I fried the coil, what else did I fry?

[bbushnell]

Happy Memorial Day!

My 1973 IH Cub was working great all weekend. I was just finishing up the mowing when my wife interrupted me with another "honey do" activity. I shut off the tractor, put it in first and went to help her out like a good husband. In about a half hour I came around the barn and my cub was a smoking!

As I approached I could see the coil oozing a clear jel like liquid onto the starter. I went to the drivers seat and realized the key was in the ON position. This particular tractor does not have a push start button, but you turn the key to the extreme right to turn over the starter.

I quickly realized that the starter was getting fried and shut off the key.

I am not good at the electrical stuff, but I pulled off the coil and it was clearly hot and half full of liquid. I pulled the distributor cap, the wires seem OK. I let it cool down, turned the key, nothing. No starter or solenoid sounds.

I pulled the battery and put it on the charger (though I cannot believe it is dead).

Any idea how badly I fried things? Should I just replace the coil? What else might I have fried?

I am in a pretty rural spot so I a have to go get whatever parts I think I need and it is a few hour trip back if I get it wrong!

OH, and why would this happen? Is this thing wired wrong? Seems to me this simple mistake should not cause such damage.


Thanks

[Bus Driver]

In addition to the coil, the points in the distributor may be damaged. Probably nothing else.

[bbushnell]

I think I read on an earlier post that this coil is readily available from an auto parts store? Though the auto store guys wont know it. Is this the case? Where is the best place to get one of these.

Bob

[Don McCombs]

If you have a NAPA nearby, the coil part number is IC14SB.

[randallc]

Key left on, when the points happen to be closed, will overheat the coil, possibly burn the points and drain a weak battery.

[robertst]

If the coil doesn't have interal resistor put an inline resistor in 12 volts will smoke one in a hurry without, i'm guessing that model is 12 volts,Just a thought.

[glennhuff]

As others have said, if your coil melted, then your points are almost certainly shot. They are probably welded together.

glenn

[bbushnell]

Thanks, I will assume the points are smoked and will replace the coil and try to get one with an internal resistor, or add one. The battery was fully charged and the coil was really smoking, I was lucky the darn thing did not catch on fire. Appreciate all the help.

[Boss Hog]

get the # coil as Don stated

[Matt Kirsch]

Unless the key was stuck in the "start" position, the starter wouldn't have gotten damaged.

Having the coil meltdown like that was a bad luck worst case situation. Normally that doesn't happen.

[bbushnell]

Just as a follow-up for all those following this post. I had to replace the coil, the points, condenser, and the ignition switch. All were damaged in this incident. Thanks for all the help and tips. Starter was fine!