Ignition coil

[DAVECUB]

I have a 1950 Cub, battery ignition, 6 volt, positive ground.

The + side of the ignition coil is connected to the distributor. The tractor has been running well, but I have had to replace the points about every 2 years or so.

I have two questions: (1) should the + side of the coil be connected to the distributor, or should it be the minus side?
(2) if it should be the minus side, could this be why I have had to replace points fairly often?

Any help you can give me is much appreciated.


Thanks.

[Glen]

Hi,
Yes, the short wire from the coil + post, to the side of the Battery Ignition unit is the positive wire.

The - post on the coil gets power from wire from the ignition switch.
It is connected backwards from a negative ground system, being a positive ground system.

If the points burn in that time, or metal moves from 1 point to the other, it could be because you have resistor ignition wires, or resistor spark plugs.
I had that happen on my Cub, it had resistor spark plug wires several years ago.

I asked the man I buy things from at the Case IH dealer in my area, he has been there over 40 years.
I told him what it was doing, the points kept burning, and metal moved from 1 point to the other, he asked if it has resistor spark plug wires or resistor spark plugs, I said yes, it has the wires, he said change them to solid core wires. He said the Cub ignition system was not designed for resistor wires or spark plugs, they upset the balance in the system.
I changed it to solid core wires.

It may say on your spark plug wires, or spark plugs if they are resistor. The wires might say suppression on them. The spark plugs might have R in the number on them.
Use a light to see them if needed.

[DAVECUB]

I just checked the ignition wires. The only markings I could find say "Electrotemp Ignition Cable". I think this refers to the insulation material on the wires. I don't know if the wires are solid core or not. Could this type of insulation be on either solid core or suppression wires?

Also, does "solid core" mean the core is metallic (like copper) rather than carbon?

The spark plugs are Champion D23, so I don't think the plugs are a problem.

Comments?

[tmays]

You can pull the wire from a plug and look inside to see if it has stranded wire running through it. If it’s carbon fiber, change them out. Check all the plug wires

[Jim Becker]

A bad condenser can cause the point material to transfer from one point to the other. If the items already mentioned are okay, you might try a new condenser.