akadeutsch
Member
Hello all. Long time reader, never needed to post. I'm the new owner of John Deere 55EB. It's in great shape. It's got the inline 6, 217 engine. With a 2 row corn head and the 12 or 13' bean head as well. Both look to be easily restorable... yeah right.
Approaching the machine the guy selling it told a story. "Dad used it until it was parked in the barn for 10 years, could be 20. Then 2 years ago, could be 5, we dragged it outside to make room in the barn. We dragged it because we couldn't get it running."
I asked, did anyone ever try to get it going?
"Not that I remember" he said
So I went to work. 12 volt system negative ground. That's easy. I added a 945cca deep cycle. I checked the oil, and replaced the fuel pump. I cleaned the carburetor, and primed the fuel to the carb from an small gas tank i brought with me. And it cranked. I thought this was going to be a fruitful day.
But a week later and I still don't have spark...
I've replaced the coil, the cap and rotor, the wires, I gapped the points after I replaced them. I did not gap the condenser. But I did replace it and test the new one with my multi meter. Voltage rose when I looked for resistance and discharged slowly when I switched to voltage. With that I figured the ignition system was good. Because I replaced everything besides the plugs.
But still no spark...
So, I stared looking into the ignition key switch system and here's where I'm getting stuck. The machine came with original manuals. Great condition too. The starting procedure calls for the use of a starter button. The key is only to be used to turn on accessories, if my understanding is correct...
But the starter button was used to crank the engine. This makes sense because I can't find a starter relay anywhere on the machine. And i can't imagine an ignition key that can handle the high current necessary for the starter circuit.
But here's the thing, if you turn the key far enough the machine cranks. Not sure it came that way? Not sure if it was retro fitted? I only know that if I turn this key the engine will spin in the right direction.
And also that the starter button is broken. Is this why Dad parked the machine? I don't know. But the button shows open in each position and closed in each position, regardless of the operation of the button. It needs to be replaced.
This left me with questions
Was the key replaced?... it looks original
Why does the machine crank with the key if Im supposed to use the button?
What happens if the kids were trying to move the machine but didn't know they were supposed to use the button to start it?
If the kids kept trying to use the key to start it what component would fail?
Not having answers to those questions lead me here. But I wasn't done. I thought to myself, I said, "self, you don't need the key to turn on the accessories. You can just run 12volts to that coil and then crank the engine by whatever means available. That should make this old deere fire smoke. So I ran 12 hot volts to direct to the coil.
But no dice. I've been losing sleep. Losing friends. The Napa guy quit answering my calls. Im Pulling out the few hairs i have left and still I'm out of ideas.
So please help! Pease ask questions.
I'll run around and take some pictures today. I may throw new plugs at it just to say I did it
Also it's worth mentioning the points already looked brand new when I went to change them. As did the condenser. The dizzy cap was the wrong model and I don't think it was contacting the rotor. But the owner said everything is original and it all worked when it was parked 10 years ago... could be 20.
Approaching the machine the guy selling it told a story. "Dad used it until it was parked in the barn for 10 years, could be 20. Then 2 years ago, could be 5, we dragged it outside to make room in the barn. We dragged it because we couldn't get it running."
I asked, did anyone ever try to get it going?
"Not that I remember" he said
So I went to work. 12 volt system negative ground. That's easy. I added a 945cca deep cycle. I checked the oil, and replaced the fuel pump. I cleaned the carburetor, and primed the fuel to the carb from an small gas tank i brought with me. And it cranked. I thought this was going to be a fruitful day.
But a week later and I still don't have spark...
I've replaced the coil, the cap and rotor, the wires, I gapped the points after I replaced them. I did not gap the condenser. But I did replace it and test the new one with my multi meter. Voltage rose when I looked for resistance and discharged slowly when I switched to voltage. With that I figured the ignition system was good. Because I replaced everything besides the plugs.
But still no spark...
So, I stared looking into the ignition key switch system and here's where I'm getting stuck. The machine came with original manuals. Great condition too. The starting procedure calls for the use of a starter button. The key is only to be used to turn on accessories, if my understanding is correct...
But the starter button was used to crank the engine. This makes sense because I can't find a starter relay anywhere on the machine. And i can't imagine an ignition key that can handle the high current necessary for the starter circuit.
But here's the thing, if you turn the key far enough the machine cranks. Not sure it came that way? Not sure if it was retro fitted? I only know that if I turn this key the engine will spin in the right direction.
And also that the starter button is broken. Is this why Dad parked the machine? I don't know. But the button shows open in each position and closed in each position, regardless of the operation of the button. It needs to be replaced.
This left me with questions
Was the key replaced?... it looks original
Why does the machine crank with the key if Im supposed to use the button?
What happens if the kids were trying to move the machine but didn't know they were supposed to use the button to start it?
If the kids kept trying to use the key to start it what component would fail?
Not having answers to those questions lead me here. But I wasn't done. I thought to myself, I said, "self, you don't need the key to turn on the accessories. You can just run 12volts to that coil and then crank the engine by whatever means available. That should make this old deere fire smoke. So I ran 12 hot volts to direct to the coil.
But no dice. I've been losing sleep. Losing friends. The Napa guy quit answering my calls. Im Pulling out the few hairs i have left and still I'm out of ideas.
So please help! Pease ask questions.
I'll run around and take some pictures today. I may throw new plugs at it just to say I did it
Also it's worth mentioning the points already looked brand new when I went to change them. As did the condenser. The dizzy cap was the wrong model and I don't think it was contacting the rotor. But the owner said everything is original and it all worked when it was parked 10 years ago... could be 20.
