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Farmall A Running on Two Cylinders

R

Rob Flatness

New User
I have an A that was converted to 12 volt before I purchased it a year ago. It got to where it wouldn't start back up after it got hot. It has an H4 magneto so I thought it would be cheaper and easier to convert it to an auto style coil. After wrestling with this all day it started first crank, but is grossly under powered. After pulling the plug wires I discovered that it is only firing on the two middle cylinders. The other two do not have enough juice to arc the spark plug gap. They do have a slight amount if you touch them to the block.

Should I jump right in and replace points, condensor, and distributor cap? Could I have messed up somewhere on my wiring. The coil that I got is a 12 volt and I have a 6v to 12v resistor, but I can't tell you anymore than that. I just bought what the farm store parts guy gave me. Would the coil not be right?

Any help would be great. I have already spent most of my weekly allowance, so think enconomy if possible.

Thanks,

Rob
 
I would change those wires one at a time to see if the problem is bad wires connections or something like that as there is fire to two cycls same fire should go the other ones changing the wires one at a time would be wuick and easy.
 
Are you sure you have the plug wires in this firing order? Hal

2-1
4-3 As the rotor rotates CW.
PS: Your point gap should be .020" since its been converted.
 

Had to change the plug wires on a 140 that was miss firing on cylinders. I watche at night and it looked like a lightning show.
 
Set the points a little wider than the .013" they are intended to be. .015 will do. Also check to see that the mag cam shaft is not loose side to side. It is important to have a 12v for use with an external resistor coil on it. If the coil is for full 12v it might do what it is doing.
Put a different coil on it to see! Jim
 
I took the wire off of one of the plugs that was firing and put it on one that was not and it still didn't work. I will still probably change them with solid copper wires as suggested by Jeff Z.
 
I assume that they are in the right order. It had plenty of power before I did the conversion. I only did the conversion because it wouldn't fire after it got hot.

I'll set the point gap wider and see what happens.

Thanks,

Rob
 
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