together and with the key on pull the coil wire from the center of the cap and hold it about a 1/4 inch from a clean ground while cranking the engine and see if there is spark there. By the way, don't throw your old voltage regulator away. The new ones on the market today are basically junk. Let us know about the spark.

Yes I kept everything other than the old coil. But the there was basically nothing left of the inside post on it. Ok no spark. Also what should the readings be on the coil test. Can't find anything that says what they should be. Have two coils two different readings. The one terminal terminal shows 1.8 terminal to secondary 10.2
 
(quoted from post at 13:09:52 04/19/20)
(reply to post at 08:32:01 04/19/20) [/quot

Doing your test I have no continuity whether points are open or closed.

I would expect the same results (continuity or no continuity) whether the points were open or closed, but I specified opening the points just to 100% guarantee that that part of the circuit was isolated from the rest of the tractor.

Have you checked the metal strap that connects the points to the bolt that goes through the bushing on the base of the distributor that the wire from the coil connects to on the outside? All that's in the circuit that you just tested continuity on is the wire, the bolt through the base of the distributor, and that strap.
 
(quoted from post at 12:10:19 04/19/20)
(quoted from post at 13:09:52 04/19/20)
(reply to post at 08:32:01 04/19/20) [/quot

Doing your test I have no continuity whether points are open or closed.

For the continuity I was answering Sean from PA for his tests he said to check. And yes I checked the metal have good continuity there.
 

Doing your test I have no continuity whether points are open or closed.[/quote]

I would expect the same results (continuity or no continuity) whether the points were open or closed, but I specified opening the points just to 100% guarantee that that part of the circuit was isolated from the rest of the tractor.

Have you checked the metal strap that connects the points to the bolt that goes through the bushing on the base of the distributor that the wire from the coil connects to on the outside? All that's in the circuit that you just tested continuity on is the wire, the bolt through the base of the distributor, and that strap.[/quote]

For the continuity I was answering Sean from PA for his tests he said to check. And yes I checked the metal have good continuity there.[/quote]

So you have no continuity from the end of the wire at the coil to the points but you do have continuity across the small strap going up to the points? Have you disconnected the wire at both ends and checked for continuity through the wire itself? I know that you said it was a new wire, but did you actually test it? Also, have you checked continuity from the part of the bolt on the outside of the distributor where the wire connects to the other end of the bolt inside the distributor where the small strap connects?
 
(quoted from post at 18:32:15 04/19/20)
Doing your test I have no continuity whether points are open or closed.

I would expect the same results (continuity or no continuity) whether the points were open or closed, but I specified opening the points just to 100% guarantee that that part of the circuit was isolated from the rest of the tractor.

Have you checked the metal strap that connects the points to the bolt that goes through the bushing on the base of the distributor that the wire from the coil connects to on the outside? All that's in the circuit that you just tested continuity on is the wire, the bolt through the base of the distributor, and that strap.[/quote]

So you have no continuity from the end of the wire at the coil to the points but you do have continuity across the small strap going up to the points? Have you disconnected the wire at both ends and checked for continuity through the wire itself? I know that you said it was a new wire, but did you actually test it? Also, have you checked continuity from the part of the bolt on the outside of the distributor where the wire connects to the other end of the bolt inside the distributor where the small strap connects?[/quote]

I did check the wire and it is good. I do have continuity from the positive side of the coil to the points. Yes I have continuity from the bolt outside of the distributor to where it connects to the points and to the bolt that runs through the middle of distributor. Positive side of the coil to the bolt in the middle has lots of resistance.
 
I am almost wondering if the both of the new coils are bad, but I don't know what the benchmarks are suppose to be. And I cannot get the starter to turn the engine over to run the test the manual calls for. Any suggestions there? I did test the condenser the new one definitely holds a lot more charge the than the old one. Checked the secondary plug wire to the distributor has about 475 in resistance think that is within specs too.
 
In an earlier post after I asked you to check the continuity from the coil end of the wire to the points you said that you did not have continuity. Now you are saying that you do. It's hard to help someone when the story keeps changing.
 
(quoted from post at 16:08:06 04/20/20) In an earlier post after I asked you to check the continuity from the coil end of the wire to the points you said that you did not have continuity. Now you are saying that you do. It's hard to help someone when the story keeps changing.

I'm sorry I was trying to answer and look at the different posts from my phone which wasn't working to well. Was thinking when I replied it would go with that specific post rather than as a new post for each reply. I do have good continuity from the positive post of coil to the points. however when I disconnect the wire from the coil and check the coil to ground it shows a lot of resistance even on the breaker plate itself. Also I did take the breaker plate off to clean it and it seems like it is making good contact but still has lots of resistance without the wire connected points closed. So should I replace the breaker plate or just trying sanding it.
 
Ok it was in the distributor itself. Got it firing but have to check all the plugs and timing as it wont actually start yet. My question I have now has to do with the lube sending wire. Mine was cut off by
somebody any idea where to get it along with the light or a suitable replacement. I dont see it on the parts on here. Also any way to tell exactly which model I have. Somebody painted over the serial number
and all I can read is 81 the emblem on the front says 801.

thanks,
for your help
 
got to work on it a little bit tonight. The front emblem actually has an 800 but the side panel says 801 select-o-speed. Also spark plug # 3 has a weak spark the rest are good. however in looking at the timing looks like the timing mark was painted over and not sure if I can see the degree markings but it was starting to get dark.
 

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