JD 40T eating condensers

[40deerenut]

My 40 is going thru a new condenser in about 2 minutes of running. Was having problems off and on with it going through condensers so I rewired it totally. It is absolutely wired correctly according to the wiring diaghram and the discription of each wire and where it comes from and where it goes that is below the diaghram. No fire thru coil to rotor, put in new condenser and get good fire for about 2 minutes and dies like you cut the switch off, replace and same thing again. Any ideas what is causing this? This is still 6 volt positive ground.

 

[Ken]

Thinking the condenser is used to suppress the arc when points open .and to be destroyed quickly. Have you changed the coil or measured the voltage when points are open .

ken

 

[40deerenut]

changed the coil and same thing. Voltage on open points is 6.

 

[Ken]

Battery + Positive connected to a clean ground point then - Negative wiring through switch to coil and then wire to points terminal with points open and switch on you have a Neg.6 volts. then touching wire to metal the coil should arc to plug with out condenser. if so then connect condenser with the positive side to ground side and neg. side to points. You may be purchasing condenser with ground on negative side .
There is no real current to cause condenser to fail just a pulse at each opening of points.
ken

 

[40deerenut]

The condensers I bought from JD and have the correct part # on the box according to my parts manual. JD part # AT 14468 T

 

[Ken]

O'k then remove all wiring to the coil and check the wire to the points look for a fazed wire or short inside the distributor. then connect coil and run a jumper wire to coil for voltage directly from battery.
keep working back through ignition looking for excessive current flow.
Just a guess . Maybe a wire is connected to generator or alternator. with high charging voltage /current

This is a circuit that a condenser usually lasts until tractor is worn out.
ken

 

[40deerenut]

OK, I've got it fixed, I guess. I took the coil from the 55 model (the one that came on it new) that i am restoring and put on it. I noticed from a picture in my repair manual that the coil is mounted up side down, so I put it on that way. Put in a condenser that gave me the indication of going bad and it fired up. Still cranking and running. The coil that was on this tractor when I bought it was upright and was working but I would have to change condensers about once a year. Never knew a coil had to be mounted upside down. I guess being oil filled has something to do with it. Thanks for the help.

 

[Ken]

A coil should be able to work in any position .
Once had a truck that would quit in high humidity or rain and failed to locate the problem until one dark night Had started the engine and raised the hood the coil was glowing in the dark. moisture had broken down the insulation.
Well came close to guessing the problem by suggesting to one at a time back track until finding the problem.
What part of Mena do you live? Nice area of the State.

I had a 40 T a few years ago . Neighbor I had known 50 years borrowed to grade his drive with the box blade. making a right turn ran tire up a log and flipped the tractor. was found by wife that came to call him in for lunch. Be careful .
ken

 

[40deerenut]

I live SE of Mena about 18 miles at a little place called Shady. Cabin looking down in a good sized creek that runs in to the Cossatot river.
Originally from Ashdown where I was raised of a cotton, corn, watermellon purple hull pea, and cattle farm!

Yeah, I thought a coil should work in any position also, but that sure fixed the problem, or something else did that I'm not aware of. I let it run for a good long time and re-started it several times and it's still starting. And starting on the first crank, Easier than it has been.

My dad flipped his over backwards once. Was pulling a wagon loaded with hay and went across a ditch. Wagon shoved the tractor forward and it stood up on the rear wheels. Dad rolled off of it and out of the way and it came on over. Tore up the muffler, steering wheel and some more stuff. A feller really has to be carefull on a tricycle! About the only thing I use it for is to lay off rows in my garden and cover the rows up with the disc hillers. I have a set of cultivators, disk, 2-bottom breaking plow, and mower all made for that tractor. Dad gave $1,900 brand new for the tractor that I am restoring on Jan. 2, 1956. I have the cancelled check and invoice for the thing!! This one I'm working on now is a '53 model I bought for parts and got it running. My dad's is disassembled for restoration, except when I retired I moved and don't have a shop now. I will, eventually.