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'51 8n side mount no spark

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GA Yard Dawg

04-13-2005 19:33:36




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I'll start with what work has been completed this week:
New plugs, points, condensor, rotor, distributor cap, plug wires, coil, and voltage regulator. I had a lot of side to side and end play in the distributor so I replaced bushing and spacer washer in distributor. All wires and connections look good. Switch seems to be OK; the lights will come on when switch is on and off when switch is off. But I still have no spark at the points or plugs and no spark from the coil wire when holding it near engine block. I even held it in my hand without jumping out of my skin. I have the + side of the coil wired to the distributor and the - side to the terminal block. I believe that is the correct way to wire the coil. My six volt battery is four years old and weak. I have charged it and it turns the engine over but not as strong as I would like. I'm stumped. Tractor ran fine last summer but started running weak and irregular. I believe that was due to the play in the distributor. She quit running a few weeks after that and I couldn't get her to fire back up. The spark was very weak so I stored her away for the winter and waited until now to do a tune up. I went from a weak spark to no spark. I read in some old postings that the copper conductor inside the distributor can short against the body of distributor and cause no spark. I didn't pay attention to that when I replaced the bushing. I've had "Old Betsy" about five years and would love to hear her humming again. This is the first spring she has failed to fire up. Any advice will certainly be appreciated. I've got to scrape my driveway and bush hog a few acres before the red clay takes over the gravel and the briars envelop the food plots.

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GA Yard Dawg

04-15-2005 04:49:25




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 Re: '51 8n side mount no spark in reply to GA Yard Dawg, 04-13-2005 19:33:36  
Found short at primary terminal. The insulator inside the distributor was cracked and brittle. I tried to make one but still had the short. The insulator bushing looked kinda crystalized. I have ordered both insulators, the conductor screw, and the copper strip. Are there any issues that I should be wary of when I replace the terminal? Also, I still have a little side to side play in the distributor shaft; no where near as much as before I replaced the bushing. Will this be a big concern?

The test light showed that I had power to the coil.

The headlights have a separate switch. I tested the ignition switch with the headlight switch pulled on.

Thanks for all the great advice!!

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souNdguy

04-14-2005 05:14:09




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 Re: '51 8n side mount no spark in reply to GA Yard Dawg, 04-13-2005 19:33:36  
First.. while this isn't the cause of your problem.. get that headlamp power wire off of your ignition switch. if this is the oem ignition switch.. it isn't robust enough do deliver 15 amps to the lamps and ignition for very long.

Now.. do some basig research here. Pull the wire from the coil to the distribuitor pass thru. Put an ohm meter on it.. bump the engine over. You should get alternating short/open. If it stays shorted.. then you may have a wire touching inside.. or points don't open.. or condensor is shorted. If it doesnt show short.. then your points aren't closing.

If this isn't the problem.. look back up the line the other way.. ensure you have power to the incoming side post on the coil. If you do.. then do a nontinuity test on the coil. You should get a low ohms reading on the primary.. and a high ohms reading onthe secondary.. say.. 3ohms or less, and 7000ohms or so.

email / post with results or if you need more help.

Soundguy

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jiminoystercreek

04-14-2005 04:00:54




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 Re: '51 8n side mount no spark in reply to GA Yard Dawg, 04-13-2005 19:33:36  
third party image

Check out this wiring diagram. Make sure there is no continuity between the distributor terminal and ground. The terminal post must be insulated as it passes through the distibutor housing.



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Dave H (NY)

04-14-2005 03:53:19




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 Re: '51 8n side mount no spark in reply to GA Yard Dawg, 04-13-2005 19:33:36  
There is a binding post on the distributor where the lead from the coil connects, it is insulated from ground as this is what supplies electrical current to the points, if it grounds out which is very common you will get a no start situation. To test it remove the wire from the binding post that comes from the coil and test with an ohm meter to ground. With the points open you should have no reading, with the points closed you should show a dead short. These are the correct readings for the distributor to operate. Also take a test light to the side of the coil that comes from your electrical supply and with the key on you should show voltage at this point, if not then begin to trace back and find where the power is lost.

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