losing fire on my cub

IBleedIHRed · Mar 12, 2014

I have a 59 Cub Lo-Boy. Still on 6-volt system. It started right away, ran perfect. About two minutes later it sputtered and went dead.

I have fire(6V+) to the coil to the negative side of the coil, the positive side to the distributor has no fire.

What is up? Any help would be appreciated.

cole in mo. · Mar 12, 2014

I think the points have to be closed before you have fire there.

Janicholson · Mar 12, 2014

The voltage will be on the switch side when the switch is on. most tractors stop with the points closed, and if they are closed there will be no voltage on tha distrinutor side because the points are closed. To chack the point action, check that voltage again while cranking (be safe in neitral) if it goes from 5 volts to nothing then back (varies) it is working OK. Make sure the fuel is on. Make sure the fuel is getting to the carb. Jim

IBleedIHRed · Mar 12, 2014

When I have everything wired, I have no fire on the to the distributor side of the coil, when I disconnect the wire I have fire to the distributor side. Something is cutting the fire out.

504 · Mar 12, 2014

The distributor is the ground,check with a test light while trying to start it. Sounds more like a fuel problem.

David G · Mar 12, 2014

You should get spark the instant the points open.

The coil builds a magnetic field while the points are closed, then collapses when it opens, thus creating a spark.

Bob · Mar 12, 2014

Here's a link to a tutorial on ignition system operation to help you understand what is needed to make spark in a Kettering ignition system. (It's a John Deere book on an IH site!)
FOS20

IBleedIHRed · Mar 12, 2014

could not open your link

John T · Mar 12, 2014

With the ign switch on there should be voltage on the coils (from switch) input. Over on the coils output to distributor terminal, there should be voltage when the points are open but no voltage when they are closed WELL DUH.

Read and work through my Troubleshooting Procedure for coil ignition problems.

John T
John Ts Ignition Troubleshooting

IBleedIHRed · Mar 12, 2014

I am a novice at best, so be patient.

But why after sitting up after a long winter does it start right up, runs like a sewing machine and then lose fire from the coil to the distributor.

Janicholson · Mar 12, 2014

Again there is no ""fire"" at that place in the circuit. You are checking a ground to ground. The points must be open to have "fire on that wire. To see if this is the case, take the distributor cap off, and rotor and dust cover if it has one, and put a folded corner of a dollar bill between the contact points. now turn on the ignition switch, and test both sides of the coil. If it now has voltage "fire" on both pull the dollar out and put the cap back on. The points at least are probably good. By the way they are set at .020" apart when the little 4 lobed cam is pushing them open and the rubbing block is on the high point of the cam. Jim

Tom Fleming · Mar 13, 2014

I agree with 504, this sounds more like a fuel problem. A Cub will run for at least a minute on the fuel in the bowl before it dies. I would absolutely make sure you don't have a fuel problem first.

If you have good, constant fuel flow to the carb, then you can start checking things in the ignition. If it truly is the ignition, there could be a short inside the distributor on the condenser wire amongst other things, however, start with the fuel, and we can go from there.

The reason I say it is fuel, is that for it to behave like that, I would expect that the tractor had been running for awhile and the coil heat up, then fail (failed windings), however, that usually happens after it has been running for awhile and heats up.

Check the fuel and let us know your progress.

mkirsch · Mar 13, 2014

(quoted from post at 20:41:53 03/12/14) I am a novice at best, so be patient.

But why after sitting up after a long winter does it start right up, runs like a sewing machine and then lose fire from the coil to the distributor.

Like others have said, there is no "fire" there.

"Fire" normally means SPARK, by the way. To check for spark, you pull the center wire off the distributor cap, slide the protective boot back, and hold it near the engine block while cranking the engine with the starter. You should get a nice blue spark that easily jumps a 1/4" gap.

If you have "fire" then "fire" is not your problem.

Not for nothing, but did you turn on the fuel? I've been bit by that once or twice myself. Tractor fires right up, runs like a sewing machine, then "loses fire." After going through all the troubleshooting to see if I had spark, I forgot to turn on the gas!

CharlieNJ · Mar 13, 2014

I wonder if your problem is low voltage to the coil, and your battery ran down below what voltage was needed to fire spark. After sitting all winter, maybe you need to polarize your regulator again.

IBleedIHRed · Mar 13, 2014

How do you polarize the regulator?

David G · Mar 13, 2014

You polarize the generator, not the regulator.

John T has posted many comments on polarization

Janicholson · Mar 13, 2014

If it charges when running do not mess with that system. If you charge the battery over night all testing will be fine. Don't go their. Jim

losing fire on my cub

IBleedIHRed

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