[AJD] Unstyled B conundrum

[Bill Brueck]

I changed mags on a later model B several years ago.  That was before I had
manuals and Internet and such luxuries.  The coupling had a different angle
on the replacement mag and I just loosened up the governor housing enough to
lift it up and skip a few teeth on the gear.  A little trial and error and
it was timed OK again.

Yeah, I know, not the right procedure for a restoration.  I wasn't trying
for a restoration, I had my farmer hat on and needed to get a tractor
running.  I remember that was the tractor that had been converted to an
alternator.  But the engine wouldn't rev up enough to start the charging.
So I put a push button on the dash to excite the alternator so it would
start charging.  

It ran just fine.

B²

Bill Brueck
   Chatfield, Minnesota, USA

Confusion is a higher state of knowledge than ignorance.
 

-----Original Message-----
From: antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:antique-johndeere-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of
Mike Scholl
Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2009 5:20 PM
To: Antique John Deere List
Subject: [AJD] Unstyled B conundrum


I looking for an answer to a problem that started in 1945 or 1946.
 
Sometime in 1945 or 1946 my 1935 John Deere B was fitted with a modified
short-lug coupler Wico X magneto, I'll assume to replace its 'problematic'
F-M DRV2B.  As many of you are aware of, aside from the lug length, there is
also a difference in the lag angle between short and long lug coupler.  
 
My Wico X has the 6274 short lug coupler, but the lugs have been lengthened
nearly 3/8".  I don't know what was done if anything other than the lug
lengthening.
 
In the 30+ years that I've had the tractor, it has always run well, but 2
years ago I decided to restore it so my grandson can drive it in parades and
things like that.
 
Since the tractor will be compared to others of similar vintage, I decided
that I'd try to get as close to the way it was when it left Waterloo as my
pocket book would allow.  With that in mind, I bought a F-M DRV2B.  It is a
good mag the throws a nice spark when I bench test it.  
 
Here's my problem... When I put it on the tractor I cannot adjust it to
where the impulse trips anywhere near "LH IMPULSE".   It's still too cold
here in Minnesota to work in an unheated garage and when it warms up I plan
to pull the governor case to see if there are register marks on the cam and
governor shaft that might show that I am off register.  I've explained my
problem to an expert and been told that there is a fair chance that I'm
looking in the right direction.
 
Here's my question... Is there anyone out there that has encountered a
similar situation that can say "Yes, this was a common practice" or "No, a
single gear tooth off would give you more than the difference in lag angle
between the long and short lugs".
 
Any insight is appreciated!
 
Thanks in advance,
Mike
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