'52 Super A won't start

Warspite · Apr 1, 2012

For the last couple of weeks I've been serious about getting my Super A running again. It had been sitting in my grandparents barn for quite some time, the last time it ran was probably 10 years ago.

Anyway, this weekend I installed a new wiring harness, voltage regulator,
ammeter, light switch, coil and fuse holder. A couple of years ago I installed new plugs, points, condensor, and wires. I had the generator checked at a local shop and it's working as it should.

The engine will turn over, but I'm not getting any fire at the plugs.

I have triple checked the wiring harness, and I'm fairly confident I installed it correctly.

Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

Brian2 · Apr 1, 2012

Check to see if you have spark.
Do you have a coil or mag ?
Does it fire at all ?
Wouldn't be a bad idea to pull off the valve cover to make sure all the valves are unstuck before you bend rods, pour oil on them too. Don't be cranking an engine that has sat for a long period of time for long since the bearings won't have much oil, if any in them.

If you have spark, the next step is the carb, is it getting fuel? there is a screen in there, as well as in the shut off bowl. You can take the fuel line off the carb to see if there is flow or not.

You didn't mention doing anything to the carb, I would take it all apart and clean it if you haven't already.

Warspite · Apr 1, 2012

Nope, no spark at all.

I have rebuilt the carb.

I did pull the valve cover last year and everything looked ok. All the valves were working as they should.

El Toro · Apr 1, 2012

If you have a distributor you need to see if there's voltage to your coil. With the points open and your ignition switch in the on position
you should have voltage on both small terminals
on your coil. You need to use a volt meter or test lite. If there's no voltage you need to check for voltage at your ignition switch. There should be a wire feeding battery voltage to it. If there's voltage feeding the switch find the wire on your ignition switch that feeds voltage to the coil. With the switch on see if there's voltage on that terminal. If there's voltage there replace the wire from the switch to your coil. If there no voltage on that terminal replace the switch. Hal

Brian2 · Apr 1, 2012

I'm sorry, had I have read you initial post better, I would have had all the answers I asked lol...I don't know enough about coils to even have much more to offer, but fear not you will find your answers from others shortly.

riverbend · Apr 1, 2012

Try cleaning the points.

You should see regular (tiny) sparks there when you are cranking the motor. You should also get sparks when the points are closed and you open them by hand (with the ignition on).

Greg

John T · Apr 2, 2012

If its a battery powered coil distributor ignition instead of a Magneto, try this:

http://www.ytmag.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=farmall&th=5745

John T
John Ts Ignition Troubleshooting

ken house · Apr 2, 2012

hot wire it.

run a small wire from the hot post of the battery to the battery side of the coil. if it starts, you have a wiring problem. if it does not start, you probably have a coil or point or distributor or fuel problem.

davida · Apr 2, 2012

Don"t know if it is the same as a 140 or not but twice I have had the condenser terminal hitting the distributor housing when I put the new condenser on. Grounds it out and will never spark until that is fixed.

Warspite · Jun 4, 2012

Time for an update:
After much time tinkering and money spent, the 'ole girl is running again!
The short version...the spark plug wires were in the wrong order. In the mean time, the points have been set correctly, the starter rebuilt and a new carb installed. This tractor hasn't run in more than 10 years, but other than a little smoke after start up, it runs great!

Now, the next problem has presented itself...the clutch is frozen. I really don't want to split the tractor to replace the clutch.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice and I will spend some time reading up on clutch repairs!

'52 Super A won't start

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