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admitting defeat - John Deere ignitions/conversions

G

greenlovinsynnie

Member
Since I haven't learned all I want to know about these old tractors.... will anybody explain how the original ignitions worked on the old 2 cylinder Deeres and how the electronic conversion would work then?
 
If we're talking magnetos like most before 1952 had, there aren't any conversions that I know of. And no advantage if there were.
 
(quoted from post at 20:10:16 01/25/16) If we're talking magnetos like most before 1952 had, there aren't any conversions that I know of. And no advantage if there were.
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I'm still not even 50% educated on this stuff, but I'm trying to understand. :? How do they work overall? I've seen keys and switches and all sorts of stuff on Deeres and I have no idea if that's factory or if that's aftermarket. I'm asking in terms of tractors built pre 50s, types, what's normal, etc.
 
"Normal" on pre '50,s is a magneto, no switches keys or other. They make their own elect and time it to ea cylinder. It is completely independent of the start/lighting system. I believe around 1950-51 the distributer was an option on some. It would derive it's power from the bat, along with starter / lights. It would have a switch on dash for on/off of ignition. Otherwise it does the same function of producing a hot spark from low voltage and properly distributing it to the plugs as needed. A typical dash of a 1950 "A" would have a choke knob , a light switch knob and an ignition on/off knob. Levers under steering wheel would be top /throttle and bottom/ radiator shutters for temp control. People have retrofitted through the years a kill switch to kill the mag to shut off tractor , many times different types of lights/switches , etc. Don't know what ever else you want to know but I,m sure there will be many on here to go into more detail if you wait an hour.
 
As far as I know the two cylinder Deeres made before 1952 or 1953 only had a light switch from the factory if it had lights. A tractor of this vintage that has an ignition switch has had the magneto replaced with battery ignition and the added key switch or toggle switch or push-pull switch turns the ignition on and off. I have seen a push pull grounding switch added to kill the engine on Deeres that have a magneto. Either way, if there is more than one switch, one is lights and the other is ignition.
 
I wish I could edit. I should add; any WATERLOO built tractor will only have a light switch from the factory.
 
Just out of curiosity, what about post-53? I have a vague understanding of magneto ignitions but it's not up to par, so that's part of my problem. Would it be off the wall/ruin the integrity of a tractor to change it to a switch or key?

I have always been absolutely fascinated by these old tractors but since I've only recently gotten into them ("tractors are for boys!" was all I heard as a kid), my understanding is very vague but my curiosity is high!
 
Well as far as "fascination of the JD 2 cyl"...mine comes from the pure simplicity of them and the old unstyled "A" as an example, no electrics , no bat, no water pump, no belts , start up and run all day on a magneto , pretty much rebuild a clutch right in the field and finish out the field. Post '53 were pretty much all bat/distributer ignition just like a car. Now the pony start diesels are a whole different animal as far as controls/knobs. If you want the basic theory behind the two systems there are sites on here to illustrate it to you.
 
Kettering ignition systems in a google search is great. The magneto is similar except it creates its own electricity for the primary coil windings. An electronic ignition system replaces the points with a transistor switch. Replacing one mechanical switch with an electronic. Jim
 
And, I'll add... if it IS a magneto ignition do NOT under any circumstances connect battery power to it! (You will let all the $$$$ smoke out of it.)
 
I kind of figured it would degrade the value so I get it with the collectibles, the ones you don't see very often etc but I was thinking of the more common ones per se like a run of the mill Model A.... I dunno.

How would one go about starting something with a magneto ignition? Literally, since it's not a key or switch, what's the common way to get one running?
 
(quoted from post at 06:06:34 01/26/16) I kind of figured it would degrade the value so I get it with the collectibles, the ones you don't see very often etc but I was thinking of the more common ones per se like a run of the mill Model A.... I dunno.

How would one go about starting something with a magneto ignition? Literally, since it's not a key or switch, what's the common way to get one running?
Click to expand...

All a magneto ignition needs to work is the engine to spin. Unlike a battery ignition where you have to provide electricity (turn switch on) to start it and kill the electricity (turn switch off) to shut it off a magneto system will start by simply cranking the engine. To stop a magneto you have to ground the magneto out. Some old garden tractors used battery ignition and some magneto. Both used key switches. One switch provided electricity and the other just opened (switch on) and closed grounding (switch off). If a guy was so inclined a garden tractor switch designed for the magneto system could be used on it's larger brother with a magneto.

Rick
 
Dunno your age but back in the day one just went out to the lawn mower and hit the choke a little and pulled the rope...it started up...when you wanted to stop you snapped that little ground out strap against the spark plug and it stopped. No bat/starter/switches etc. Mag tractor just same accept manual said to just shut off fuel and let it run out. Later ones you just pulled throttle all the way back and shut off. Spinning magnets make the power same as the magnets in the lawn mower flywheel.
 
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