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bhaynes 
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Joined: 23 Feb 2019
Location: Chattanooga, TN
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 Topic: WD Not Starting - Looking for help
Posted: 04 May 2019 at 9:14am |
2 things:
1. I have a 47/48 (can't remember) WD. I have fully restored it, however it won't start. It tries, just won't kick over. The magneto is making a loud constant clicking noise when trying to start. Is this normal? I am opening the choke, not opening the choke. Giving it some throttle, etc... The fan pulley, generator, everything is working. Wiring good.
2. Does anybody live around the Chattanooga, TN area that would be willing to help me out and at min. just come take a look? Advice? etc... :)
Thanks again everybody! This project is very important to me and starting to get a little frustrated. This is my grandfathers, grandfather's WD. Been in the family new since the 40's when bought. Trying my best.
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festus51
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 10:30am |
There are a couple of things to check. Is it getting spark? is there fuel getting to carb? If you have moved the mag double check the timing is correct. that is if it turns over?
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We the unwilling Led by the unqualified Doing the impossible for the Ungrateful
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bhaynes
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 10:47am |
- How do I test/find if it is getting spark? I have new wires and plugs.
- Fuel is getting to the carb, so it had a small leak where I didn't tighten the fuel line all the way. So I know fuel is getting through.
- If your speaking about timing, I have the wires going to the plugs that it was originally when it did run last.
- Magneto - when I restored it, I did take the magneto out and apart to fully clean the inside. Nothing inside was changed however, just cleaned, aired out and wiped down. Then back on the tractor.
Hope this helps?
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DougS
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 11:29am |
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Are you sure the magneto is timed correctly? Is the rotor pointed at the number one position on the mag while the piston is near TDC on the compression stroke?
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festus51
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 11:41am |
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One way to check for spark is to take one plug out and ground the threaded portion of plug against the engine with plug wire attached
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We the unwilling Led by the unqualified Doing the impossible for the Ungrateful
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Gerald J.
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 11:55am |
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A better test for spark is to hold the plug end of the wire 3/8 to 1/2" from the cylinder head. At atmospheric pressure a good spark will jump that much of a gap, but at cylinder pressure after compression that good spark will only jump the gap of the plug. Testing with the plug gap at normal atmospheric pressure is not a good test of the available spark voltage.
And the good long spark will be blue.
Gerald J.
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bhaynes
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 12:27pm |
Okay - took the magneto apart and made sure its rotated to the correct piston #1 in the sequence (1243) and rotated correctly. The Mag is open (ready to create a spark) and #1 piston is at TDC.
Put it all back and nothing. Took #1 plug out and tried to hand crank it to see a spark and I don't see a spark at all. UHG - this is frustrating!
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DougS
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 4:00pm |
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Send it to SteveNJ and let him have a look.
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festus51
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 4:27pm |
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We the unwilling Led by the unqualified Doing the impossible for the Ungrateful
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festus51
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 4:29pm |
Gerald J testi ng it my way also tells you if the plug is good
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We the unwilling Led by the unqualified Doing the impossible for the Ungrateful
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bhaynes
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:09pm |
What I don't get is how is the magneto getting power? The only wire on the new harness is just from that kill switch on the side to the ignition switch. But it's a basic open/close circuit, no current. So how does it no to open or close? LOL (see picture). Also - on the Ammeter on the console (new with new wiring harness), the needle doesn't budge at all. Am I missing something and this could be why its not starting? You can see the white / black tracers is the only wire going.
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LouSWPA
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:14pm |
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The magneto generates it's own energy, it is basically a generator with a stepup coil and points inside
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I am still confident of this;
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Ps 27
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Stan IL&TN
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:16pm |
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You don't need power for a mag ignition. The wire you see is to kill or ground the mag to stop the spark and stop the engine after it starts.
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1957 WD45 dad's first AC
1968 one-seventy
1956 F40 Ferguson
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LouSWPA
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:16pm |
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and, the ammeter will not show a charge until engine is running and generator charging. If you have some sort of electrical load, light, etc you may see the ammeter indicate a neg current flow with motor not running
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I am still confident of this;
I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Ps 27
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chaskaduo
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:22pm |
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Mark sure your kill/ignition switch is working properly and not grounding out the Magneto in the run position.
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1938 B, 79 Dynamark 11/36 6spd, 95 Weed-Eater 16hp, 2010 Bolens 14hp
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mdm1
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:29pm |
Everyone on here knows alot more than I but try disconnecting the white wire from the magneto then see if you have spark. Here is a good page to look at also. http://rodnh.byethost12.com/acb/magtiming/magtiming.htm
Edited by mdm1 - 04 May 2019 at 5:29pm
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Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
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bhaynes
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:40pm |
Well, I took the wire off. Left the wire on the spark plug (took the plug out) and cranked to see if I could see a spark. DID NOT see any spark. Looked on the other plugs as well.
So unless I am thinking wrong or tested that incorrectly, I either have a bad magneto OR bad spark wires?
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CTuckerNWIL
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Posted: 04 May 2019 at 5:40pm |
Take that wire off the side of the mag and check with a meter to ground. When it is grounded, you will have NO SPARK, so that wire has to be "open" in order to get spark. You said "took the magneto apart and made sure its rotated to the correct piston
#1 in the sequence (1243) and rotated correctly. The Mag is open (ready
to create a spark) and #1 piston is at TDC." Number 1 has to be at TDC of the COMPRESSION STROKE or it won't be in time. Take #1 plug out, put your thumb in the hole and crank it over till you feel compression. Then bring it to TDC and set timing for #1 to fire. The easiest way to check for spark is the way a neighbor used to do it. grab ahold of one plug wire with one hand, and grab the frame of the tractor with the other. When it rolls over for that cylinder, you should FEEL it. You might not want to do this if you have a pace maker or defibrillator  and you may never do it that way again. Better yet, have somebody else hold the wire, while you crank it.
