Possible Coil Problem on Farmall A

Before I get to the question I have, I'd just like to take a moment to sound a hurrah for the stuff posted on this board, even when it goes slightly beyond, "What's wrong with my tractor?"

I don't think I have seen a larger group of fairly level headed and humorous folks on a discussion board. Nice place to come to.

The question I have is this. Is there an easy or "down and dirty" way to check the coil on my system for good operation without a dwell meter? I have the Farmall A model and have gone through the carburetor issues, cleaned out the radiator (thought it was overheating) and the unit still starts great, then runs for up to about 20 minutes, then starts to stall out like it is getting too much gas. Without access to searching the archives, I have to ask this here.

I saw a few mentions on this, though all were related to M models or 450's or some other number. I know that they are all tractors and there is most likely some general correlation. I also know what happens when you make an assumption, so if anyone knows of a quick "down on the farm" method for checking a coil's operation, I would love to hear it.

...[do you mean it starts blowing black smoke as if flooding, or just starts missing and fianlly dies?]

It is the latter. I have pretty much ruled out fuel flow, per se. I figured the coil, based on a lot of other related discussions about this particular problem from here on this board. I have yet to test it. As it so happens, one of the other things I do is provide computer repair, rebuild/upgrade services when possible and a friend of mine called in a panic about her system. I spent most of the rest of the day doing phone calls (like to my supplier-- what do you mean my, "order isn't in the system?") and things like that.

It sounds like the best time to test my coil would be in the fading light of post sunset and that won't be too far away.

Someone mentioned getting a "generic" coil instead of paying the higher dealer price for one. Is there a "standard" 6V coil I can get like at TSC or perhaps an auto parts store that would work? I am less interested in "authentic and complete" IH Farmall condition than I am in being able to actually use my tractor.

Once again, thanks millions for all the sage input.

Christopher

If it's a system that's been converted to 12V and you have an external resistor just before the coil, I posted a solution to a similar problem I had a couple of weeks ago. Similarly, after five minutes or so, it'd start running rough, stall out, be unable to start. Let it cool down, it'd restart. I tried leaving the battery connected with the kill switch in the 'run' position without the engine running. I left it that way for about five minutes and, even though the rest of the system was cool, it wouldn't start. The resistor had heated up and was the problem. I replaced both the resistor and the coil with a 12V coil with a built-in resistor (3 ohms resistance) and haven't had a problem since.

Again, I'd be curious to hear what the solution proves to be so let us know.