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Tractor runs 30 mins and dies

D

DLMKA

Member
I have a 1951 Farmall Super A that starts and runs great for about 30 minutes and then starts to mis for a minute or 2 and dies. Won't restart until it's cooled down for a few hours. Points and condenser are new, points gapped at 0.025". Was running on 12V battery with gen belt removed. Replaced 12V battery with a new 6V Group 1 from TSC. Thought that maybe the 12V battery had something do with it but still happens. I had the valve cover off to replace the gasket and while I was in there checked valve lash and cold everything was 0.018-0.022". Cold, dry engine compression is 90+ psi in all cylinders. Engine cranks fine when it dies but just won't start and run. I'm stumped. Any suggestions?
 

That was my thought too but kind of talked myself out of that diagnosis. It's the only thing that made sense to me.
 
Likely, Δred is correct about the coil having a thermal fault.

Also, you might try resetting you points to the correct gap of .020".
 
Its your coil next time you start it use a hair dyrer to warm the coil area and see how quick it will miss and then stop. When it stops check for spark and you will find none. 12v has nothing to do with your problem as the mag makes its own spark.
 
I don't think he was clear as to having a mag or a distributor.

He said he had the points gapped at .025, and, as you know IH distributor would be at .020", IH mag at .013".
 
(quoted from post at 10:42:08 03/12/15) I don't think he was clear as to having a mag or a distributor.

He said he had the points gapped at .025, and, as you know IH distributor would be at .020", IH mag at .013".
Click to expand...

It's a distributor. I'll re-gap to 0.020" tonight. I'll just go ahead and get a new coil. That was my first thought anyway.
 
Also check the Battier ground cable. Pos or Neg ground. See if it gets hot after running or after it dies. If so change to different bolt, or clean.
 
Have you checked the fuel tank for proper venting? Sounds like may being starved for fuel due to obstruction in the vent hole on fuel cap. Try running it with the cap loose.
 
You say you have a distributor and changed a 12v out for a 6v? Are you burning points frequently? Should you be using a 6v battery only?
 
Sounds like the coil, but as mentioned, it could also be fuel related. Someone mentioned the gas cap; another possibility could be a piece of crud in the tank which gets sucked down over the outlet. After the tractor sits a while it floats up and out of the way till next time. Just something which doesn't cost anything to check!
 

I like the tank breather theory. I had a motorcycle do that to me once.

The previous owner had a 12v battery installed positive gnd. I replaced it with 6v pos gnd. Battery cables don't heat up when running. Coil gets warm but not hot to touch.
 
Go out and run it till it dies. Then pull the coil wire out of the cap and check for spark. The spark should be a blue/white and jump a 1/4 inch gap or more. Running one on 12 volts with a 6 volt coil can/will fry the coil and sounds like you did just that
 
.......with no ballast resistor to drop the other 6 volts and limit the current to 5 amps peak which is what the points are designed to accept......for the MF 35 gas tractors anyway, so says the manual.

Mark
 
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