SA Quit, Where to Start

Gezz my bad luck with the Farmalls just keeps on going. First was my SC carb full of white gunk after sitting for a year, waiting for the tractor dealer to get the right carb kit for it.
Bought a SA from my dad yesterday, great running tractor, sometime in last 10 years before he bought it, it had an engine rebuild and converted to 12 volt, front factory blade, homemade 3 point hitch, great price.
Was driving it home, running nice and smooth then it just quit running, no notice or sign at all. Wife was following me in the mini van so tried boosting tractor, no go. Checked to see if battery cables were tight, live was tight, tried ground and burnt my fingers, a couple nice little blisters today. Was getting to 5:30 so had to get it home off road before dark, had a tow chain in the van so just towed it home at about 5mph.
Haven't had much time to trouble shoot it yet but looks like no fire at the plugs. That ground cable being so hot kind of concerned me. Anybody have any ideas where to start testing from? it does have a ballest resistor on it, how do you test them to see if power going across it?
Anyways any ideas where to start testing the electrical system, what order? I do like them Farmalls but they starting to try my nerves.
Thanks for any ideas

start by cleaning your battery post connections and replace the ground cable.

And make sure the ground cable runs directly over to the starter mounting bolt. Reduces a lot of ressitance.

If any of those battery cables are cracked or frayed replace them. Also clean the surface where the battery is grounded. Recharge the battery as you need battery voltage for the ignition. Hal

Your problem may be where you burned your finger; heat means poor connection at that point.

Some advice om batt cables you can clean and clean but if the connction on either end isnt good it just wont work. After you have enguaged the starter feel each end of both cables as other post said you may have found the trouble when you burned your fingers.

get a 12 v test light or a multimeter; turn on ignition switch, start at coil, test for voltage. if none work back towards battery.

there is a link in archives, that lists electrical troubleshooting. i do not know how to tell you how to find it.

ground cable terminals, cause a lot of problems.

check spark. if no spark.. check fuel.

Same thing happened to my 230 - turned out to be the new ignition switch I put on. Found the old original switch and it works fine now.

Cable thats on it now is just the short 8 inch one or so that the SA, SC used for ground. Goes to that steering, guage housing block. Cable looks to be in good shape but know on my SC I have had to pull that bolt and sand the block to get a good connection.
Will pick a new one up for it, do some sanding, run the cable to a starter mounting bolt and go from there. was no fire at the plugs but tractor was turning over good so if no fire with new battery cable will start at coil and go from there.
Have tomorrow off, work a 1:00 to 10:00 shift today, so as long as it is not raining I can get at it. If is raining will see if I can figure out a way to get the tractor pulled around and pushed into my garage using my truck. Maybe if can get tractor lined up backwards I can back into the front blade and push on it without hurting my bumper.
thanks for the ideas, anymore keep the comming, will post with what results I get.

Make sure that the coil has power before you condemn the coil.

With a meter start at the sw then to the coil if it just died quick it would be electric cause if it ran out of gas it would sputter some but you said it just died quick that means electric.

Don't buy the ready made "car" battery cables. They are too small in diameter. Have a parts house solder up some O gauge cables.

Find some welding cables they make good battery cables. I always solder the lugs on. Hal

> ...was no fire at the plugs but tractor was
> turning over good...

If the engine was turning over well the cable, though in need of repair, is not the primary cause of your ignition problem.

Several ways to do this, ..but a test light to the resistor is quick(see if there is power), from the resistor to coil, test light will dim as the points operate. Check the distributor side of the coil as you crank over the engine(test light should pulse as the points operate)

if above is good, then

Lay the coil high voltage wire next to a ground and check for spark, first directly, then thru the distributor cap