[AT] My little tiny tractor runs

[John Hall]

Glad you got it running. Even more excited your kids are enjoying it!

I can't recall anyone setting up an ignitor engine on a auto coil, 
doesn't mean it won't work, I just can't recall seeing it done. Going by 
memory those low tension mags send current to the ignitor all the time. 
I wonder how long the ignitor will be able to tolerate that much 
current? Did he use an auto coil or a Model T buzz box style?

Regarding your magneto, make sure mechanically it is pretty 
sound--shaft/bushings/conditon of the housing itself. Mine was really 
worn and eventually the gears were not meshing well with the engines 
gear train, it caused the rear shaft and the main magneto housing to get 
wiped out.

John Hall



On 11/24/2017 10:32 PM, Henry Miller wrote:
> Subject is as my 4 year old says.
>
> As you might recall, I have been trying to get 3 tractors that my great
> uncle made running again. The "John deere" built around a 1.5hp John
> deere e was today's project.  The Magento magnets were weak so this
> morning I called Don Petty who has a magnet recharger. He was in the
> shop so I loaded the tractor on the trailer.
>
> I'm getting ahead of the story. When I tried to put my shoes on my
> daughter (2 years old)  sat on my lap and insisted she wanted to go with
> daddy. So after the adventure of getting her ready (getting a girl
> dressed is always an adventure in my experience) I was able to load the
> trailer up. The magneto was already off, but I was hoping for some
> assistance.
>
> The trip was about 45 minutes, plenty of time for my daughter to fall
> asleep in the car seat. Charging took longer than it should, the magnet
> was stuck on tight. Not very long, but enough that Don remarked about it
> as he pried it off.
>
>
> Then put it all together, this I did myself. About this time my daughter
> woke up so now I was watching both kids run around.  Turn the crank and
> got fuel but no fire.  Check the timing and I was off a notch on the
> gears. This is why I brought the whole tractor with, I wouldn't have
> though to check, but he heard me and crank and came to check.
>
> Next time I put in just enough bolts to hold everything. Crank again and
> still nothing. Timing seemed right though. He grabbed an ignitor coil
> and battery and soon the engine was running. As the engine fired I
> happened to see a huge grin light on my son's face. I grabbed for my
> camera, but I couldn't get the right angle.
>
> I missed this part, but Don told me he tried once the engine was running
> he tried connecting the Magento again, but that didn't work. It ran only
> on his coil. I ended up leaving the Magento with him to rebuild.
> Probably won't get it back before February, but I have plenty of other
> work to do in the mean time.
>
> It was now past lunch time so I left. As I was driving away I did a
> little thinking. After lunch at a Chinese buffet I went next door to
> northern tool and bought one of their 1200lbs wagons.
>
> Back home I grabbed a starter from my uv4 (utv), the starter didn't seem
> to work even when I put it on a battery with jumper cables. Off to the
> auto parts store to have the starter tested, it failed on their machine
> too. New one will arrive on Tuesday.
>
> While there I asked the guy for a 12 ignition coil. It took some work to
> convince him to just go in back and get him one without looking up
> anything.
>
> Back home, assembled the wagon, put a spare battery in it, connected the
> trailer to the tractor and a few feet of wire to the ignitor, using just
> the primary on the coil. That took an hour, but I soon had the tractor
> running and my son driving it, pulling his sister in the wagon. I don't
> know who is the happiest about that.
>   
> As I put my son to bed he asked me to show him his tractor again, so I
> got out the video I took of him driving it.
>
> If you are still reading I have one question. The coil I got said that
> you needs an external resistor which I didn't get. I couldn't convince
> the guy at the store to grab one that would fit, so what do I ask for to
> get one that they are likely to have in stock?
>
> The coil got hot in just a few minutes so I know I need one before I run
> it again.
>
>