[Farmall] International A died (and I am baffled)

Wed Jul 1 13:25:32 PDT 2009

Mike, I wondered if the coil not having a resister would have anything to do with the points burning out, although it took several years to do so.  

I think from what Jim Becker, you, and others have said, I should get a resister and put it front of the coil (assuming the coil is still good).  I am pretty sure it is a six volt coil with no internal resister.  Now maybe there is a resister put inside the switch box for the A.  I need to check that.  

I have heard good things about electronic ignition modules.

THanks

Larry

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Sloane" <mikesloane at verizon.net>
To: "Farmall/IHC mailing list" <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 1, 2009 10:36:24 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: Re: [Farmall] International A died (and I am baffled)

Burned points are often the result a bad condenser. Also, the quality of 
the contacts currently being offered is nowhere near what it used to be.

I would be very concerned about the coil if there is no ballast resistor 
- coils with internal resistors are the exception rather than the rule.

It may be time for a new coil in any case - the symptoms you described 
previously certainly point in that direction.

I have gotten to the point where, when I am having ignition problems 
with my IH (non magneto) gas tractors, I replace the coil and install a 
Pertronix No. 1442 ignition module in place of the points and condenser. 
While this is not a cheap solution, in *every* case it has eliminated 
the recurring problems with burned points, hard starting, erratic 
running, and loss of power. I got this note from another forum:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I recently purchased a Pertronix #1442 Electronic Ignition for $68.00
plus a little under $7.00 Shipping (they charge actual UPS cost) from
www.helmarparts.com. I received it in 2 to 3 days. Seems to be a good
company to deal with. Seemed like a pretty reasonable price and I just
wanted to pass the info along.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I have not dealt with this outfit, but that is a better price than most 
Pertronix suppliers.

Mike

ebony51 at frontiernet.net wrote:
> Folks,  I got looked and the points are bad.  I thought I had the
> correct set but not, so I need to run to the Case-IH dealer to see if
> they have them.
> 
> I noticed there is no ballast resister before the coil.  I have had
> the tractor probably 8 or 9 years and it has ran fine. I suppose the
> coil could have an internal resister but the coil has been painted
> over so I cannot tell what it is.
> 
> I assume for a 6 volt coil, one needs a ballast resister before it.
> 
> I do not know if the coil is bad or not. The points certainly are.
> 
> For a 12 volt coil, does it need a ballast resister after it so 12
> volts to not go to the points and burn them up?
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Larry
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Showers"
> <showersroger at yahoo.com> To: "Farmall/IHC mailing list"
> <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com> Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 2009
> 7:34:42 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: Re: [Farmall]
> International A died (and I am baffled)
> 
> LARRY IF WELL START AND RUN COLD AND QUIT WHEN HOT I'D SAY COIL THE
> HEAT EXPANES THE BROKEN WIRE AND PULLS IT APART
> 
> --- On Tue, 6/30/09, ebony51 at frontiernet.net
> <ebony51 at frontiernet.net> wrote:
> 
> 
> From: ebony51 at frontiernet.net <ebony51 at frontiernet.net> Subject: Re:
> [Farmall] International A died (and I am baffled) To: "Farmall/IHC
> mailing list" <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com> Date: Tuesday, June
> 30, 2009, 6:33 AM
> 
> 
> Carl, I checked the wiring, but it will not hurt to check it twice
> and to check the plugs.  Yes, the symptoms of my tractor sound
> similar to yours so it might be something similar.  Hope it is
> something simple.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Larry
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: szabelsk at gdls.com To: "Farmall/IHC
> mailing list" <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com> Sent: Tuesday, June
> 30, 2009 6:00:52 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central Subject: Re:
> [Farmall] International A died (and I am baffled)
> 
> Larry,
> 
> Check the spark plug and coil wires. I had a similar instance last
> year with my Cub. I was mowing and it suddenly started to labor, to
> the point where I had to raise the mower so that I wasn't cutting the
> grass. I stopped to see if maybe something was wrapped around the
> mower blades loading it down. Didn't find anything so decided to
> continue mowing hoping things would clear up. I had a hard time
> starting, and once I got it going it was running rough and had no
> power. Noticed a lot of carbon coming out of the exhaust so I pulled
> the plugs and cleaned them up. It started right up after that, but
> just didn't seem to be running right. I went back to mowing and in a
> few minutes it was laboring again. Pulled the plugs and they were
> dirty again. Figured something had to be wrong with the ignition 
> system so I started to check it out and noticed that one of the spark
> plug wires seemed to be sitting on the distributor cap a little
> differently than the other. Pushed it in and the problem went away.
> The plug must have come loose and backed off enough that one of the
> cylinders wasn't firing. That would explain the loss of power and why
> the plugs got so dirty. After a while I remembered that I had a
> similar problem when I first got the Cub and it was the same thing,
> one of the spark plug wires backed off of the distributor cap.
> 
> 
> Carl Szabelski
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ebony51 at frontiernet.net Sent by:
> farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com 06/29/2009 10:54 PM Please
> respond to Farmall/IHC mailing list
> <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> 
> 
> To Farmall/IHC mailing list <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com> cc
> 
> Subject [Farmall] International A died (and I am baffled)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I was mowing with my International A today.  It was missing and then
> it finally quit.  My first instinct was something plugging the gas
> line.  I took off the sediment bulb and cleaned it.  Nothing.  I took
> off the gas line from the sediment builb to the carb and gas was
> getting through and the strainer was not clogged.  I took off the
> carb and sprayed some carb cleaner in it.  Still would start.  I
> sprayed some starter fluid in the air cleaner and the tractor started
> but barely.  Hardly ran and then very low idle and just for maybe 30
> second.
> 
> Any suggestions.  I figure it got to be gas or electrical, and I
> thought gas first.  Kind of ran out of ideas regarding gas but maybe
> I missed something. Got dark and I quite mesing with it this evening.
> 
> 
> Thank
> 
> Larry Hardesty _______________________________________________ 
> Farmall mailing list 
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall
> 
> 
> 
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