1956 Ferguson To 35

[Gary Mickle]

I have a 1956 Ferguson To 35, and I'm having an electrical problem. I have been having problems with the points fouling up after it ran for a while, so I went ahead and gave it a tune up, (new plugs, points, condenser, cap, and rotor). That helped a little, but the same thing started happening again. To me it seems the spark is awful week and sporadic. I had it out the other day to do some tilling and it started OK, but ran a little rough, and eventually died in about 15 minutes. I started checking things out but I couldn't get it started again and eventually ran down the battery. I've been through the carburetor and fuel system, everything's OK in the at area. I checked the spark, and again it was weak to me and at times not at all. Is it a coil issue, ignition module problem, or what? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Gary

 

[Mark Page]

I'd finish the tune up with a new coil and wires. Are your sure the gap on your points isn't too wide.

 

[Gary Mickle]

Gaps are all to specs, and plug wires are fairly new. I checked the spark at the distributor points, and that's where it appears weak and not at all.

 

[Jerry/MT]

I have a 1956 Ferguson To 35, and I'm having an electrical problem. I have been having problems with the points fouling up after it ran for a while, so I went ahead and gave it a tune up, (new plugs, points, condenser, cap, and rotor). That helped a little, but the same thing started happening again. To me it seems the spark is awful week and sporadic. I had it out the other day to do some tilling and it started OK, but ran a little rough, and eventually died in about 15 minutes. I started checking things out but I couldn't get it started again and eventually ran down the battery. I've been through the carburetor and fuel system, everything's OK in the at area. I checked the spark, and again it was weak to me and at times not at all. Is it a coil issue, ignition module problem, or what? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Gary

When you say "I have been having problems with the points fouling up after it ran for a while....", do you mean the points are burned? if so, they are set too close, you have a 6V coil (1.6 ohms primary resistance) in a 12v electrical system without a ballast resistor, or your voltage reguator is keeping the system voltage too high. All of these will result in a a pimary curent greater than about 4 amps max and will cause the points to burn. A faulty condensor can also cause some arcing at the points and cause them to burn.

Many times a conversion from a 6V system to a 12v system causes this problem because the original 6v coil is used without a current limiting resistor or the coil is not replaced with a 12v coil (3.2 ohms primary resistance) Like NAPA IC14-SB.

 

[Gary Mickle]

Thanks for the info. I haven't had this tractor a long time and it is converted to a 12 volt system. I need to do some more investigating and check the coil. When the points fouled before there was a carbon buildup on them. I don't have that problem now since the tune up, but just the weak spark or no spark. I know it needs to be timed better, so I'll do some more investigating. Thanks again for the input. - Gary

 

[Jerry/MT]

"When the points fouled before there was a carbon buildup on them."Carbon build up on the breaker points??? Are you getting oil in the distributor? if so, make sure the crankcase vent tube is not clogged.

 

[Gary Mickle]

There's no oil in the distributor. I should of stated that the points would just foul up with a little bit of carbon between them, (which I assume is carbon), and I'd just take a piece of fine sandpaper folded and run between them a few times to clear them. Why they were fouling in the first place, I don't know, other than caused by a weak spark?. As I said, I haven't had this tractor a long time and ran it for any period of time to find all the bugs it may have that I wasn't told about when I bought it. It doesn't use oil, fluids are all good and clean, no leaks that I can find so far, and the ones that had it before me had supposedly had gone through it and then gave it a new paint job. I don't know if that's when it was converted to 12 volt system and nobody has used it enough, for the problem I've been having, to show up or what. I'm going to go ahead a put a new coil on it and see if that works, and go from there. I appreciate your input. Thanks again - Gary

 

[Jerry/MT]

Have you checked the other things I listed in my first post? You want to find the root cause of the problem before you start thowing parts at it.

You might try replacing the condensor also. They're cheap and the modern ones often fail and there is no easy way to test them. Try that first and then replace the coil.

Make sure that there is not an excess of grease on the cam. It can get thrown off on to the points and foul them. if you use breaker point grease it should not be a problem but you only need a little dab.

