Coil/ignition troubleshooting

soundguy

The starter could be drawing too much voltage but if it turns over pretty fast I would say that it would be more than likely that you need to get your ignition system in better shape. Start with a new ignition switch if it still has the original. Then replace the ignition resistor. It is the ceramic thing with the coil of wire in it and the wire coming from the ignition switch to it and the wire going to the ignition coil coming out of it. If it is old and deteriated it will cut the voltage too much and not have good ignition when starting. Don't try to bypass it to get more voltage. It will burn up the ignition coil and the points too if the coil lasts that long.
Replace the points and the condenser. If the original metalic wires are still on the plugs they are most likely still good. If they have ever been replaced they may be on the composition kind with no metal at all in them. If this the case you should throw the composition wires away and get a good set of metalic wires. Copper if you can find them. If the coil is still in good shape it should now start with the starter.

Make sure that there is voltage going to the coil by removing the coil wire from the coil terminal stud and touching it to a good clean grounded part of the tractor frame or block.

Check to be sure that the insulator on the distributor plate where the flat conductor screw goes is not grounded to the distributor plate. This is a common place for a short circuit to be.
Be sure that the spring on the coil is touching the recessed screw that goes into the insulated thingy in the distributor that can be shorted. It must make contact from the coil to this screw with the spring on the coil.

If you have an OHM meter take the distributor off and see if the points are making and breaking when the shaft is turned. If the OHM meter is reading a constant infinity there is a short circuit. If it reading nothing it means that the points are not making up.

A volt meter should read no more than 3 volts with the points closed and battery voltage with the points open. When turning the engine the volt meter should fluctuate. If it doesn’t the points are either shorted to ground or not closing or making contact.

Zane

Thats one of the troubles with the 4-nipple frontmount roundcan coil conversion, where the springy-thingy is supposed to touch the hollow headed condenser screw with authority, it don't 'cuz you probably ain't gottta a springy-thingy or it is twisted off to the side. Infact, that is also the same problem with using the squarecan coil, the danglin' springy-thingy.

You do know its a 2-bolt, 15-min job to REMOVE yer frontmount distributor and change the points (gap = 0.015") on the kitchen table, don't you?

The frontmount distributor is driven by an "off-sett" slot drive scheme and you cannot install outta time without breaking sumptin. Just finger start the 2-bolts and then twirl the rotor until it drops in, now tighten yer 2-bolts. Simple, eh? ..... ...Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

You said you have voltage there, so we know it will light.

Crank the engine with the starter, keeping the test light connected. What does the test light do while you're cranking?