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WICO XB No Spark - Help

T

txasylum

Member
Hello,
It has been years since I had a JD and have been on this site, but I finally picked up a 48 JD B yesterday. It wasn't running because the battery was dead, but now I have it home and have a 6volt battery in it. I am not getting a spark. I cleaned the points, but noticed I'm not getting that "Snap" in the mag. I took the mag off and it kinda gets hard at that point when I turn it, but not snap. So I'm guessing something is funky with the mag.

The mag is a WICO XB (I think 4001 if I remember correctly). What are my options?

Thanks
Bob
 
The wico XB is a Distributer and needs 6 volts ( positive ground ) to the terminal on the side of it.
It does not have an impulse but does have advance weights inside of it.
 
Okay, that explains why no "snap". Where is the positive ground feed into it? Sorry it has been a long time. I took one small wire off, but I thought that was the cutoff switch.
 
If like most distributors the wire goes into the side of it off the coil and that wire hooks to the points. With the ignition turned on one can open the point by hand carefully and see a small spark if the points are as clean as they need to be. Reason I say carefully is because if your not careful enough you will find it has spark the hard way and jump 10 feet
 
The XB distributors were known to be very unreliable and prone to failure. Do your self a favor and get a regular X mag and be done with it. Good Luck!
John
 
Okay, I did some more testing. That wire I thought was cut off was the power going to the points. With it all connected, I checked continuity to the points from the side connection with power wire. All good. I turned the key on and I am getting 6 volts on the plate the the points are connected too. I'm a bit hesitant to open the points by hand as you described for fear of being shocked. But since I had power to the plate, I put the cap back on and turned it over. Still no spark.

I think the guy I bought it from used 12v to start the tractor, but when I got it it had a dead 6v in it. He said he had to clean the points up every year to get it to start (I'm guessing after winter), but the tractor has been sitting for a year now. Wasn't used last year.

Any other suggestions?
THanks
 
That is one consideration. I wasn't sure what to look for. So a WICO X with prongs is what I need. I'll have to google looking for one unless someone here has one available.
 
Another test that even a caveman can do is take a wire and hook it to the ignition side of the battery. As in non ground side and then with the ignition turned off touch that wire to the ignition side of the coil. If the points are closed and also good you should see a small spark. No spark means the points are not clean enough or you have bad coil which is not likely. This test pretty much does the same thing as opening the points by hand with out the shock part that is. Also check that with the points open you do not get a spark. With the points open and you get a spark that means you have something grounded so the points cannot break the circuit and make the coil fire. If it help you can e-mail me and I'll give you my phone number to explain things better then I can in type
 
Back when I replaced the mag on my 1935 JD B it cost me $250 for one plus the core of the old one. That was back in 2003 so it could well be close to twice that much now
 
Post a ad on the Classifieds on this site. Wico XH magnetos are plentiful. You will need a short drive lug.
 
The Wico XB is a battery powered coil ignition NOT a Magneto and was NOT my favorite ignition.

There IS NO wind up a spring then trip Impulse spring assembly that snaps like in a Magneto.

With the ignition ON there should be 6 volts to the input terminal.

Iffffff the points are good (NOT ALL BURNED PITTED AND CORRODED AND GApped correct) and adjusted properly if you put a test lamp or volt meter on their input when they are OPEN you should get near battery voltage but near zero volts when they are CLOSED. They have to close full and create a low resistance current path so the coil conducts current then when they break open the coil fires.

Typical problems are points then condensors or finally faulty coils causing no spark

John T
 
If you have voltage at the plate it is not grounded right?
Likely rusty where it contacts distributor housing. Check
voltage at housing to see. Perhaps it's doesn't have ground
to tractor.
 
You mentioned the centrifugal weights springs, does anyone know where I can buy them? I have a WICO DB distributor in a John Deere tractor that needs springs. Thanks for any help.
 
I just checked on E-bay and there are two used one listed now and lots of places you can buy new ones. A little pricey but what in this hobby isn't. Good Luck!
John
 
Thanks to Old, we were able to get spark at the points, but nothing is coming out of the wires to the plugs. So who knows what is bad, but I don't plan on putting any money into this XB. I am on the hunt for a X or XH. If anyone has one they would like to sell, please contact me.
 
You can also put a Delco Distributor on it like the ones from a model 50. I'm sure ebay would have some for sale.
 
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