[AJD] timing crash test.............

[Karl Olmstead]

Sounds like you're making some progress, Nick.  And you've learned a 
valuable lesson.  I know two guys who have started a tractor (in gear) while 
standing in front of the rear wheel.  One lost a leg, the other spent four 
months in the hospital.  His chest was crushed.  And those are the lucky 
ones!  Most antique tractor fans have developed a routine; they always 
'jiggle' the gearshift lever before turning the key or stepping on the 
starter.  Always.  That works, unless the shifter is very sloppy and wiggles 
even when in gear.

I've given a lot of thought as to how to push or pull start a tractor by 
myself, and the only thing I can see to do is chain the tractor to my 
forklift.  I could set it up so that I can pick the rear wheels off the 
ground with the forklift as soon as the engine starts.  Sounds good in 
theory, but I haven't had enough guts to try it yet.  One of the problems 
would be climbing on board to disengage the clutch... with the rear wheels 
churning away.

I've pull-started a truck by myself.  I ran the ignition wires up to the tow 
vehicle, and disconnected them as soon as the truck started and tried to 
catch the tow vehicle.  Can't do that with most tractors.

Anyway, sounds to me like you need a new coil, and maybe capacitor.  When 
you say that the coil reads zero ohms, do you mean zero as in less than one, 
or zero as in 'OVLD', or open circuit (infinite resistance)?

-Karl