I need a recommendation for a Mobile Mechanic Northern Colorado willing to travel to My location.

[HBARleatherneck]

I need someone skilled in "old school" mechanics. I have a tractor with ignition troubles. I put in a new distributor, installed a pertrnoix inginite electronic ignition system and a new coil. I can not get it to fire. It is beyond me. I need it fixed immediately. I know lots of diesel mechanics, but none of them have worked on old stuff either in a long time or ever.

If you are someone who can do it for money as soon as possible or you know someone, please let me know.

Thanks

I have power to the coil. I get nothing after the coil. It maybe the ignite system isnt telling it to fire, but I dont know. I have electrical testers, but I really dont know how to use them. Im looking to pay to have it fixed now, because my cows are big, black and hungry. Im afraid of what could happen if they get angry. They may take over the ranch and eat us.

[ray1970]

I might be able to help. I'll shoot you a PM when I get home tonight.

[SAnd]

Just a warning about your fear-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMbXvn2RNI

[Great-Kazoo]

I need someone skilled in "old school" mechanics. I have a tractor with ignition troubles. I put in a new distributor, installed a pertrnoix inginite electronic ignition system and a new coil. I can not get it to fire. It is beyond me. I need it fixed immediately. I know lots of diesel mechanics, but none of them have worked on old stuff either in a long time or ever.

If you are someone who can do it for money as soon as possible or you know someone, please let me know.

Thanks

I have power to the coil. I get nothing after the coil. It maybe the ignite system isnt telling it to fire, but I dont know. I have electrical testers, but I really dont know how to use them. Im looking to pay to have it fixed now, because my cows are big, black and hungry. Im afraid of what could happen if they get angry. They may take over the ranch and eat us.



https://sp.yimg.com/xj/th?id=OIP.M7c009e28c064957ff091c22bfd18c848o0&pid=15.1&P=0&w=300&h=300

[hghclsswhitetrsh]

You're too late.

http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a441/RamboZuki84/AB1FC241-507F-42C2-8492-509042E0EB62_zps6i3mothf.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/RamboZuki84/media/AB1FC241-507F-42C2-8492-509042E0EB62_zps6i3mothf.jpg.html)

[Hummer]

You're too late.

http://i1036.photobucket.com/albums/a441/RamboZuki84/AB1FC241-507F-42C2-8492-509042E0EB62_zps6i3mothf.jpg (http://s1036.photobucket.com/user/RamboZuki84/media/AB1FC241-507F-42C2-8492-509042E0EB62_zps6i3mothf.jpg.html)

Somehow this has the makings to be an epic thread. Tractor breakdowns always happen at the worst time.

[Wulf202]

I can swing by after work

[Irving]

If only you had some helpers around.

[Wulf202]

Do you know what ford motor it has? Should be available if you can find the street vehicle it crosses with.

[Great-Kazoo]

Does it require a ground from dist to chassis. Or other ground not attached. If not that area. Then yes that mechanical dist would be the next area to deal with.

[Wulf202]

Rotated the wires on the cap in case #1 was not front cylinder. Ether. New rotor 2x. Re verified ground points. Moved dist a tooth. Moved dist 180. Called it dirty names. Ohmed wires. Checked continuity thru the cap.

[Irving]

Does it have gas?

[TFOGGER]

The only way you have spark from the coil, but not coming out of the distributor is if there is a short inside the cap somewhere, or the contact button on the cap is not making contact with the metal conductor on the rotor. If coil polarity was wrong, you might have weak spark(hot wire to the + side of the coil, point wire to the - side is the norm), if the condenser was shorted, you wouldn't have spark at the coil wire.An open condenser would show heavy sparking and burning at the points, combined with low spark energy. In my days as a car mechanic, I found that pretty much anything would run on a point gap of .017 inch(fully open). I assume since Wulf tried moving the distributor 1 tooth, that you have verified that the distributor is actually turning. To verify, the distributor should be timed to fire about 6-10 degrees before top dead center on the Compression(not Exhaust) stroke (both valves closed).

[DFBrews]

you have pulled all 3 plugs and grounded them and cranked it over?
think it might be flooded with all the cranking?

[TFOGGER]

Just a thought: Most point systems run a resistance of some kind between the switch and the positive side of the coil to extend the life of the points. Have you checked voltage at the positive side of the coil? you should have pretty close to battery voltage when cold, dropping to about 9 volts when running. You might try hot wiring straight from the battery to the positive side of the coil to boost spark energy, at least to try to get it started. If the ballast wire/resistor is bad, your voltage at the coil wire might not be enough to jump the gap between the tip of the rotor and the contacts in the cap.

[thedave1164]

Just a thought: Most point systems run a resistance of some kind between the switch and the positive side of the coil to extend the life of the points. Have you checked voltage at the positive side of the coil? you should have pretty close to battery voltage when cold, dropping to about 9 volts when running. You might try hot wiring straight from the battery to the positive side of the coil to boost spark energy, at least to try to get it started. If the ballast wire/resistor is bad, your voltage at the coil wire might not be enough to jump the gap between the tip of the rotor and the contacts in the cap.

Just saw this thread and came here to post this

[SideShow Bob]

Just a thought, did you put the rotor on before putting the cap back on ? And did you make sure that the rotor is turning when cranked ?

