blue_tractor_man
Member
Is there ever any reason to replace a magneto with a battery ignition on a tractor?
- Thread starter blue_tractor_man
- Start date
Elton Fancher
Member
Well, it can expensive to rebuild a mag. Distributers are easy to get and some mags can be converted with the addition of an external coil. Also, a distributer can now be converted to electronic. Good thing about mags was the lack of need for a battery.
RandyB(MI)
Well-known Member
A good stout mag cannot be beat. Even a marginal bat and starter will start with very little spin. With a dist, you need good voltage to get fire and the starter will take what it needs first. Everything better be up to snuff for there to be enough left for the coil to make spark. Mine still has 6v mag system and will start always even at zero temp.
Yep, I detest mags, not only they very expensive to buy cap and rotors, they seem to have drawn moisture every time you need 1 to start. I am in the process of converting my 39 B AC to a distributator as soon as I can get to it. Will be using electronic ignatition. Starter is already converted to 12 volt.
Geo-TH,In
Well-known Member
Why would you change a mag to an external coil? 40 years ago I repaired my dad's 1947 cub with a coil because I didn't know where to get the mag repaired.
It's very easy to do. I used the points and condenser inside the old mag. The farmall already has a distributor.
The cub ran for many years with coil.
It's very easy to do. I used the points and condenser inside the old mag. The farmall already has a distributor.
The cub ran for many years with coil.
Rich'sToys
Well-known Member
- Location
- Southern MN
I changed one from a distributor back to a mag. My R Minneapolis Moline had a Wico distributor on it. It started giving problems and parts were either unavailable or else horribly expensive. Going to a Delco dist. would have involved more work that I cared to get into so I put a mag on it. Works great!
D Nickerson
Member
I agree with Randy, you can't beat a good mag. Sure they are more expensive, but that extra cost makes up for all of the dist/coil
headaches. I've had a mag on my Oliver 60 for 20 years with no problems, knock on wood. As stated, you don't need full voltage for
a mag equipped tractor to start. As long as both caps have a good seal moisture is not a problem in most cases.
headaches. I've had a mag on my Oliver 60 for 20 years with no problems, knock on wood. As stated, you don't need full voltage for
a mag equipped tractor to start. As long as both caps have a good seal moisture is not a problem in most cases.
Grandpa's Fords
Member
A coil wire broke while raking last summer in a mag H. Grabbed a coil from a dead garden tractor stuck it on the side hooked the wire on the mag where grounding switch used to be hooked and ran a wire to the switched side of the ignition switch. Took about 20 minutes and went back to raking. Ran good. Not a restored tractor or show piece just a good daily user.
Still that way and probably won't change it back, may paint Ford blue coil red. Was already 12 volt because of electric snow plow had been on it previously.
We chuckle as everybody sees the blue coil as we know that the Grandpa who bleed Ford blue would be proud.
I probably would do different if the tractor was a show piece.
Anyway that's why I did it.
Still that way and probably won't change it back, may paint Ford blue coil red. Was already 12 volt because of electric snow plow had been on it previously.
We chuckle as everybody sees the blue coil as we know that the Grandpa who bleed Ford blue would be proud.
I probably would do different if the tractor was a show piece.
Anyway that's why I did it.
rustyfarmall
Well-known Member
Many, many Farmalls were changed to battery ignition as a performance upgrade. A battery ignition distributer can give more total spark advance than a magneto, resulting in more power and performance.
dr sportster
Well-known Member
No
Loren in Iowa
Member
We converted our Farmall Regular and 15-30 to distributors because our mags weren't working the best, and we understand distributors better. Kind of a conversation starter, at shows, too.
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