ohiojim

Well-known Member
the mag on my jd doesn't seem to be firing,looks to be a mdl. C, i removed the small cap and found a few ants. is this a simple thing to overhaul or best left to the pros ? if it's something i can do what should i be looking for.
 
If it had ants, chances are they got between the points.

Start by cleaning the points, checking the gap.

Can you hear the impulse spring working? It needs that to make spark at cranking speed.
 
be it Mag of distributor they both have the same problem with points and if it had ants in it then very good chance the points need to be cleaned and or replaced. My 1935 JD-B does not get started often and when it does I have to clean the points every time I do want it to run.
 
everything is clean and looks good, cleaned points, they look good, can hear impulse, just no fire. there was maybe 20 ants and they were in the cap.
 
Ohiojim ,I had ants get in to the Wico distributor of my John Deer B one time and they ruined the coil,turned it into goo.I had to replace thr coil to repair it.I dont know what they liked about it but there was a bunch in there.They were going in and out of the little vent hole in the bottom of the aluminum housing.I put a screw in yhat hole to keep them out after replacing the coil.
 
Some times cleaning the points take more then just a swipe of a piece of paper etc. some time they need to be removed and polished real good. I've had to clean them up with a dremial tool and grind stone
 
You need to check continuity of the coil and all of the points in the caps. Points need to be very clean and may need a condenser. Ron MN
 
Can't say iv ever had ants getting in the mags but man do I ever have them mud dauber puging the little hole on them and the holes that the screws that hold the cap on.
 
Oxide coated or burned or pitted points can be the cause of no fire in a mag. That's always a prime suspect. If they're badly burned or pitted a new set is in order. Even a light gray colored oxide coat is bad, which lightly cleaning/polishing might cure, worth a try. Of course other things like the impulse assembly or a condenser or coil can cause no fire.

John T
 

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