If you are not getting spark at the plugs, did you check for spark at the coil HV wire going into the distributor ?

[SideShow Bob]

Just a thought: Most point systems run a resistance of some kind between the switch and the positive side of the coil to extend the life of the points. .

That is known as a ballast resistor.

[SideShow Bob]

and it talks about it in the electronic ignition kit I bought (and removed) it says if you have one to do this and if you dont to do this, but I dont see anything like that. If I knew what to look for I guess it would help.


63267

[thedave1164]

Some systems use a resistive wire to the coil for power when the switch is in the run position, instead of an actual ballast resistor

[thedave1164]

If it is in the run position can you push start it?

[Great-Kazoo]

If it is in the run position can you push start it?

His tractor ? [ROFL2]

[Great-Kazoo]

Yes the ballast resistor is a major part of the ignition system. BUT....................One that can be bypassed for initial starting.

[Great-Kazoo]

its too cold to work on it alone yet. but, I just checked... there is NO ballast resistor. Everything it has, I told you guys about. I cant say if it has a restistor wire, but no ballast resistor to be found.

unless it is between the ignition switch and the starter solenoid. I dont see how that could be though since the switch gets its power from the solenoid and the solenoid is wired to the coil.


Not every vehicle has a BR. being you 're working on a tractor, it may not factor in.

[thedave1164]

Ballast/resistive wire explained:
Some older coils were not really 12volt so when the industry changed over to 12 volt systems they decided to add resistance to the run circuit to drop the voltage to the coil. While you are in the start position, you will drop the voltage enough to not cause damage to the coil. Once it is in the run position it will have the artificial voltage drop from the ballast/resistive wire.

I would suggest an inline spark tester, it will allow you to better see what is going on.

Also, how fresh is the battery? A weak battery could be an issue in this cold.

One other thing, run a hot wire directly from the battery to the coil and try to start, this will eliminate the start/run switch circuit.

[HBARleatherneck]

PROBLEM SOLVED, TRACTOR RUNS!!!
WOO HOO!


I honestly didnt think anything was wrong electrically although most of you went that way in your diagnosis. This tractor ran just a few days ago. Nothing changed other than the distributor. I did replace the coil, battery, plugs, wires, points, condesner, cap, rotor but I also tried all the old parts except the ruined distributor.
Well do you want to know what the problem was??

The points were opening between plug towers. So how do you fix that? I unscrewed the distributor bottom plate and roated the body of the distributor 180 degrees and put it back together. Installed the distributor and it instantly fired up and ran. Al that work in the cold, for nothing. I figured it out on the kitchen table, I had some help from a tractor forum I had to join today. They didnt solve the problem, but they explained that the point should just start to open when it hits the plug towers, not be fully opened, which is what I thought. then I was able to figure out the problem.

Thank you for all your suggestions.

But,
Especially thank you to Wulf202 who drove all the way out to my house on icy, snow covered roads in the dark. Then stayed outside in freezing temperatures for 5 plus hours in the dark while we were being snowed on to help me. Thank you so much.

[TFOGGER]

Glad you got it solved! It's something that most guys wouldn't think about, because most guys never had to deal with points (we're a dying breed).

[Wulf202]

Glad you got it done.

It was more like 4 hours...

[Irving]

Glad to hear it, been checking this thread every day. How many cows did you end up losing?

[jerrymrc]

You had already solved your problem. Sorry I was late to this.
we found TDC, we tried and found TDC again. (based on #1 piston being all the way up on exhaust stroke) That means your were 180 out. Should have been TDC on the compression stroke.

[SideShow Bob]

The points were opening between plug towers. So how do you fix that? I unscrewed the distributor bottom plate and roated the body of the distributor 180 degrees and put it back together.


This is a given, for basic motor repair, especially needing checked when replacing a distributor to make sure it's not install backward So to speak.

With all the help you had and all the late nights out in the cold, I figured that it was already checked, or I would have mentioned it.

Guess we we all have our DOH.... moments.

[Irving]

I'd be so excited I'd use my tractor to deliver a thank you basket to the neighbor.

[Great-Kazoo]

Glad you got it solved! It's something that most guys wouldn't think about, because most guys never had to deal with points (we're a dying breed).

Hand some one a Tach & dwell meter, timing light and watch their eyes glaze over. Then ask them to hand you that distributor wrench.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzY2WDgwMA==/z/Nc8AAOSwoQ1Tn1eW/$_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F

[TFOGGER]

Hand some one a Tach & dwell meter, timing light and watch their eyes glaze over. Then ask them to hand you that distributor wrench.
http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzY2WDgwMA==/z/Nc8AAOSwoQ1Tn1eW/$_35.JPG?set_id=880000500F

Got all 3 in my tool box, except my distributor wrench is double ended 1/2 & 9/16 so it fits Ford AND Chevy...

[Great-Kazoo]

Got all 3 in my tool box, except my distributor wrench is double ended 1/2 & 9/16 so it fits Ford AND Chevy...

Of course the mopar offset is on hand. Bet you have the brass feeler gauges for gaping old /1st gen electronic ignition.
Even real troubleshooting, not this replace till fixed stuff is a dying breed.

[thedave1164]

Glad to hear its working!