John Deere Model E

This message is a reply to an archived post by Anthony76 on March 14, 2018 at 21:35:14.
The original subject was "John Deere Model E".

Anthony have you got your Generator working? (Low tension mag). If you have not sent it off to be fixed. Remove the bearing cap. There is a carbon brush in the cap that rides on the Armature. Clean them both with rubbing alcohol. Put the end cap back on. Unscrew the output tower. It also has a carbon brush init. Clean it with alcohol and get Qtips and put alcohol on them them stick it down on the copper ring inside the hole you opened up. Turn the engine over real slow. Keep changing Qtips and alcohol until the Qtip comes out clean. Put the output tower back in. And attach the wire. A solid copper wire works better than a stranded wire. Hold the wire to the hopper or block which has a good clean spot. As you turn the engine over rake the wire on the clean spot on the engine and check for spark. Or you can test it with an VOA meter, set to AC volts 0-12 volts or closest setting on meter that will show you 5 to 9 volts on the meter to check for output of the low tension mag. It is simple. If the bushing in the low tension mag are worn and the armature is dragging inside you will not get any voltage. Replace the end cap .

Hey could you give me a call sometime. I started cleaning the engine up. Drained all the old fuel out, and I am in the process of cleaning out the part the water goes in to cool the engine. I got that far and it got cold. LOL I am going to try and take the steps you said but dont know what the cap you are talking about is. I am new at this so I am not knowledgeable on the parts of the engine. Maybe I can get it out when we visit and you can guide me through it on the phone. Or email me with some pics. Thanks for your help. I also have come across what I think is a 6hp john deere and I have some questions about values. Thanks

Anthony76. The end cap I am talking about has 4 screws and has an L and an R in raised letters on the Generator and two brass buttons. Remove the 4 screws and slide the cap or end cover off. Then clean all brass pieces on the Armature inside the case. You might need to have someone charge the magnet 🧲 if the carbon brushes are worn down to a nub or very close to being worn out replace them. You do not check spark like a regular Magneto. The Generator has to build a charge by grounding the output wire then as it is spinning you need to drag the wire across the metal and watch for spark. Then to time there are marks inside the engine on the crank and cam gear. Set your marks on the gears. Then use a VOA meter and hook it to the Generator. Turn the Generator by hand until you find the highest voltage out of the Generator. Mark that spot. Time the Generator to the timing marks inside the engine with the tooth you marked for the highest voltage. That will cause a hotter spark to the igniter when the igniter opens.
Oh I have no phone number to contact you. You can send it through my email address if you have more questions. Those Type E engines are fairly simple. As for the 6 hp E. If it is all there and not froze and buster and the igniter not broken it would be worth picking it up. As for what you could buy it for I don?t know. But if the compression relief is on the igniter side of the 6 hp it is the first year production. It could be costly to purchase if the owners knows this information. If it is on the opposite side of the engine between the muffler and Flywheel it is the second year or later production it will bring a lot of money restored.