# TO35 burning points



## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

Hello,
My dad has a TO35 and it ran great for years. the points finally gave up. We have replaced them and all the other components. Took it into a tractor repair shop that had an older mechanic that new (supposedly) how to work on it. After much time and parts thrown at it, they got it to run. 
The mechanic says that the new style points for these are junk.
The tractor ran great for about an hour and started sputtering again. Bad points again.

Is there a solution for the points burning or finding some quality points that will last? Last set were from Napa seemed to last the longest.

Is there an electronic distributor option for this tractor?

Thanks for any help.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

Bad condenser.


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## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

Condenser was new. What would cause it to go bad other than being cheap?

Coil, Wires, plugs, Cap, rotor condenser and points were all new. Ran good for an hour.

Thanks for the reply.


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Is this a 6V system or a 12V conversion?


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## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

BigT said:


> Is this a 6V system or a 12V conversion?


It is a 12 volt system.


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## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

I suspect that you have a 6V coil in a 12V system. Measure the primary coil resistance (ohms). The primary coil resistance for a 6V coil should measure 1.5 - 1.6 ohms. For 12V service the coil resistance should be about 3.0 - 3.2 ohms. The design current flow through the coil/points ~4 amps. 

Too much current burns the points. You can put a ballast resistor (your NH dealer should have) in series with the coil to limit current to about 4 amps, or you can buy a 12V coil with built-in resistance. NAPA points are about the best you can get these days.


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## SidecarFlip (Mar 25, 2021)

With ignition components, 'new' don't necessarily mean good. All depends on where they were made and attention to quality. Import components are always suspect, some more than others. if you buy cheap, you usually get what you pay for and most times, that don't end well.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

BigT is right as usual.... You either need a ballast resistor wired into the + lead going to coil, or an internal resistor coil. If you're constantly feeding 13 - 14VDC (with the engine running) into a point ignition system, you could buy the best points ever made and they'll still burn up pretty quickly. Points don't like much more than 4 amps. If you've got a DVOM that can read amps.... Read the amperage at the distributor lead, if it's more than 4 amps, any points you install are going to be on borrowed time


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## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

BigT said:


> I suspect that you have a 6V coil in a 12V system. Measure the primary coil resistance (ohms). The primary coil resistance for a 6V coil should measure 1.5 - 1.6 ohms. For 12V service the coil resistance should be about 3.0 - 3.2 ohms. The design current flow through the coil/points ~4 amps.
> 
> Too much current burns the points. You can put a ballast resistor (your NH dealer should have) in series with the coil to limit current to about 4 amps, or you can buy a 12V coil with built-in resistance. NAPA points are about the best you can get these days.


Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

I was able to check things out. The tractor barely runs. The resistance between the + and - posts on the coil is 1.5ohm. With the tractor chugging and sputtering at a low idle the amperage out of the coil to the points is between 3 and 4 amps at round 8 to 9 volts . The coil has no indication on the outside what voltage it is or if it is a resistor type.

I am going with according to the info given that it is a 6 volt resister type coil.

Would the procedure be to replace the coil with a 12v resistor type coil and replace the points and condenser with Napa parts? Set the gap at 15 or is it 22 thousands?

Thanks.


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

MB 135 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Thanks for the reply.
> 
> ...


If you're getting 8-9 volts with it running, and there's no visible ballast resistor in the circuit, it's probably a 12V resistor coil. Point gap spec is .022.... It probably has a Delco distributor, You could just buy the genuine Delco parts. Point Set: 1882965.... Condenser: 1869704.... Rotor: 1905590....

Points quality isn't going to get any better in the years ahead because they won't be selling enough to have them made any where else but China. I love the old school stuff, but it may be time to upgrade to an electronic ignition KIT.....

