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Strange spark issue on super M..Help!!

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Cory

12-19-2003 20:37:48

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Hello! I have a stange situation with my super M. The tractor misses on a cylinder when. If I remove the plug wire from the plug and hold it next to the plug it will jump the air gap somtimes almost a 1/4" and runs perfectly fine. this is where it gets strange. When I reconnect the plug wire the tractor starts missing on that cylinder. I have never seen anything like it. Can anybody explain it? I would appreciate any suggestions or help. I believe its a 56 model, but I'm not sure.

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Bill B

12-20-2003 04:51:10

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Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Cory , 12-19-2003 20:37:48

The plug is fouled or carboned up. By holding the plug wire away from the plug, you are intensifing the spark by forcing it to jump an arc, and that is enough to fire the bad plug. What you did is a standard test to find if the plug is bad or the cylinder has other problems. In the 50s you could buy spark intensifiers, which were devises you snapped on the plug terminal and attached the wire to the device. They had a gap in the device that caused a spark jump, and thus intensified the spark. They were good for oil burning cars. Just buy a good set of new plugs. I find that champion plugs are more prone to fouling and failing than any other make.

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just a answer

12-20-2003 05:06:55

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Re: Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Bill B, 12-20-2003 04:51:10

yes you have been advised right plug is fouled go buy autolites and put them in

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ken

12-20-2003 06:48:16

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Re: Re: Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to just a answer, 12-20-2003 05:06:55

i have an old 3414 backhoe and thats the only way it runs i have to have all 4 wires loose and just setting on the plugs,or at least i did,shes in the shop now for a rebuild,thing went thru more oil than gas.

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49 Cubber!

12-20-2003 04:20:09

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Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Cory , 12-19-2003 20:37:48

Took an old glass type fudse that had blown and put it in the plug end,tepmorary fix though.Change the plugs arouns as mentioned and see what happens to that plug.Might me a wire too.

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Roy in UK

12-20-2003 03:03:37

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Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Cory , 12-19-2003 20:37:48

We had that happen on an old single cylinder Petter engine. To keep it going while we got a new plug my uncle disconnected the plug wire, and then wired it to an old shirt button through one of the thread holes. He then got a piece of wire and passed it through the opposite thread hole in the button, and then wrapped the other end of the wire round the top of the plug. This caused the spark to jump from the plug lead, across the holes in the button to the plug . The engine started first swing of the crank and then ran like a top! It was kind of funny watching the spark jump across the holes in the button though.

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Tim Kincaid

12-19-2003 23:25:57

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Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Cory , 12-19-2003 20:37:48

Cory , Put in some nice new Autolite 3116's and you will be happy. See ya, Tim K.

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Jeff

12-19-2003 21:41:47

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Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Cory , 12-19-2003 20:37:48

Crazy problem ain't it? I have seen this on some chainsaws too. Bad plugs are #1 problem. First swap the plugs around and see if the trouble follows a plug. Crummy wires and or crimp on connections at both ends of the wires also. Cap trouble is next with dist.shaft wobble and cap corrosion. Dremmel tool time with the tiny stainless wire brush for going into a hole and clean out the cap holes. I HOPE you don't have a cap with alunminium insteat of copper. Those are death.
For small engines Champion plus have what are called EZ- Start plugs. also known as one tug plugs. These have a "Spark gap" built into the plug that makes it give a stronger spark. They REALLY work. If you take a saw with the plug out and spin it over with a normal plug you get a nice blue snap snap snap. Put in the EZ plug and you get a kind of KAck Kack Kack. When you hold the wire away from the plug and get it to fire ...this is what you are doing. You make a spark gap intensifier. This is related to how old time radio transmitters worked and search lights and a lot of other stuff worked on this type of system.
You might get a plug adapter and try an RJ19 plug or such With the EZ one being a #5861. You get a hotter spark and it may just do it. They are cheap enough. about $3.oo at Home Depot. Good luck.

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Tommy H

12-19-2003 21:33:44

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Re: Strange spark issue on super M..Help!! in reply to Cory , 12-19-2003 20:37:48

Sounds like a bad plug. I had an issue on a old briggs where if I hooked up the plug wire it would ground out. But letting it jump the air gap made it run. Sounds like a plug. Swap a plug from another cyl.

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