Odd distributor cap issue

I broke a chain on the forage wagon this morning while I was unloading corn in the pasture. I shut off the Oliver 1550 gas for about 15 minutes right where it sat while I fixed the chain. When I got done,I noticed the stupid cows had pulled one spark plug wire off the plug and out of the cap. I put it back on,tried to start the tractor and it wouldn't start. It kind of fired a time or two but I ran the battery down. The boy and I towed it out of the pasture and around the yard twice trying to start it. It would pop a little now and then.
After we gave up and got the rest of the chores done,I took the cap off. I saw a little piece of something down inside the distributor and fished it out. I turned the cap over and could see then that it was the center electrode from the cap. It's spring loaded in that Mallory distributor. Apparently when the cow pulled the wire out of the cap,those spring clips that hold it on gave just enough to let it tip enough so that piece fell out.
I put a little dab of electrical grease on it,enough to make it stick,turned the cap over and put it on quick before it could fall out again. The tractor started right up. Must be the few times it fired,the spark was jumping just enough to cause spark.
Some of the danged things that happen on a Sunday,I'm tellin' you.

About the same thing happened to me on the 1650 a few years ago loading manure on the barnyard. Those steers always seem fascinated by the tractor, of course it was a Saturday in December about -5°. I was worried the spreader was going to freeze up solid if I didn't get that tractor going. I ended up forcing a sheet metal screw into where that button is to make contact with the rotor. Thankfully it worked.

I have a Massey Harris that won't run unless it has a broken cap just like you explained!! Figure that one out? I bought a new one because I knew the old one was broken and didnt want any troubles later down the road. Put the new one on and missed like crazy. Went back to the old broken one and runs like a top. I dont know??

Year before last I was cutting beans with my JD 95 with a full bin load when I pulled up to the wagon to unload. I lined it up idled it down it sputtered and died! It would not hit a lick, Wound not even try. 3 hours later still wont start so I called a friend to come over to see if he could figure it out. Within 5 min he found it, A pin hole in the cap by the coil wire tower. He smeared permatex on the outside and the inside around the tower let it setup and she fired right up and ran the rest of the day no problems. Next day I went to JD for a cap and button and did I get a surprise, $68 for a cap and button! I got one much cheaper at NAPA. Sometimes its something so stupid that can screw up a good day. Bandit

Epoxy is your friend.

We had a combined birthday party for my 2 boys and myself, since I turned 30 today. After that I went to the farm because we had hay to chop with rain in the forecast. Our 1855 needs a starter (been making funny sounds all summer) but we got it going.

The IH 986 we rent to run the bagger blew a hose between the block and the heater on the very 1st wagon of the day. Got that fixed with some new 5/8 hose and 2 gallons of coolant.

Our Massey 285, as of yesterday, doesn't want to start. Yesterday she'd start with a fair amount of cranking. Today it took a sniff of starting fluid. Top it off with weak batteries, but as long as it's above 40 (it was 50-60 today) it'll pop right off without heat. Not sure what's going on but it's like it's not getting fuel. 2 days ago while I was cutting I was running a little low so Dad brought me 2 cans. They looked clean he said with a dribble of fuel in the bottom, but who knows? Seems to have started shortly after using those cans. Plan on changing fuel filters tomorrow and looking in the tank with a flashlight.


It's sprinkling right now by my house, so we may be done for a few days. That'll give me some time to get the starter fixed for the 18, work on the 285, and work on getting our other new wagon working so we can run 4 wagons when we start corn. Gotta have the toungue modified to be about 18" longer, move the front wheels back 6-12", chain it down, and reverse the cross conveyor.

Piece of cake right?

Had a rough start, but we still got 10 loads chopped in about 4 1/2 hours, including repair time. Our other new to us wagon performed flawlessly.

Donovan from Wisconsin

you have half fouled spark plugs or some bad wires. with the button missing its the same as pulling a spark plug wire off and increasing the gap.
or the new cap is no good.