It Happens With Points

When the battery is discharged through the points like this, the points are often damaged beyond usefulness.

Turn on the ignition without cranking. You should see 4 amps discharge or so (tough to predict the exact reading with a 12 volt conversion of unknown quality) on your dashboard ammeter. No discharge? The points are likely toast. You can try cleaning them but in this case I'd replace them.

I don't want to be rude or patronizing, David, but I'm afraid you are doing things the hard way with this tractor.

Keep it indoors when not in use. Read the Owner's Manual and the articles for new tractor owners listed at left, and keep a shop manual handy. When you make repairs do them with the procedures outlined in the manual and with as high quality parts as you can find.

That way, your frustration factor will be greatly lowered.

Look at it this way; you originally subbed in the light switch because you didn't have time to wait for the correct part, right? How much time has that decision cost you since then?

For the record, I don't think you are rude or patronizing. Quite the opposite, I think you and several others have been helping me along nicely with my project. I have learned one heck of a lot and am still learning more every day I work on the B. I hope you will continue. Just so as you know, I have a manual sitting on the desk next to me that I use every day. It is a great resource but doesn't even come close to being as helpful as the wealth of practical experience I can access here. As to keeping the tractor indoors, well, I have five tractors. Two are inside because they are strong running and hard working. The remaining three tractors are fixer-uppers that I bought or was given as projects. They sit outside and are tarped when not in use.
As to the switch? It was a temporary fix until I can find a good used replacement. Michigan is in deep trouble with the economy at the moment. Gas prices are astronomical in the summer, work is hard to find and payment slow to come when you can find it. Sometimes the hard way is the only way. I get frustrated sometimes but I have my good moments too. Anyhow, if I can't fix it I can part it out and scrap the rest. Really can't lose. The switch only cost me about ten minutes and I will replace it soon if needed. Realistically though, why put $60 into a tractor that might be on it's way to China next month? Let's see if this thing is worth saving first.

Sorry. I had got the impression somehow you were a new tractor owner. I think I may be getting two threads mixed up.

Quote: ''I checked the static discharge and it is where it should be. I will look at the points again to see if they were damaged by the other switch. I am thinking not since I have a good spark etc.''

Yeah, if you have the proper static discharge and good, strong spark, the points may well be ok.

I don't know where you find the time to mess with five tractors. I have two and they are all the trouble I need...