 

[Gary Mickle]

I'll do that. Thanks Again. - Gary

 

[Soundguy]

so far my guess is that you are running a 6v coil on 12v and burning the points. the sanding has ruined them by removign the hard coating meaning they will pit faster now.

get the correct coil.. napa ic14sb...

There's no oil in the distributor. I should of stated that the points would just foul up with a little bit of carbon between them, (which I assume is carbon), and I'd just take a piece of fine sandpaper folded and run between them a few times to clear them. Why they were fouling in the first place, I don't know, other than caused by a weak spark?. As I said, I haven't had this tractor a long time and ran it for any period of time to find all the bugs it may have that I wasn't told about when I bought it. It doesn't use oil, fluids are all good and clean, no leaks that I can find so far, and the ones that had it before me had supposedly had gone through it and then gave it a new paint job. I don't know if that's when it was converted to 12 volt system and nobody has used it enough, for the problem I've been having, to show up or what. I'm going to go ahead a put a new coil on it and see if that works, and go from there. I appreciate your input. Thanks again - Gary

 

[Gary Mickle]

I'm in the process of getting a coil and see if that makes the difference. This new set of points hasn't fouled,so they should be good as I haven't had to clean them. Thanks for the input.Well let you know if this resolves the problem. Thanks - Gary

 

[Soundguy]

keep in mind if you get another 6v coil you need a resistor in line with it.. I'd opt for a real 12v coil.

post back

 

[Gary Mickle]

I'm getting a 12 volt coil. thanks again. - Gary

 

[harley03]

after my to35 has been setting for a few weeks and when i started it started smoking and burning oil what would cause this.

 

[murphy1244]

after my to35 has been setting for a few weeks and when i started it started smoking and burning oil what would cause this.

drain thru valve guides

 

[Soundguy]

does it clear up after running for a few minutes?

doe sit make a puf of blue smoke when you gass on it real quick?

 

[RICHRDMS]

I have a 1956 Ferguson To 35, and I'm having an electrical problem. I have been having problems with the points fouling up after it ran for a while, so I went ahead and gave it a tune up, (new plugs, points, condenser, cap, and rotor). That helped a little, but the same thing started happening again. To me it seems the spark is awful week and sporadic. I had it out the other day to do some tilling and it started OK, but ran a little rough, and eventually died in about 15 minutes. I started checking things out but I couldn't get it started again and eventually ran down the battery. I've been through the carburetor and fuel system, everything's OK in the at area. I checked the spark, and again it was weak to me and at times not at all. Is it a coil issue, ignition module problem, or what? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks - Gary

Have you checked the gas flow? Could be the float is shutting down too early, or a clog in the line. The sediment bowl has very small diameter tubes that drain down from the tank. These can clog very easily. There is a filter screwed to the bottom of the drain opening inside the bowl, this should be cleaned periodically. This could be clogged. There is also a filter in the fuel line where it enters the carb. Need to check air flow to carb also.

Sounds like the tractor starts and runs fine after enough gas has drained in to the carb, then starves as that gas is not replaced adequately.

 

[Soundguy]

so he say weak to 'no spark and you are thinking fuel.

parts houses love that level of diagnostics......

 

[RICHRDMS]

so he say weak to 'no spark and you are thinking fuel.

parts houses love that level of diagnostics......

It does not cost anything to clean the fuel lines and rule out the possiblity of low fuel issues. He said he suspects the electric but has not confirmed it. He also ran the battery dead. trying to start it. Low fuel will cause fouling. There is the possiblity that it could be a combination of issues. Hope I haven't offended you with my thoughts. I have owned a TO35 for many years...

 

[Soundguy]

it takes about 15 seconds to see if you have spark on all plugs.

it takes ALOT longer to celan the fuel system.

check sparks first. not second. besides. who wants to check for spark AFTEr YOU HAVE GAS ON YOUR HAND AND DRIBBLED DOWN THE SIDE OF THE TRACTOR.

It's a no brainer. if your car blows a tire on the road. you check to see which one is blown BEFORE you start changing them all to eventually find the blown one.

the fact it is a t0-35 means little.

same info applies from gas lawnmowers on up. just about any old gasser tractor from back then is going to have a similar kettering ignition and simple carb setup.