Last week was given a 51 case that has been sitting for 10+ years. The tractor has already been converted to a12 volt system. Rewired everything exactly how it was. Did a full system check and I have power everywhere. I have power going to the coil and leaving the coil, but can't get spark out of the coil. Thought it was the coil. Tried another coil off of another tractor that is good, and still no spark. Put the 2nd coil back on the original tractor and it works. My father-in-law is a mechanic and ran a test on the coil and the tester states it is good. Do you have any suggestions as to what would be wrong? I am determined to make this tractor run!
- Thread starter 51 case
- Start date
Wayne in MN
Well-known Member
Points &/or condenser.
Use some fine abrasive (600 grit) and clean the contacts. Spray them with brake cleaner and try again.
With the switch on and points closed you should be able to open & close the points with a small screwdriver and see a spark at the points. Remove the coil wire from the cap and hold close to ground when "snapping" the points; should see a 1/4" or greater bright blue spark jump to ground.
Use some fine abrasive (600 grit) and clean the contacts. Spray them with brake cleaner and try again.
With the switch on and points closed you should be able to open & close the points with a small screwdriver and see a spark at the points. Remove the coil wire from the cap and hold close to ground when "snapping" the points; should see a 1/4" or greater bright blue spark jump to ground.
Check to see if the points are corroded a bit. This would happen to my old Army jeep when it would sit for a few months. When the points are closed, there should be 0 volts on the points side of the coil, when they are open, there should be the same voltage as the ignition (hot) side of the coil.
The points just need to be burnished I bet. The arcing during normal operation keeps them clean. I have the problem with my old pinball machines if they are not played enough.
Josh
The points just need to be burnished I bet. The arcing during normal operation keeps them clean. I have the problem with my old pinball machines if they are not played enough.
Josh
Janicholson
Well-known Member
Clean the points and gap them to spec. Make sure the coil has power to the Ignition switch, but no power where it goes to the distributor. Almost all engines stop with the pistons in a position that causes the points to be together. this closes the path to ground and should make the distributor side have no voltage to ground (as it is grounded).
If you roll the engine till the points are closed and still have voltage on the dist. side of the coil, the points are either disconnected (bad wire or internal open in the points, or corroded. Jim
If you roll the engine till the points are closed and still have voltage on the dist. side of the coil, the points are either disconnected (bad wire or internal open in the points, or corroded. Jim
The points and condenser make and break the ground circuit for the coil. Sounds like the path to ground isn't working.
With the distributor cap off, key on, points closed, you should be able to make the coil fire by opening/closing the points manually.
If that works, verify the distributor is turning and the points are opening/closing.
With the distributor cap off, key on, points closed, you should be able to make the coil fire by opening/closing the points manually.
If that works, verify the distributor is turning and the points are opening/closing.
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
Coils almost never go bad but points go bad just from sitting a week if conditions are right. Simple test no meter needed is this. Run a hot wire from the battery to the coil ignition off. Touch the ignition side of the coil with that hot wire with the points closed. No spark when you do that at the coil points are bad and need cleaned or replaced. Over the years I have picked up a good many tractor cheap because of a simple point problem and had them running with out so much as replacing any thing
Check simple things first such as the points may be burned or carboned (clean and re gap then try her) or not closing properly. When shes just setting there not running the points are most likely closed which means there wouldnt be any voltage with respect to frame ground on the side of the coil that wires to the distributor.
Heres my Troubleshooting procedure to determine the cause of no spark
John T
John Ts Troubleshooting
Heres my Troubleshooting procedure to determine the cause of no spark
John T
John Ts Troubleshooting
Owen Aaland
Well-known Member
A simple way to check the points is to connect a test light to the coil to distributor wire. With the test light connected to ground the light should flash on and off as you crank the engine.
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