Edited by CTuckerNWIL - 04 May 2019 at 5:43pm
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DougS
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 4:12am |
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I doubt your plug wires are bad. You've stated that they were changed recently. I hope you've used solid core wires, not that suppressive wires wouldn't at least show a spark. I suspect that either something got reassembled incorrectly or one of the coil leads inside the mag got damaged. Are the points in the mag gapped correctly?
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JaredC(WI)
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 7:21am |
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I'm with Chaskaduo, bypass the kill switch and see what happens.
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MACK
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 8:04am |
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With cap off, like in your picture, hook a wire to terminal on red coil. Hold other end of wire 1/4 inch from block. Rotate engine we nd there should be spark jump to block. If there is a spark, put cap back on in time. Put a plug wire in cap and try same thing with plug wire. Engine may have to turn over two times to get spark.
I would guess cap is not on in time. Or mag out of time. MACK
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savedallis1953
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 8:25am |
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I once owned a 1938WC, beautiful machine. The mag would make spark when held in my hand and turned over with a thumb over the plug wire holes, oh yeah. Reinstalled it and timed it with the "F" on the flywheel and cranked a few hundred times in all "correct" positions and with #1 in compression stroke.So for the meantime I Fab'd a battery box and installed a distributor starts every time, even after sitting for 9 years. I guess I am a procrastinator.
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1953 WD, 1953 WD, WD engine with WD-45 crankshaft.
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ac fleet
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 9:04am |
Mags are a POS, and super picky about everything. ( I have changed all but 2 of mine to dist.)
You should see spark across the points with the cap off IF your coil and points are good, no need for using just one cylinder for this test, takes 2 people to work it but will tell you real quick IF the mag is making any spark at all. If you have spark at this level then you have to get it to the plugs at the right time.--That's where the real problem starts since all the gears have to be in the right marks.---should be a dot on the gears to line up and be close enough to run, then turn mag body to fine tune while running. If this don't work I would say the mag is dead and will need to be either rebuilt or get a new one. They have to be re-built using special test bench, so it's not something every Joe can do. -- If you want to keep original, send mag in!--Me I would get the dist conversion, much cheaper and more reliable, easy to work on, simple made, etc. This is what I run into, so the choice is yours.
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Don(MO)
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 9:05am |
 MACK wrote:
With cap off, like in your picture, hook a wire to terminal on red coil. Hold other end of wire 1/4 inch from block. Rotate engine we nd there should be spark jump to block. If there is a spark, put cap back on in time. Put a plug wire in cap and try same thing with plug wire. Engine may have to turn over two times to get spark.
I would guess cap is not on in time. Or mag out of time. MACK |
What Mack said X2.
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3 WD45's with power steering,G,D15 fork lift,D19, W-Speed Patrol, "A" Gleaner with a 330 corn head,"66" combine,roto-baler, and lots of Snap Coupler implements to make them work for their keep.
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mdm1
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 9:38am |
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Have to ask. Did it run before you started working on it? Maybe see if someone in your area could test the mag for you. Try a spark plug tester. Try another plug wire, maybe one you took off if it ran before. The ammeter has nothing to do with the mag. I had that problem with one of my B's but can't remember what it was. Sorry. But my mag was good.
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Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
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bhaynes
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 9:54am |
Thanks everybody. I hate to convert it to a 12v as it is an heirloom and call me sentimental, but trying my best to keep it as original as possible. I will eventually end up going that route I am sure, but last resort. :)
Yes - It DID run about 1.5/2 years ago. Fired right up and I drove it around. My grandfather tried to fire it up about 6 or 8 months ago and it wouldn't kick over. This is when I got it shortly after and started restoring it.
I took the mag apart, but NOT the guts. Basically, just took the cap off and the 2 halves to clean the inside and inspect the guts. Everything still looks brand new from the factory. "appears" excellent shape.
I will try/attempt a spark with the cap off. If I can determine that the Mag is working, then I know it's something else.
Anybody know or have a good resource in the South East part of Tennessee? :)
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bhaynes
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 11:04am |
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I watched a few videos on the mag. When I turn the rotor inside the cap, it doesn’t seem to be hitting copper points. Are they supposed too?
I honestly think at this point, it’s the mag not creating a spark.
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Stan IL&TN
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 11:05am |
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have you cleaned the points? Running a piece of coarse cardboard like a matchbook cover or thin card stock will clean and polish them. They will sometimes get oxidized from just sitting.
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1957 WD45 dad's first AC
1968 one-seventy
1956 F40 Ferguson
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Dave(inMA)
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 11:50am |
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No, the rotor isn't supposed to touch the brass contacts. The mag builds enough charge to easily jump the gap between the rotor tip and the contacts.
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WC, CA, D14, WD45
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Alberta Phil
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Posted: 05 May 2019 at 4:21pm |
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If your mag has the gear to the rotor in the large cap, are you sure the timing mark is lined up with the marked tooth on the steel gear in the main part of the mag. If you didn't get those two gears timed correctly, your mag will not work even if the coil is good. It's easy to get it out of time when meshing these gears if you're not familiar with FM magnetos.
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