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Farmall BN Won't Stay Running

A

Anonymous-0

Well-known Member
Hello everyone, I have a farmall BN that i am looking to pull logs out of the woods with. Unfortunately, i can't keep it running. It seems to run about ten to fifteen minutes and shut off after about the same amount of time each time. After it shuts off i can't get it started until it sits for atleast 15 minutest to a half hour. What can i do to make this stop, so that it will run until i shut it off myslef. It has plenty of fuel to run off of as well.
 
Mag or distributor?

Have you checked for spark when it shuts down to narrow the problem down to spark OR fuel?
 
Are you using a ballast resistor? If you know its not a fuel problem and you have battery ignition your coil may be getting weak. When it quits running and with your points open check for battery voltage on both small terminals on the coil using a volt meter or a test lite. Hal
PS: You need to do this ASAP before it cools.
 
The battery is junk. I don't know very much about these old machines. is that why it would stop running because it has no charge? Also, how do i make the battery charge itself while the tractor is running. It was a restoration project and i'm not sure if i got the wiring correct.
 
Most BN's had a mag and when they shut down like that it was usually the coil heating up. Then when they cool down they would start again. The coils are pricey.
 
Could be stopped up vent in gas cap (have had this to happen) next time remove cap and give it a try, and you can either confirm or eliminate this.
 
If it is a magneto ignition, I would bet that something inside the magneto is getting overheated. Magnetos on these old tractors can be extremely tempermental and can be very frustrating, yet they can be the key to numerous issues.
 
If your thactor has a distributor instead of a magneto, when the battery loses charge, you have no power to the ignition. [HINT: When IH sold distributor conversions for these tractors, they called them a "battery ignition package." Threfore, no battery = no ignition.]

But if it restarts after sitting, I'm thinking it's either fuel tank pulling a vacuum because of a bad [or no] vent, OR an electrical malfunction like a bad coil that breaks down when it gets warm [can happen with either a mag OR a distributor].

Long-distance diagnosis IS a fairly inexact science, y'understand...
 
If the battery is junk the easy fix would be to get a new battery. Put it on the charger overnite and it should run several days before you need to recharge it. The self charging abilities are not too complicated but they don't tend to stay fixed and may not be worth the effort for you.
 
Next time it dies quick take the drain plug out of the carb to see if you have fuel flow if you do its not s fuel pfoblem. Then you need to check for spark next time it dies that will let you know if its fuel or spark. Sounds more like the coil in the mag. Its unusual for an engine to dies after 15min cause if ti has feul. Thats why when it dies you need to quick see if its fuel or spark.I would use a spare plug ground it and pull a wire off another plug that will let you know real fast if you have fire.
 
If it has a mag you don't need a battery other than to start the engine. The coil's in them get weak too. If you have a distributor you would have an auto type coil shaped like a small cylinder. If you do have a distributor and your battery is low on battery voltage would probably cause the engine to quit. Post a pic of what you have and someone will know what you have whether its a mag or distributor. Hal
 
Here's a pic of a Wico mag used on a 2 cylinder tractor. Hal
a36271.jpg
 
Sounds like it might be the coil from what everyone is saying. How much do new coils usually run? How hard are they to replace?
 
I wouldn't just jump in and buy one unless further DIAGNOSIS confirms that the coil is the problem. Throwing parts at a problem without proper diagnosis can get expensive, may not fix the problem, and is downright foolish.
 
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