Charger 12.... Round one..

[BPEisenhower 524]

I figured it would be a good day to see what exactly I got myself into. Evidently a wonderful mess! Hooked up battery pack... turned key..starter engaged, hit hard once and broke off. Since I was in a good mood and have a booster on battery, I can still check for spark anyways..Right?  Cleaned, gapped and no luck. After getting blisters on thumb and index finger from spinning engine by hand using a engine screen screw 😡 I wasn't thrilled and took a screwdriver to the backside of ignition switch and shorted out 2 terminals and have spark and plug. After speaking with Achto, he says that I have the magneto and points style ignition that is costly when no good. He mentioned that I can convert it to the traditional style points and 12v coil and different ignition switch. Any idea what coil, condenser and switch is needed? 

[pfrederi 17,147]

Any internally resisted 12v coil will work. Amazon Evil bay etc... Pick up a  generic 5 pin switch at a big box store.  just make sure it has an 'I" terminal not an "M"

 

 

Edited March 9, 2020 by pfrederi

[ebinmaine 63,117]

 

Toro part number for that switch is 103990.

 

Regular points and condenser.

The other things you're going to need is the pushrod to activate the points and the points cover itself.

 

A to Z tractor would have that stuff I would imagine.

 

I haven't done one yet personally but I understand it's a very easy conversion.

[ZXT 2,394]

If I read you correctly, you had spark after shorting out the back of the ignition switch? Doesn't really make sense, since it doesn't work off of battery power. 

 

If your setup is good, run it. If you in fact don't have spark, we could probably get you going.

[cafoose 3,144]

This is what I did on my GT-14 with electronic ignition. Hope it helps!

 

 

[Achto 26,550]

35 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

The other things you're going to need is the pushrod to activate the points and the points cover itself.

 

Don't think that he mentioned it in his post, but the engine already has points. So I thought that switching to a battery ignition would be the easiest thing to do.

[Guest 88vic]

I was thinking about doing the same thing with mine but I didn't see a place for the points on my engine block where it should be. Maybe I was tired but is this possible ?  My magneto still works but I'd rather have the points set up. 

[ebinmaine 63,117]

13 minutes ago, WHEELHORSEFAN*16 said:

I was thinking about doing the same thing with mine but I didn't see a place for the points on my engine block where it should be. Maybe I was tired but is this possible ?  My magneto still works but I'd rather have the points set up. 

Not all blocks are tapped or have the hole for the pushrod.

 

[BPEisenhower 524]

My fault! I failed to mention that it has points and magnetron type ignition. There is a wire running from back of key switch to the points that if I arc across with a screwdriver it does spark at the plug. But since starter broke 😭, I have to turn motor by hand to see if it would spark on its own and doesn't. Either way, I'm going to make it run. Previous owner said it was useless and too old to be practical..... If that's the situation, why is it 10 years older than me and in better shape?!  I will get better pictures soon. 

[ebinmaine 63,117]

1 minute ago, BPEisenhower said:

My fault! I failed to mention that it has points and magnetron type ignition. There is a wire running from back of key switch to the points that if I arc across with a screwdriver it does spark at the plug. But since starter broke 😭, I have to turn motor by hand to see if it would spark on its own and doesn't. Either way, I'm going to make it run. Previous owner said it was useless and too old to be practical..... If that's the situation, why is it 10 years older than me and in better shape?!  I will get better pictures soon. 

those are exactly the kind of owners that you want to buy all of their stuff and run as fast as you can

[Achto 26,550]

1 hour ago, BPEisenhower said:

. There is a wire running from back of key switch to the points that if I arc across with a screwdriver it does spark at the plug.

 

This the wire from the switch to the points should be to ground out the points in order to shut the engine off. Just a guess here, but I bet when you throw positive voltage to the points it is creating the spark that you are seeing. On another note it is usually not a good thing to send positive voltage to a mag coil, often times this will kill a mag.

[BPEisenhower 524]

Grabbed a few more pictures... I thought the points were clean but, I could be wrong. Don't have a points file and a folded piece of 400 grit Emory cloth and electrical contact cleaner might not be enough. Still no spark at points. Even used my fingers to feel a jingle  and nothing

[pfrederi 17,147]

In the future do not use Emory cloth.. it leaves grit.  Use a points file or borrow your wife's steel nail file....

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,496]

Don't apply battery voltage to the ignition wire. That will smoke the coil.

Your points may be not closing or they won't make electrical contact when they are closed. By grounding the wire at the ignition switch you may be doing the same thing the points are supposed to do. One ground of the points = one spark at the plug.

 

Garry

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,496]

Early production 1968 Charger 12 model 1-7231 used Kohler K301S-4712B with starter/generator and battery ignition

 

Late production 1968 Charger 12 model 1-7231 used Kohler K301S-47147B with Bendix starter, 10 amp alternator and magneto ignition with points and condenser

 

Tractor model number did not change.

 

Garry