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Intermittent spark at the points

Farmall Super A, AV, 100, 130, & 140 1939 - 1973
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Eugene
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Zip Code: 65051
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Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby Eugene » Tue Jan 17, 2012 7:03 pm

Congratulations on getting the engine started.

You can static time the engine using a multimeter or test light. Normally static timing is very accurate.

I know I suggested sticking a finger in the #1 cylinder spark plug hole to test for compression. My big mistake. You only need to use a thumb or finger to close off the spark plug opening - not stick a finger into the cylinder.

Now that you have found the timing marks. Take the wire brush I mentioned earlier and clean out the marks. Then using white paint - paint the marks - making sure the paint gets into the grooves/marks. Wipe off the wet paint - leaving paint in the marks. Makes the marks much easier to see when using a timing light.

Cost of ignition parts. The price varies greatly from one retail sales outlet to the next.

Edit: Timing light. Any of the medium priced one will work just fine. Any of the big box stores carrying autoparts, such as Wal-mart, should have a decent quality one at a reasonable price.
I have an excuse. CRS.

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crowdaddy
10+ Years
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Zip Code: 49071

Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby crowdaddy » Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:32 pm

I couldn't get my mind around how that might work, until I sealed it off and checked for air. It was a bonus to see for the first time, the little marks on the pulley like on a drafting ruler, or ruler with a fingernail dent in the center. Kind of subtle, not real pronounced. I will paint that area. It is pretty grimy. Now that it is running, the grease and stuff should be scraped off somewhere in the woods where I won't track it all over. Maybe clean it up.

Eugene, it was good to hear from your view about the light. I have a multimeter, so I will check that out first.

I'm going to like this site, thanks for helping me.

Stan_VA
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Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby Stan_VA » Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:21 pm

Until you get your timing light, a few tips that may help...

First verify the advance is working. With engine off, pull the distributor cap off, grab the rotor and twist it, it should move a little (maybe 1/16 of the circle, ~20 degrees) and spring back to it's rest position. If it doesn't move at all it's rusted and needs to be cleaned up.

Second, with the engine running at idle, losen the distributor clamp and rotate the distributor counter-clockwise should give you advance, clockwise should retard the timing. If you just rotate till it "sounds good", you will usually be too far advanced. It will run fine and be peppy/responsive with no load, but put a load on it and you will quickly lose power as it starts detonating. My experience is if you find where it "sounds good", then retard the timing (go clockwise) until the motor begins to sound like it's laboring, your timing will be close and should pull strong under a constant load.

Not saying to skip the timing light, just trying to help until you get there in case you need the tractor. And congrats on getting it going!
Stan.
52 Super M, 53 Super H, 52 Super C, Wheel horse C101, JD 140.

crowdaddy
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Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby crowdaddy » Wed Jan 18, 2012 7:28 pm

Thank you Stan, nice to have people who follow and are concerned. I pushed four inches of snow with the distributor loose and did micro twist both retard and advance, Retarding being clockwise, and Advancing counter clockwise. I noticed very little, but there was some(by ear) difference in smoothness. I semi tightened the bolt to it. I haven't tried the wiggle test with the distributor rotor to check the play or no play.

I got what work needed to be done with it then drove to the road to push some snow banks, to test it's endurance a little more. I had no hesitations under mild stress. Never got the wood loaded as I'm not ready to get too far from the shed and shelter. I have lots of wood to split up close to the house, so I use it to load a trailer full and not go very far.

I also plowed uphill and had no hesitation. I have had it cut out before under stress before it quit and I posted on this site. But it always started up and ran when I used the appropriate gear.

Where it gets a workout is when I haul big oak blocks from downed trees up hill to my splitting area. I'm ahead this year in that I don't really have to go very far so I can avoid that hill. With Feb, coming up I may just stick by and pull those blocks up in March or April. We will get some heavy snow here yet, so that will be the test for it.

I will do some reading about how to time it with a light, I will get a medium priced light and see if I can time it. It will be a worth while project for me. And it sounds like with this website, there is lots of help, thank you Stan! What type of tractor do you use?

crowdaddy
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Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:15 am
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Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby crowdaddy » Thu Jan 19, 2012 5:45 pm

You were very accurate with that method of turning the distributor too far advance by listening. When engaging the hydraulics for the plow it dogged some, so I moved the distributor, retarded it, until I heard rough, moved it a small snitch back and it quit laboring on the lift with the plow. It must be pretty close, as I was moving some pretty good snow banks today, at least two hours worth of a six inch snow.

Great tip, Stan, thank you.

Stan_VA
10+ Years
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Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 2:53 pm
Zip Code: 22728
Location: VA, Midland

Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby Stan_VA » Thu Jan 19, 2012 10:39 pm

Glad you're still making progress! As far as what I use, it's one of the Supers, either C, H or M depending on the task, my mood, which one is closest to the barn door, etc :) I tend toward the C or the M most of the time, I think the H only got pulled out once last year for a parade (it's still the sharpest looking one). They are all set up very similar with live hydraulics and 3 pnt hitches, so they're fairly interchangeable depending on size of the task. I lost my grader blade setup when I sold my 2nd cub, so next project is fitting a C72 blade I just picked up to my Super C. Since I changed over to 230 style hydraulics it's going to be a little more work, and my task list (currently timing belt and heater core on a volvo, several sewing machine repairs, need to help kids get ready for a speech and debate tournament, and I suppose I should squeeze work in there sometime as well...) is always greater than my time so progress is going slowly as usual. But since you are making progress, I'll claim a small involvement with that to feel like I'm getting somewhere ;) ;) Thanks!!!!

I'll attach a pic of them, it's several yrs old, taken when I just finished the Super H. The C has had the motor changed with another experimental job since the picture so it's not all one color at the moment, but that's just one more back burner project... ;)
Attachments
tops.JPG
52 Super M, 53 Super H, 52 Super C, Wheel horse C101, JD 140.

crowdaddy
10+ Years
10+ Years
Posts: 31
Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:15 am
Zip Code: 49071

Re: Intermittent spark at the points

Postby crowdaddy » Fri Jan 20, 2012 8:42 am

Your tractors are the nicest I've seen. They look brand new. You take great care of them. Thank you for taking time out from your work to show them to me so many miles away. We are getting ready for the 3rd round of snow this afternoon. This time I'm entering the snow in confidence with the 140. We live in the snow belt, where the Great Lakes delivers lake snow repeatedly once it starts. Arctic air goes over the somewhat warm water of the big lake and creates lake effect.
Some people say it isn't real snow. It looks like snow to me. It is very beautiful snow, light and puffy.

You've heard of it I'm sure. It can be unpredictable. The 140 has been our saving grace. Thank you again for your experience and know how.


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