TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Ford 9N, 2N & 8N Discussion Forum

Short in distributor ???

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

Ozark Kurt

08-19-2007 14:17:09

Report to Moderator

I am trying to test for a short circuit inside the distributor of front mount 8N. I have the distributor off and have tested the contacts with a multimeter. When the points are open I get continuity ( expected), But when the points are closed I still get continuity (unexpected) across the points. Do I have a short? Are there any special insulator materials that are needed during point/condenser replacement?

This is a great board and I try to read most of the posts - never know when someones problem will be yours.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ozark Kurt

08-19-2007 16:26:44

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 14:17:09

Yes,I did have it backwards. but in both cases there is continuity. I took the measurements from behind each point.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Dunk

08-19-2007 16:36:10

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 16:26:44

Find where you short is on yer points, brother.

You know you have one.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

dan hill

08-19-2007 16:17:13

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 14:17:09

You dont know what you are doing,very hard to fix anything under these conditions.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

JMOR

08-19-2007 20:41:57

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to dan hill, 08-19-2007 16:17:13

dan, I wish I could send you a photo of a license plate, related to your post, but can't put it on the board. :)

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

BillM (OH)

08-19-2007 15:49:41

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 14:17:09

I think your "expected & unexpected" is backwards, but if you have continuity in both cases, you have a short!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

soundguy

08-19-2007 15:15:39

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 14:17:09

I may not be following your message correctly.. however if ou are measiuring across points contacts there should be NO CONTINUITY with points open, and CONTINUITY with points closed.. etc.

soundguy

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Dunk

08-19-2007 15:15:28

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 14:17:09

Sounds baassackerds to me!!

Points open, infinity!!

Points closed continuity!!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

JMOR

08-19-2007 14:48:16

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 14:17:09

Your message is confusing to me. You say continuity? Between what two places? If you mean from the brass screw where the coil pig tale touches and distributor housing, then you should have continuity with points closed and no continuity (open circuit) when points open.

Now, whacha got?

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jos_OR

08-19-2007 16:21:00

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to JMOR, 08-19-2007 14:48:16

Wow! I am having this exact dilemma on my 8N at this very moment! Distrib on bench. I will test, as you indicate. Stand By.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ozark Kurt

08-19-2007 16:39:23

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Jos_OR, 08-19-2007 16:21:00

Let me know what you find out. I tested at the pigtail contact screw and still got continuity in both open and closed positions. I think I must be missing some form of insulating gromet at the top of the distributor. What if the breaker arm spring (the metal band)is touching the rear of the distributor? would that cause a short?

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jos_OR

08-19-2007 17:10:36

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 16:39:23

Ah! I think I got it! My short, was the condenser-wire touching the distributor-body (where it goes thru the hole, from above). I BENT it, so it doesn't touch the housing. (And will have to make sure it doesn't touch, when installed & adjusted.)

PS: I got 2-monkeys & a football, to help me :]
I'm going to go install it now...

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jos_OR

08-19-2007 18:11:39

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Jos_OR, 08-19-2007 17:10:36

Well...she still won't start :[

Here's how my problem started:
I was driving in from the field & she died.
I checked spark @ plug & distrib (no spark).
I replaced points/cond, cap/rotor/wires, coil.
No start. So, I pulled distrib & found short.
Still no start.

I have 6 volts @ battery & 2.5+/- @ coil.
I read somewhere that coil (ballast-resistor) *should* have 2.5 or 3-volts?

Maybe my ballast-resistor is bad? (It looks fine)
So, now I'm puzzled (again).
I may go pull the cap, and see IF I have any zap @ points? (at all) ...and maybe run continuity check again. Any clues??

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jos_OR

08-19-2007 18:50:21

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Jos_OR, 08-19-2007 18:11:39

OK... I got it! The coil "pigtail" (spring that goes down into the allen in the distributor) when clamped down, had MiSSed the center of the allen (and rested alongside it) and made no 'electrical' contact. (I found this with the meter.)

I re-aligned the coil (WiTH the "pigtail" IN the middle of the allen) and clamped it down... then checked voltage AT the points (6Volts!)

Buttoned-up the dist-cap ...and started her up.
Da#n gOOd to hear that purrr again :]

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Bob

08-19-2007 19:10:53

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Jos_OR, 08-19-2007 18:50:21

If you've got an ALLEN screw down there, it AIN'T original.

The original screw is quite a bit larger than an Allen-head screw would be, is made of brass, and has quite a tapered "cup area" to catch and center the coiled "spring thingy" hanging down from the coil.

It sounds like someone lost the nice special brass screww from your's, and "subbed" an Allen-head screw.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Jos_OR

08-19-2007 20:29:31

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Bob, 08-19-2007 19:10:53

Ayup (Bob) That wouldn't surprize me. (It's a 1948-8N afterall). In my (meager) book, that screw looks like a *slot*-headed screw (probably brass ---can't tell) and the book shows the condenser-wire clamped under THAT screw (mine was under the same screw that the POiNT-springs are fastened to --that's why it took 2-monkeys & a football to fasten them all under that one screw!)

(Ozark) I ALSO found ONE of my point-springs was possibly touching the back-of-the-distributor housing (which would short it out).

One thing I found helpful, to test for shorts AFTER you're sure (with the distributor on the bench, you HAVE continuity with points CLOSED and NO continuity w/points open) was to install everything back on the tractor ...and then check for voltage (with key ON ... points OPEN) 1) first at the battery
2) then at the wire on top of the coil
3) then check both sides of the points.
Should have 6-Volts at the 1st three locations, and DEAD at the grounded-side of the points.
~~Good Luck!

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Ozark Kurt

08-19-2007 19:23:11

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Bob, 08-19-2007 19:10:53

That sounds like one of my problems. I lost the original brass screw and replaced it with a machine threaded brass beveled head screw. I looked all over to find the original type and had no luck. They are hard to come by and I do not know what they are even called. I think my pigtale is making contact because I feel the resistance of the spring.
Great to learn you got yours running! I am going to have a fellow who specializes only in Ford N tractors take a look at my point job.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

dan hill

08-22-2007 13:53:14

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 19:23:11

A countersink will change the brass screw over in jig time..

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Bob

08-19-2007 16:58:08

Report to Moderator

Re: Short in distributor ??? in reply to Ozark Kurt, 08-19-2007 16:39:23

Of course that would cause a short.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy