timing on farmall A

d shipp · Aug 1, 2009

The neighbor is 85 years old and has been trying to get his farmall running for quite awhile his grandson got it running on two cylinders but the popping back drive the neighbors nuts not to mention the harm to the tractor. I tried to set the timing the way I did on my MF but that does not work, so I need some help.You guys got me through mine so here I am again.It is a 1940 farmall A. It has magneedle and I am not sure how to set it with this. I tried and i get nothing. so any help would be appreiated as I want to fix it before he ruins it. Thank you.

gene bender · Aug 1, 2009

Check the wires and the firing order. Are you sure that when #1 is on compression the rotor is lined up with the tower on the cap. The firing order is stapmed on the block in letters so you shouldnt have any problems with that.

mattofvinings · Aug 1, 2009

This may be re-stating the obvious but I've never seen a L4 engine that did not fire 1-3-4-2.

#1 is the crank pulley end, #4 is the flywheel end.

CNKS · Aug 1, 2009

I thought "L" usually designated flathead as the the Ford 8N, etc?

Anonymous-0 · Aug 1, 2009

Yes I did all this and I get nothing they had the wires 1234 and I fixed that but they had the mag out and I am not sure how to saet this in. I tried to set it up so it would fire on # 1 but I can't even get it to back fire and he has no book on where to start over at so I am just guessing.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 1, 2009

I would pull the mag off again. First , pull the reduction gear cover off (little plate that holds rotor spindle ) and carefully look over the two gears. Should have a tooth on small gear that has a undercut on it. Rotor gear should have a L and R stamped on it . Align the undercut on small gear with the R on rotor gear and reassemble. Next, pull 3 screw cover off and make sure points are in good condition and set at .013 clearance. Reassemble and turn by hand clockwise to check for good snap of impulse and check spark. When doing this, use the coil wire from coil to dist cap and take due care. Then pull number one spark plug, crank and feel compression with finger. If you can find timing mark on flywheel under clutch housing align mark. If not, be darn sure piston is at least to tdc or slightly past. Turn mag backwards until rotor is near number one position and you can put mag back on, may require slight movement eiether direction but if you go too far clockwise impulse will set and you will need to go all the way around again to number on going backwards.

CNKS · Aug 1, 2009

Another version -- With mag out, turn rotor or drive in the front until the rotor is pointing at #1. You will feel resistance, any more movement and it will trip. Carefully install mag making sure that the gear engagement does not move the rotor. Once it is engaged, set the top of the mag (coil) next to the block. Pull it away from the block until it trips and tighten. Best to check the timing marks under the tractor, but they can be very hard to find. As Pete said you must have #1 at TDC before doing this. Timing with a mag is no different than with a distributer -- except that with a distributer you must watch for a spark. With a mag, you can feel/hear the trip which is when the spark occurs.

Jim Becker · Aug 1, 2009

I've never seen a L4 engine that did not fire 1-3-4-2.

The ones that don't go 1-2-4-3.

ScottyHOMeY · Aug 1, 2009

Put what I'm about to describe together with what CNKS described up above.

You need to get the motor in top dead center on the compression stroke of the #1 cylinder. This is easiest done if you have a hand crank for the tractor. If not, you can bump the starter to get close and finish up by turning the fan to bring it up. Most easily accomplished with the polugs out to eliminate the compression resistance to turning. With your finger stuck into the plug hole on # 1, you will feel it trying to push air out past. Keep turning until you can see, with a light through the plug hole that the cylinder is at the top. YOu can also fashion a piece of wire and in such a shape that when you stick it intot he plug hole to rest on top of the piston, you can observe it move down as the piston moves up and vice versa. Ans there's always the timing mark on the flywheel if you can find it. The point is to get the inwards of the motor set up to TDC on #1, then set up the mag as CNKS dscribes.

THa's not exactly by the book and there's other nuances to it and getting it dead on , but that should get you running in the absence of other problems.

d shipp · Aug 7, 2009

Well gentelmen I wish to thank you all very much. It is now running and the old guy is smiling. Hopefully he will leave thing alone and and let it stay running. Again thanks.dshipp10576@gmail.

timing on farmall A

d shipp

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gene bender

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mattofvinings

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CNKS

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Anonymous-0

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Anonymous-0

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Jim Becker

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d shipp

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