Electrical problem/deadfault ground in distributor

[scott gillespie]

I installed new plugs, wires, condensor, points, cap, and rotor last fall in my '53 magneto ignition cub. I ran the tractor for about an hour and parked it (in my garage) for the winter. The tractor now refuses to start. I have spark from the magneto to the coil and from the coil to the distributor cap. I do not have spark from the distributor to the plugs though it appears as though the top of the rotor is riding on the bottom side of the distributor cap. A continuity test with my meter indicates that I have good continuity throughout. One friend of mine thinks I have a bad coil even though I get a spark (blue tip but mostly yellow) to jump from the wire on back of the coil to within 3/8 - 1/2 inch from the frame. He claims the spark is not hot enough to feed the plugs via the distributor. Another friend claims the coil is fine and that the source of my problem lies in the wires from the condensor, points, and coil becoming grounded out at the metal stud going through the distributor housing even though I have it insulated from the frame via a bakelite washer and electrical tape. The fact that I had to replace the condensor because it was faulty after only one hours of run time has me leaning toward replacing the coil. My thinking behind this is that if the coil was going bad, it may have caused the condensor to overheat and ruin it even though it had just been replaced. Any suggestions, advice, etc. would be appreciated at this point. Thanks in advance. Scott

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

There is a gear on the rear of the rotor that drives off a pinion idler gear. These gears will sometimes wear and break a ttoth or two, and cause the rotor not to turn, or to be off so it isn't pointed at a wwire terminal when it should be. Check these first. The rotor is only available through Case/Ih dealers.

[Bigdog]

The fact that you can throw a spark of that quality assures that your points, condensor and coil are working fine. Your issue is delivering the spark to the plugs and delivering it at the right time. Remove the distributor cap and crank the engine over to assure that the rotor is turning as it should. Then clean the wiper contact on the rotor button and make sure the timing marks are lined up. The other possibility is that the distributor cap has drawn moisture and is shorting out the spark. Spray the inside of the cap with WD 40 and wipe it out well.

[artc]

as john said, it's most likely a rotor problem. see if you can easily turn the rotor, its probably stripped where its molded to the gear.
more common than you think, i'm told... ask me how i know