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No spark on points

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William Tant

New User
Have a 1953 farmall super a with 6 volt system. Have spark to
coil and leaving coil to distributor. Have spark at point with
spring but won"t make spark when making contact with second
point. Replaced points and condenser and got film off of new
points. Any ideas?
 
"Have spark to
coil and leaving coil to distributor."

With the points OPEN the lead on coil to distributor (or dist side terminal) should have voltage with respect to ground (use a test lamp)

With points closed, there should be NO VOLTAGE on that lead!!! If so the points arent fully closing or not well grounded..

With IGN on and a test lamp on the coils output (to distributor) if the engine is turned over slowly the light should flash ON when points open and go off when closed

Run through my Troubleshooting Procedure and post back any questions

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=farmall&th=5745

John T
John Ts Troubleshooting
 
Have fire on high and low side of coil. Have fire from coil to distributor . Have fire to moveable point. When I do screwdriver test the moveable point and fixed point do not make a spark. Have filed points and still nothing.
 
With a piece of copper wire jump between ground and the movable point. if spark, close the points and try the same method on the fixed point if spark, the fixed point (or distributor backing plate, or distributor, for that matter, might be ungrounded. Jim
 
(1) did it run BEFORE you changed points??? (2) if so then get another set of points. Will not be the first set of BAD points wright out of the box. (3) has this tractor set for any lenght of time and now it will not start?? If so then your points have gotten corroded and you may get lucky with some fine emery cloth and some electronic spray cleaner. If not then a new set of pionts OR it could be the condenser as i have had a few of them bad out of the box.
If it is the old condenser warm it up and see if it will start.
 
If the points are good and fully closing (not gapped too wide) that takes the voltage down to frame ground potential and provides a current path for coil current THAT MUST HAPPEN WHEN POINTS CLOSED TO EVER PRODUCE A SPARK WHEN THEY SHORTLY THEREFATER OPEN.

If you still have voltage on output side of coil even when points are closed, they (or distributor or its base) arent grounded or closing or conduting (via closure) to frame ground as they should

Shes NEVER gonna fire until point closure takes that point to a good frame ground so the coil conducts current AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS (closed) THE COILS OUTPUT VOLTAGE AND ON DIST SIDE POINTS TERMINAL MUST BE ZERO..........

Insure distributors base and distributor and fixed point and points mount all have a good path to frame ground...

John T
 
The tractor was running when it was parked 4 years ago. Have replaced points and condenser and have tried to file coating on new points
 
There is no "ground" the path to ground is the screw holding the point's fixed base to the backing plate. From the backing plate to the distributor housing the ground path is through the plate contact with the casting, and the screws holding it together. From the housing to the distributor drive housing the path is the mounting flange and bolt/clip contact. From the drive to the engine, it is the bolts. holding the drive (Or hydraulic pump)to the front cover.
Were it me standing there I would check for voltage (with the points closed key on) between engine ground and the fixed point base. If voltage, bad ground as described. Then touch the backing plate. If voltage, bad ground in the path. Then the distributor body if voltage, the distributor is not grounded. I hope this cures it. Jim
 
Checked for voltage with points close and there is none and none on point plate. So guess ground is good. With the moveable point open I have voltage on it,side of distributor, and both sides of coil. But still no spark when it closes and open against fixed point. Real puzzling!
 
(quoted from post at 12:45:12 03/03/13) Checked for voltage with points close and there is none and none on point plate. So guess ground is good. With the moveable point open I have voltage on it,side of distributor, and both sides of coil. But still no spark when it closes and open against fixed point. Real puzzling!
Click to expand...


From your description right there it sounds like the low voltage side of the coil is good.

I think disconnect your points from the coil and replace that with a piece of wire connected to nothing... connect the other small screw on the coil to the battery terminal that is NOT connected to the frame.

disconnect the wire from the distributor and arrange it so that it would spark against the frame if the coil were good... then touch the wire you connected in place of the points to a good clean shiny place on the frame momentarily.

you should get a good spark on the wire that was on the distributor when you do that. If you don't something is wrong with the coil... or possibly the wire from the coil to the distributor.

Here's another thing that I'm not sure iI'm going to be able to explain... The switch on my tractor was "twisted" in the housing so that when the key was turned to crank the engine, there was no voltage on the ignition coil etc. until the key was released. don't know if your tractor has a key switch like that or not.
 
Done that and got spark so coil is good. Tractor doesn't crank
with key. Pull button to on position and then pull lever which
runs to starter and engage starter
 
Is the plastic insulator from the coil primary (6 volt) in the side of the distributor damaged or mis-aligned so the primary voltage is effectively grounded?
 
(quoted from post at 14:39:40 03/03/13) Done that and got spark so coil is good. Tractor doesn't crank
with key. Pull button to on position and then pull lever which
runs to starter and engage starter
Click to expand...

then let the wire on the coil, bypassing the points, and touching nothing, and hook the other screw on the coil back up like it should be... to the ignition switch button...

pull the button and touch the "points bypassing" wire to the shiny metal momentarily again, and see if the wire that should go to the distributor sparks to the frame now.

If it does, there is something wrong with the points... if it doesn't, there is no voltage coming through the pulled button, from the battery.
 
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