8n wont stare

[Soundguy]

I want to see that light blinking, and no spark before he even thinks about putting a new coil on there.

 

[Bandit2026]

Well I tried all the checks and everything seems to be ok. The only thing I've found is the blade that goes down into the slot is worn, a lot! I tried turning it 180 degrees but it wouldn't go at all. When you install everything correctly the rotor has about 5 to ten degrees movement. Not spot on as you would expect. Don't know what to try next.

 

[Dollar Bill]

The tongue and groove being worn would not cause a loss of spark. It may fire imprecisely but it will still fire.

To help us troubleshoot the problem, we're gonna need more details. Since we aren't there in person we are depending on you for information. The quality of our troubleshooting steps are dictated by the accuracy of your replies.

"Well I tried all the checks and everything seems to be ok." The word "seems" does not instill confidence. Did you do the continuity checks and obtain the expected results?

What were the results of the light/meter checks posted by K7LN?

If the distributor passed the continuity checks, the next suspects are the condenser or the coil.

Condenser Test

1. Discharge the condenser by disconnecting the lead and shorting it to the condenser case
3. Using an analog Volt Ohm Meter; select X1 on the ohm scale.
5. Connect one VOM lead to condenser wire and touch other VOM lead to condenser body. If the condenser is good, the meter should swing from 0 ohms to infinity as the VOM charges the condenser.

Testing the coil gets a little more imprecise - About all we can do is take a resistance reading between the top and bottom coil terminals with a quality, digital Ohm meter.
You can tell if it's bad by checking resistance, but you can't tell if it's good. I don't recall if yours is 6 or 12 volts but here's what you're looking for:

1. 12 volt coils should read 2.5 ohms or more
2. 6 volt coils should read 1.4 ohms or less
3. If it's open (VOM reads infinity) the coil is bad.

 

[Soundguy]

in addition to the above, you can test the secondary of the coil by measuring from the top to the tab on the bottom and look for 4-7kohms.

If a test lamp inline with the wire to the coil blinks when the engine is turned over, then the points are opening and closing, and the condenser is at least not shorted.

post what coil it is 6/12v, what elextrical system you have, 6/12v, and what resistors are inline.

for testing purposes, it's ok to jumper from bat hot to coil top to check spark. if that gets you spark, but not thru key/resistor, then you have a bad connection/too much resistance back in the primary circuit.

 

[Bandit2026]

Sorry my post have been vague sometimes my brain and my hands don't work together. Next let me thank those who held my hand and walked me through this so far, it was deeply appreciated. All of the continuity test found no problems. Dollar Bill sent a post on testing the condenser, BANG dead as a hammer not trusting my findings I waited till my son [N2Dfire] who has a engineering degree checked it and came up with the same results so I'll replace it with one from NAPA. It may be a week before I get back as my grandson is in from Australia and I going to the beach, but I will get back with results. Once again thanks!

 

[Dollar Bill]

Glad you found it - Enjoy the beach with you grandson!

 

[Bandit2026]

Well I wanted to say it cranked this morning but nothing not a **** thing. I installed new Echlin points, condenser and rotor. nothing! I know everyone is saying he is doing something wrong and that is a possibility but why did it run when it went into the barn and not a lick since. I know that its something simple but what it is just stumps me. I reckon I'll go back and start over maybe I'll catch something.

 

[Dollar Bill]

Bandit, please re-read the entire thread. Surely someone has given a troubleshooting step that will highlight the fault.

Start at ignition switch and verify voltages/continuity all the way to spark plugs.

How was your visit with grandson?

 

[Bandit2026]

Well I'm back to square one. Distributor on work bench with 6volt battery charger hooked to top of coil along with test light. Probe on light touching dist. housing. Points open light bright, points closed light dim. Now what?

 

[Soundguy]

Well I wanted to say it cranked this morning but nothing not a **** thing. I installed new Echlin points, condenser and rotor. nothing! I know everyone is saying he is doing something wrong and that is a possibility but why did it run when it went into the barn and not a lick since. I know that its something simple but what it is just stumps me. I reckon I'll go back and start over maybe I'll catch something.

if it won't crank, check the battery voltage, check battery connections, check the starter button connection to the relay.

 

[Soundguy]

Well I'm back to square one. Distributor on work bench with 6volt battery charger hooked to top of coil along with test light. Probe on light touching dist. housing. Points open light bright, points closed light dim. Now what?

that means your coil primary has continuity. that's great.. but won't address a no crank situation at all. A no crank situation is between the battery, battery cables, starter relay, and starter as well as the big thumb switch that grounds the relay.

 

[Bandit2026]

Well its alive finally found 2nd problem. I am thoroughly certain I had two problems, three if you count my ignorance. I
guess I read some of the post too quick and didn't pay close enough attention. I am fully convinced that the el cheapo condenser was bad. After me and my son both checked it. After replacing it still wouldn't crank. After this I walked away for a couple days then started over reading very carefully. Dollar Bill posted 10 things to look for and sure enough no.10 carbon buildbe glad up in the cap. Pulled cap and sure enough black streaks of carbon in the cap. Cleaned it real good and bang it fired right up. I want to give a really big thanks to those who stayed with me on this with good solid advice. I will surly be glad to help the next guy and pay it forward.

 

[Soundguy]

I see another problem. Misuse of the word 'crank' and 'start'.

Cranking is the engine turning over.

Starting is the engine running after cranking.

 

[Bandit2026]

Whats your point??

 

[k0ua]

Whats your point??

Because when you say "my tractor wont crank" you get all sorts of advice about bad batterys, bad battery cables, bad grounds.

When you say "my tractor wont start (implied that it DID crank) then you get advice about ignition problems (assuming a gas tractor like yours), coil problems condensor problems etc. See the difference.

Tractor wonk't crank is one thing. Tractor wont start is entirely another. Tractor won run after cranking and starting is entirely another.
You must be specific when you ask for help. We are not there, We cannot see, we cannot hear, we cannot observe. All we have are your words. When you use incorrect words, we cannot help.

 

[gemutlich]

Agreed.

 

[Dollar Bill]

Glad to hear of your success - Thanks for letting us know!