Ignition Problem with JD B

At first I could not get a spark and so i pulled fine sand paper through the points to clean them. Now I can get a spark. I put the plugs in and tried to start it and it still won't fire. I know I am getting fuel because the plugs are wet when I remove them. I tried grounding the plug and cranking the engine and I can see a spark. The spark does not seem very strong, but there is a spark. I did not change the condenser,,would that cuase a weak spark? I am using auto spark plug wires, would that cuase a weak spark?

YES, a bad condensor can cause a weak or no spark even, dependign upon how bad it is, but I dont suspect that as your first problem now.

YES, automotive type carbon supressor wires are a problem, because they absorb to much of the energy that should be discharged across the plug gap. They are designed for much higher energy electronic ignition systems and to supress radio interference, not tractor points ignitions.

First, if you drug sandpaper through the points and you had no spark before, but now you have one, THE FIRST THINNG I WOULD CONSIDER IS ANOTHER NEW SET OF POINTS IFFFFF F the sandpapering was too strong or abrasive and caused the silver coating to be removed. If they were just light cleaned to remove oil or residue, I wouldnt say that. The reason is, if sanding removed the low resistance silver coating, the points will not last long, and even if they had trouble before and sanding makes them work now, the resistance through any carbon or uncoated material or sandign residue remaining is higher than the initial smooth polished surface on a new set of clean points. That can cause a weak spark. Before you replace them if they were sanded too much, I would clean them thoroughly non abrasively, check the gap, use wire core wires, and then see what kind of spark you now have. The removal of any oil or sanding debris (if you didnt over sand and remove the silver) may be a quick easy fix to get you going.

Due the relatively low cost, I would install a new set of plugs, a new set of points (if you over sanded them, but not if they are just oil or sanding residue coated), new wire core (not automotive supresor) wires, and see how she performs, because sanded off points and auto wires and maybe semi fouled plugs need to be replaced anyway. Condensors can, of course, go bad, but I usually dont replace them unles I know for sure its needed. If the points are still smooth and silver coated and clean of all residue and new wires and plugs still doesnt help you, let us know. Check the gap also and check to see if when you installed the new points no wires were shorted to case.

Try that and then post back telling us if it cured the problem, and if not, what happens now, and Im confident we can get you going. If you want, I can e mail you my August and October 2002 Green Magazine articles that go into great depth on coil ignition systems.

Good Luck and God Bless America in these troubled times. Ol John T Nordhoff in Indiana

~Next, get a GOOD spark plug [any kind will do, but must be good] & open the plug gap to 3/16", then while leaving the old spark plugs in the engine install the new plug in one wire at a time, lay it on the block, crank the engine & see if you get a BLUE spark that will jump the 3/16" gap multiple times in a row, [if not you still have ignition problems].

~If you don't see a good blue spark, install a new condenser, make sure you have full battery voltage to the coil [ign switch side] , make sure ALL the sanding residue is removed [sand particles will keep the points from making good contact], make sure the distributor is grounding good, make sure the points are gapped at .022" on the high part of the dist cam, if it has a ballast resistor by-pass that. Generally go back through the distributor make sure everything is tight & nothing is grounding out inside.

~If you have a blue spark, your ignition is probably ok & your problem lies elsewhere. Start by INSTALLING NEW SPARK PLUGS [once they foul there is a good chance they won't work again]...Drain the carb into a glass & let it settle & look for water...Make sure the air cleaner isn't full of ice or water...If possible run a cold compression test on the engine.

~If you have been fooling around trying to start the engine for a while now you probably have the cylinder walls washed of oil & the compression could be low. Put a couple of ounces of oil in each cylinder & turn the engine over with old spark plugs in it to force the oil into the ring area.

~If you have a blue spark, install new spark plugs then pull start the tractor, sometimes pull starting it will do the trick & once running it will re-lube the cylinder walls & clear the combustion chambers & it will start on it's own the next time.

~We are going to have to know if you are getting a GOOD BLUE spark to be able to help you. At this moment we really don't know if you have a spark, fuel, or mechanical problem. You are going to have to work your way through a verification process so we know what you are working with. Start with the spark & post back with what you have there & we will go from there..... .