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VAC-14 Inconsistent Spark

G

Glenn F.

Member
Trying to start my VAC after sitting eight years. One time I check it I have spark to the plug & not the next. Distributer and rotor contacts are clean. What can cause this?

Glenn F.
 
Bad distributor bushing can and will cause that due to the shaft wobbling around so you have spark some times and not at other times. Of a drive gear on the bottom of the distributor going bad so it turns when it wants to and not at other times. Had the later happen on a IH340 once and took me a while to find that problem
 
My understanding is limited. Every time I check I have spark at the points. Distributer seems tight enough at the top. What does a bad condensor act like?

Glenn F.
 
A bad condenser can also cause that and it would have spark for say 2 or so minutes then have none. Now days many new out of the box condensers are in fact bad from the get go
 
How exactly are you checking the spark? If you have the plug out of the head with the wire connected and see a spark that's not always saying it is a good spark. Under compression the spark plug may not spark with a weak coil. If you hold the plug wire about a 1/4 inch away from the plug (installed in the head)and a spark wont ark across that gap then I would say you have a weak coil..
 
Points could be corroded from sitting. They make contact when you mess with them and at slow speeds, but then they have high resistance when running, start arcing and fail to make consistent contact. Could try cleaning them, but a new set might do the trick.
 
If you are turning it over with the cap off, you should see very little sparking at the points if the condenser is good. A bad condenser will show more sparking at the points.
 
I have been away from the tractor for a few days. So....would you start with the coil, then points & condenser, then distributer cap?

Glenn F.
 
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