ELECTRONIC IGNITION FOR DELCO SINGLE POINT DISTRIBUTOR


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## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

Bob Driver said:


> If you're getting 8-9 volts with it running, and there's no visible ballast resistor in the circuit, it's probably a 12V resistor coil. Point gap spec is .022.... It probably has a Delco distributor, You could just buy the genuine Delco parts. Point Set: 1882965.... Condenser: 1869704.... Rotor: 1905590....
> 
> Parts quality isn't going to get any better in the years ahead because they won't be selling enough to have them made any where else but China. I love the old school stuff, but it may be time to upgrade to an electronic ignition KIT.....
> 
> ELECTRONIC IGNITION FOR DELCO SINGLE POINT DISTRIBUTOR


Thanks for the info.

I was hoping someone would mention if there was an electronic kit or distributor.😊

I will look into this kit and see what is needed and make sure it fits the tractor.

Thanks again.


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

MB 135 said:


> Hello,
> My dad has a TO35 and it ran great for years. the points finally gave up. We have replaced them and all the other components. Took it into a tractor repair shop that had an older mechanic that new (supposedly) how to work on it. After much time and parts thrown at it, they got it to run.
> The mechanic says that the new style points for these are junk.
> The tractor ran great for about an hour and started sputtering again. Bad points again.
> ...








Ferguson TO35 Electronic Ignition Conversion Kit, 12 volt negative ground - 1143


Ferguson TO35 Electronic Ignition Conversion Kit, 12 volt negative ground for sale, 1143. Fits TO20, TO30, TO35, 50, MH50, 65 : - For TO20 with Continental Z120 engine and Delco distributor. TO30 with Continental Z129 engine and Delco 1111740 distributor, TO35 and MH50 with Continental. Z129 or...



www.yesterdaystractors.com





Here is one......I have never known anyone to use it but here it is..... Also, Steiner has several options here.....I have ordered parts from Steiner in the past and had good luck....




https://antique-tractor-parts.steinertractor.com/tractor/Ignition-Kit-To35


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## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

unsquidly said:


> Ferguson TO35 Electronic Ignition Conversion Kit, 12 volt negative ground - 1143
> 
> 
> Ferguson TO35 Electronic Ignition Conversion Kit, 12 volt negative ground for sale, 1143. Fits TO20, TO30, TO35, 50, MH50, 65 : - For TO20 with Continental Z120 engine and Delco distributor. TO30 with Continental Z129 engine and Delco 1111740 distributor, TO35 and MH50 with Continental. Z129 or...
> ...


Thanks,

I have ordered the recommended components to go electronic and will post on here how it goes when I get them and get the tractor up and running or not


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## MB 135 (Jun 6, 2021)

Hello All,

I ordered the parts from the link below that Unsquidly posted, received them quickly. I installed them after watching a couple of YouTube videos and everything went in easily as the instructions said. Did not remove the distributor just the points and condenser. Replaced the coil and plug wires as was recommended by the manufacture. plus added a resistor before the coil per manufacture of the electronic kit. 

Guess what?! IT STARTED and ran!!😊

We ran it for about 15 min using a brush hog and then shut it off. It would not start!! Took some cranking and messing with the throttle for it to fire up. It ran fine after that. 

I was told the charging system on the tractor is not working well, so the battery may not be fully charged and when cranking it there might not be enough volts left to fire the ignition. 

Charged the battery and it starts and then will restart after ten minutes of running.

Looks like another project to work on! lol

Thanks to those who responded to the inquiry 

MB 135



https://antique-tractor-parts.steinertractor.com/tractor/Ignition-Kit-To35


Product Number: EIGN23
*spark plug wires # ABC4340* 
_*Must use w/ ABC348 high voltage coil & ABC366 resistor.*_


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

MB 135 said:


> Hello All,
> 
> I ordered the parts from the link below that Unsquidly posted, received them quickly. I installed them after watching a couple of YouTube videos and everything went in easily as the instructions said. Did not remove the distributor just the points and condenser. Replaced the coil and plug wires as was recommended by the manufacture. plus added a resistor before the coil per manufacture of the electronic kit.
> 
> ...



Sweet...Nice job......Glad we could help ya out and that it looks like it has worked out well for ya......


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