[AT] tractor electrical question

John Hall jtchall at nc.rr.com
Thu Aug 26 19:54:57 PDT 2021


No PO, we bought it new. Put a new harness on 20-25 years ago--its in 
good condition and we haven't hacked into it anywhere.

6 or 12 volts to the coil (depending on if the pts are open/closed) 
except when cranking, then it maintains 12. It is my understanding the 
starter solenoid is what provides the boost in Voltage when the starter 
is engaged--I verified it is outputting 12 volts when starter engaged 
and I had the wire disconnected from solenoid--this is on the R terminal.

The new coil is marked 12V, nothing else, yet the description on the 
bill was for 6 volt. It was in an unopened CaseIh box. Part number on 
the box and online manuals matches my 50 year old paper parts 
book--thats encouraging. Trying to cross over the CaseIH part # to see 
exactly what it calls for doesn't really work too well, I kept getting 
different answers, thats why I ordered one from the dealer--not saying 
its right, but figured OEM would be the simplest.

The old coil was probably on there for 15+ years--it only had one wire 
to the + terminal. IH schematic shows 1 wire as well.

I've looked for an external resistor and so far have found nothing. 
Researching online suggests ignition systems using resistor wire--I have 
no idea about such.

I'm willing to go get a coil from the parts house or rob one off a 
lawnmower for testing. I just need this thing fixed ASAP as I don't have 
another tractor to do what it does--and my time needs to be spent on 
other things. Bad how this stuff never happens in the off season when 
time is on your side!!

John Hall


On 8/26/2021 10:27 PM, Carl Szabelski wrote:
> If you’re reading 6V at the coil on a 12V system with the engine off 
> and the ignition switch in the on position, then you’re dropping 6V 
> from the starter relay to the coil. That would indicate you have a 
> ballasted ignition system which has a ballast resistor in the wire 
> going from the relay to the coil. There should be a second wire 
> attached to the + terminal of the coil that provides 12V during a 
> start by temporarily bypassing the ballast resistor through the 
> ignition switch when you start. The reason the new coil is marked 6V 
> is because that’s what you need. The coil should only need 6V when the 
> engine is running. Running at 12V will cause the coil to overheat and 
> eventually fail. Applying 12V during a start for a short time doesn’t 
> hurt it.
>
> If you don’t have the second wire, then you probably have a coil with 
> an internal resistor. That requires 12V to the coil at all times, 6V 
> will be dropped internally through the internal resistor. Maybe the PO 
> did some rewiring and left a ballast resistor in while putting in a 
> coil with an internal resistor. If you do have an in-line ballast 
> resistor and a coil with an internal resistor, then you have too much 
> resistance and you’re dropping too much current going through the 
> coil, which gives you a weaker spark. That may be why putting 12V 
> directly to the coil makes it run better. You’re overcoming the extra 
> resistance with twice the voltage.
>
> The first thing you need to do is determine which type of system you 
> have (ballasted or non-ballasted), and if you have the right coil 
> (internal resistor or not). From looking at the wiring diagram I sent 
> earlier it doesn’t seem to indicate you should have a ballasted system 
> since it doesn’t show a second wire at the coil. But again, maybe the 
> PO made some modifications?
>
> Now if you’re dropping 6V at the starter relay, then the relay or the 
> connection to the relay is suspect. That’s why I suggested testing the 
> starter relay to see if you were dropping voltage there.
>
> Once you have a definite idea of what type of system you have, it 
> should make finding the problem easier.
>
> Carl
>
> On Thursday, August 26, 2021, John Hall <jtchall at nc.rr.com 
> <mailto:jtchall at nc.rr.com>> wrote:
>
>     points, plugs, cap, rotor and coil are all new. I verified with my
>     50 year old parts book and it has the same part# for coil as what
>     online parts at Case is showing. The new coil has 12V on the
>     outside, but the bill had 6V. Box was sealed up, but it came from
>     overseas, so a lot of variables there
>
>     Point gap was verified when I had the distributor off and plate
>     out so I could make sure weights were free and springs not broken.
>
>     I had my voltage regulator with me yesterday. When I tried to
>     check at coil with engine running rough, it showed OL for whatever
>     reason. I've checked so much stuff lately that I'm not sure but I
>     think I got 6 and 12 volt readings depending on where the points
>     were once I shut the engine off. I tried checking the voltage with
>     engine running at the fuel solenoid for reference and it was
>     floating all over the place from 4 to 13.5V. This was observed
>     with the engine hot and running rough. With engine not running it
>     holds steady a little over 12.
>
>     Last night I also found that the wire to the coil and the wire to
>     the R terminal on starter solenoid can read 6V (little less
>     actually) while the wire going to the fuel solenoid in the carb
>     was reading 12V.
>
>     John Hall
>
>
>
>     On 8/26/2021 6:35 PM, Howard Pletcher wrote:
>>     It's not unheard of, particularly since many of those parts now
>>     come from overseas.  To me, swapping with another if you can find
>>     something to swap with would be the easiest way to prove or
>>     eliminate that as a possibility.
>>
>>     Make sure your points setting is close to spec and they are clean
>>     as that would affect the ignition.  Have you looked at your
>>     plugs, not thinking that's the problem, but if they are fouled or
>>     badly gapped, they could have an effect.  You also might run it
>>     until it heats up and needs the 12V to see if it still shows 6V
>>     to the coil.  If not, then it's somewhere else in the circuit.
>>
>>     Many of the other things suggested have no connection with the
>>     ignition circuit.
>>
>>     On Thu, Aug 26, 2021 at 5:12 PM John Hall <jtchall at nc.rr.com
>>     <mailto:jtchall at nc.rr.com>> wrote:
>>
>>         Howard, you are leaning toward new coil and old coil are both
>>         bad?
>>
>>         John Hall
>>
>>         On 8/26/2021 3:47 PM, Howard Pletcher wrote:
>>>         No, what he is reporting is just what should be happening. 
>>>         With the points open, no current is flowing through the
>>>         primary circuit and there is 12V at the + side of the coil. 
>>>         When he bumped the starter and closed the points, the
>>>         current flowing through the resistor in the primary circuit
>>>         results in a voltage drop so that there is now 6V on the
>>>         coil as intended.
>>>
>>>         The wire from the starter to the coil does send 12V directly
>>>         to the coil, but this is only engaged while the starter is
>>>         cranking in order to produce a hotter spark for starting and
>>>         is not connected to 12V  the rest of the time.
>>>
>>>         The fact the coil seems to require 12V to its terminal when
>>>         hot points to an internal problem in the coil as discussed
>>>         by Dell in the Yesterday's Tractors article.
>>>
>>>         Howard
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>         On Thu, Aug 26, 2021 at 2:53 PM Carl Szabelski
>>>         <c.s.szabelski at gmail.com <mailto:c.s.szabelski at gmail.com>>
>>>         wrote:
>>>
>>>              By the way, I believe it’s not the coil and is related
>>>             to the cranking motor. Especially since the voltage
>>>             drops when you bump it like you said. Something in the
>>>             motor may be partially shorted or corroded, causing a
>>>             voltage drop to the coil. The coil should always see 12V
>>>             whether or not there is a resistor, internal or
>>>             external. The resistor is essentially after the coil
>>>             winding and drops the voltage after the winding, not
>>>             before it. If the engine is running fine when you
>>>             directly connect 12V to the coil, the coil is working
>>>             like it should and is good.
>>>
>>>             Carl
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>     -- 
>>     Howard
>>
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