Posted by John T on September 21, 2016 at 06:38:07 from (216.249.81.101):
In Reply to: 666 Weak Spark Revisit posted by in-too-deep on September 20, 2016 at 18:11:48:
Too deep, there are too many unknowns here to give any perfect answer but I will do the best I can under the circumstances to answer your question.
Based on what you say I will assume you have a 12 volt tractor that uses a 6 volt coil with an external ballast resistance (or wire or thermistor) plus a start by pass system that applies unballasted battery voltage to the coil ONLY when cranking THATS HOW I WILL PROCEED IF THATS NOT WHAT YOU HAVE THIS IS DIFFERENT.
YOU STATE:
Battery voltage 12.34v
Battery voltage with ignition on 12.05v
RESPONSE
Since the ignition system ONLY draws around 4 amps with points closed (as normally are) that doesn't sound like any real good strong battery HAVE IT LOAD TESTED AND INSURE ITS WELL CHARGED
YOU STATE
Battery voltage when CRANKING 10.15v
RESPONSE
Unless the starter is bad drawing excess current, again that don't sound like any real good strong or adequate CCA battery
YOU STATE
Voltage at coil with key on 3.9v Really scratching my head there. Why only 3.9? Don't I want all 12 or at least 10.15 at the coil?
RESPONSE
With key on and points closed (as they are normally when engines not running) IFFFFFFFF its a 12 volt tractor with a 6 volt coil and series ballast resistance (or wire or thermistor) ID EXPECT MORE LIKE 5 TO 7 VOLTS so that 3.9 sounds like the ballast resistance is too high or the resistor or thermistor or resistive wire is bad or one of the connections is bad and/or resistive dropping voltage. THERE MAY BE A BAD OR LOOSE OR RESISTIVE CONNECTION IN THE IGNITION AND BALLAST CIRCUIT THATS DROPPING VOLTAGE!!!!!!!!!
ALSO a bad resistive ignition switch can be dropping voltage with ign on and points closed, hot wire the switch to by pass any resistive contacts and see what happens
NOTE to test the ballast by pass system (If it has one) see what the coils input voltage is WHEN CRANKING !!! When cranking it should rise way above that 3.9 volts you measure when its just setting there with ignition on. Again it may be a bad resistive ignition switch.
NOTE I cant say from here if you have a ballast or 6 volt coil orrrrrrrr some have a thermistor resistive ballast versus a regular discrete ballast and some have a resistive wire that's temperature compensated that starts out at low but then higher resistance once warmed up.
HOWEVER 3.9 volts on the coils input with points closed and ignition ON SOUNDS TOO LOW FOR A 6 VOLT COIL (if that's what you have??) and I suspect a bad ballast or bad thermistor or resistor wire or a bad connection or bad ignition switch causing that such low 3.9 volts.
Try to hot wire voltage to the coils input to eliminate any bad switch or bad connection or bad ballast problem to get coil voltage up and see how she starts????????????????????? Don't let it run too long if its a 6 volt coil !!!!!!!!
HAVE BATTERY LOAD TESTED,,,,,,,,,,CHECK ALL CONNECTIONS,,,,,,,,,,MEASURE COIL VOLTAGE INPUT WHILE CRANKING,,,,,,,,,,,,,,TRY TO HOT WIRE COIL DIRECT TO ELIMINATE ANY SWITCH OR BALLAST PROBLEMS
YOU STATE:
Why only 3.9v at coil though?
RESPONSE
Bad ballast or bad thermistor or resistor wire or bad resistive ignition switch (try hot wire)
John T Long retired Electrical Engineer and rusty so no warranty
Upload one or more videos to your post. Photo filesizes should be less than 300K and Videos, less than 2MB. Formats allowed are gif, jpg, png, ogg, mp4, mov, and avi. Be sure to use filenames without spaces or special characters, and filetypes of 3 digits lower case.
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 ]
Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
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.