D14 Will not Start

Had the D14 running last month. Started right up. Ran good and smooth. Noticed two weeks ago it’s is not starting. Ran battery dead trying. Charged it back up. Tried today, still will not start. I put gas in the tank. Gas does run out drain in the carb. So I know it has gas to carb I cleaned the points in the rotor next to condenser. I do get spark when turning over. But it is yellow. Doesn’t look strong. I do have spark at all plugs when I connect bulb tester. (Spark plug Wire to tester, tester wire to plug.) Put gas right in all four cylinders still not even an attempt to spark. Should I replace distributor, condenser, and points? I cleaned points and gapped them. Could condenser be bad? Pretty sure I need a distributor cap, mine is not in the best of shape. I noticed the battery smoking after cranking the engine over for a while. Starter is. Not warm but cable terminals on the battery are so hot, that I can’t touch. This is a 12 volt system.

As always, Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Try removing the air filter oil bath. Breather might be plugged.

Gary

I would replace the spark plugs.  You should be getting a bright spark.  If it does not start, then spray starting fluid into the carburetor air intake.  If it runs on the starting fluid, the problem will be in the carburetor.  

are the plugs getting wet? if not then it's not getting gas.  I trace the spark back.  if the spark ain't good at the plugs, I then look at the spark at the plug wires, then back at the coil. when the d17 wouldn't start, I traced the spark back and didn't have any at the cap.  the cap was completly corroded, when I took the coil wire out the brass piece from the end of the coil wire stayed in the cap it was so corroded.  

Edited by dt1050 - 16 Dec 2017 at 3:38pm

I'd listen to Gerald.  

All Wires are new as well. I went one under recommended size. If it was to be 12 I went 10 or 14 I went 13 etc. plugs are not wet. But I sprayed gas right into each cylinder and still did not have any spark. I do not think I have a resister. Not sure if could 6 or 12. Like I said it was running great. Now nothing

X2 on the coil or resistor, check polarity of ignition, too.  Also check key switch for continuity, when you release the starter function...

Looking at a new coil. I see there is an internally resisted coil for about $20. And an hot coil (55000 volts for about $50. I’m assuming i need the internally resisted as I do not see a resister block on the tractor. Is this right?

If the Tractor is 12V, you need a coil that Ohms out at between 2.7-3.3 Ohms. A 3.0 Ohm coil will put you right in the middle. First thing I would do is change out the Battery, Batteries shouldn't smoke. When they do, there's a problem somewhere. Also, make sure your cables are in good shape and your Grounds are clean and tight. Before you condemn the coil, change out the Battery first and see if it comes to life. Just may be the Battery causing your troubles. Yellow spark is not good. You need a Whitish/Blue spark for good fire power. Change out the points and condenser after a new or different Battery is put in...
Steve@B&B

Put known good battery in, same problem. Ordered new distributor cap, distributor rebuild kit that includes rotor, condenser, points, and spark plugs. Also new coil with internal resistor and distributor dust cap.

So i got my new parts yesterday.  Put new points (and gapped to .20), condensor, distributor cap, dust cap, and a new internal resisted coil.  Still will not start.  It has spark at the points and spark going to the plugs checked by tester (pictured below). Plugs get wet, so it is getting gas. While working I dropped my work light, and, in the dark found out what was causing the smoke mentioned in earlier posts.  Earlier, I thought it was the battery smoking but it is not.  When the light was off, I noticed a bolt that connects the gas tank support bracket to the side of the battery box glowing orange when I had the starter engaged.  When I let the key off (starter not moving) no glow.  Turned key to engage starter, bolt was glowing again.  Being so close to the gas tank is a little scary. Hopefully the picture I took will show what I am talking about.  The black wire shown is running from the battery to the starter (positive)  In the picture it looks like it is touching the bolt that glows but it is not, it is a few inches away. The silver line on the bottom is the gas line.   Orange metal on left of picture is the battery box.  Orange metal on right of picture is the gas tank.  The flat stock is the gas tank and battery support.

you need 3 things to run a gas engine.
1) gas..plugs are wet so that's 1 down
2) spark..tester says yes... 2 down
3) timing..you need the spark at the correct time to go bang

Any chance you've replaced the plug wires into the wrong holes ? Firing order is 1243, #1 being at front of the engine. This is where having taken even ONE picture is worth 1,000 cuss words ! I'd suggest, pulling all the plugs, rotate engine( vice grips on PTO shaft, engaged, work well for me) and find top dead center of #1 cylinder. Remove dist cap and see where the rotor point. THAT position is where #1 plug wire goes, rest go in CW from there 1-2-4-3. After that REMOVE VICEGRIPS ! (yeah I KNOW why....), try to start. It should fire up. Now I also KNOW that the gears that connect the dist shaft to the guv can get totally chewed due to lack of oil...and when(if) you pull the dist off you will need to 'retime' the engine though IF you take lots of pictures ,you may be able to put it back as it was.
I'm hoping it was an oopsy moment and you just pulled the wire off, put them back on as 2-4-3-1 when they should be 1-2-4-3.
my finger are crossed for you!
Jay

Plug wires are correct order. I will check timing. But I am still concerned about the glowing bolt. Has to be shorting out somewhere

Nothing should be heating up anywhere.  Take the bolt out and use a wire brush all around near where the hole is. The terminal on the cable may be oxidized to the point where you'll need to brush it down to the copper. I'd replace the bolt. You want bright shiny metal at all your connections, before you put the wire on them. Use a drill motor and round wire brush. Once a connection oxidizes it's very difficult to clean.  This may be your problem. There would be a large voltage drop at this point.

I think that is where I need to start. Cleaning that area and new bolt. Although it is clean. I replaced all wires when refurb. Bat terminals are shiny clean. No crud anywhere as I just restored a little more than a year ago. What a pain because to get to the bolt and clean it good, I’ll have to take hood and gas tank off.

Of corse this couldn’t happen when it is summer. 5 degrees outside and about 15 in the barn makes the job even more miserable.