Hello All

[danswenson]

Hello all,

I'm the proud owner of an IH Cub 1450 that I rescued from my father's barn. I grew up mowing two acres every week and now I'm trying to keep it running long enough to teach my girls. So far I've replaced a blown head gasket, replaced the carb and fuel lines, and completely disassembled the rear end and replaced cork gasket in an attempt to find a stubborn hydro leak. Mostly recently, I fabricated new hydraulic lines and rebuilt the pump which fixed the leak.

Right now I'm troubleshooting the fact that it seems to be burning up ignition coils in about 3-5 engine hours. Died yesterday about 90% of the way through plowing my driveway. Any advice/encouragement is welcome!

Happy to be here and looking forward to being a part of the community.

 

[RAllison]

Welcome! Nice looking tractor!

 

[PACub100]

Welcome from another 1450 owner (great tractor) and PA'r!
Post your dilemma in the tractor forum and you'll probably get more views from the guys that know a good deal and can point you in the right direction to find the culprit...

 

[Robert Shingle]

Welcome aboard. Good looking 1450, dual hydraulics too! With this forum you’ll have it running as good as it looks.

 

[PACub100]

Welcome aboard. Good looking 1450, dual hydraulics too! With this forum you’ll have it running as good as it looks.

Good eye!!...I didn't even notice the twin sticks.

 

[Stu]

Somebody on this forum suggested mounting the coil on the frame of the tractor - I did that after a new coil lasted a few hours, havent had a failure since. Of course they have been mounted on the engines forever without problems, but maybe today's more cheaply built coils cant take it, I dunno.

 

[Jay Fetters]

Welcome aboard! My 1650 was having the same issue, and Mr Kirk, a highly respected and very knowledgeable member here, suggested a Bosch blue coil, or mounting a standard coil on the frame. The Bosch coil is bedded with epoxy instead of oil, therefore not affected by vibration. I went with the Bosch coil in the factory location and haven't had an issue since. You can order directly from him with a quick Google search for kirk engines for his website. Also check out his transdensor while you're on his page, I haven't ordered one yet, but many here have with great results. Taryl, from the YouTube channel taryl fixes all, has even done a couple install videos on the transdensor as well. BTW, nice looking ql!

 

[wh cc guy]

Hello and welcome.

 

[jkoenig]

Welcome! You don’t need to search Kirk Engines. Just go to the top of the page, and click the gray/white box with the Q/L tractor, and the original logo on it.

 

[danswenson]

Welcome aboard! My 1650 was having the same issue, and Mr Kirk, a highly respected and very knowledgeable member here, suggested a Bosch blue coil, or mounting a standard coil on the frame. The Bosch coil is bedded with epoxy instead of oil, therefore not affected by vibration. I went with the Bosch coil in the factory location and haven't had an issue since. You can order directly from him with a quick Google search for kirk engines for his website. Also check out his transdensor while you're on his page, I haven't ordered one yet, but many here have with great results. Taryl, from the YouTube channel taryl fixes all, has even done a couple install videos on the transdensor as well. BTW, nice looking ql!

Hi Jay,

I'm thinking that's an excellent idea. I already have a cheap replacement coil coming my way, and I want to run some tests on the rest of the electrical system once I can get it running just to make sure I don't have any other issues. I don't understand how the thing ran for 10+ years with a oil-filled coil (one rated at 1.5ohms internal resistance no less) and now its burning out 3ohm coils every few hours. I'm suspecting I might have another issue. But, it definitely could be that I just have bad/cheap coils. I think I'll end up getting the Bosch either way. Thanks for the info!

 

[Mark Evans]

Hi Jay,

I'm thinking that's an excellent idea. I already have a cheap replacement coil coming my way, and I want to run some tests on the rest of the electrical system once I can get it running just to make sure I don't have any other issues. I don't understand how the thing ran for 10+ years with a oil-filled coil (one rated at 1.5ohms internal resistance no less) and now its burning out 3ohm coils every few hours. I'm suspecting I might have another issue. But, it definitely could be that I just have bad/cheap coils. I think I'll end up getting the Bosch either way. Thanks for the info!

Like an Ol Chevy a lot used a resistor wire or a porcelain resistor before the coil and it maintain a steady voltage it makes a big difference on the coil, and keeps the apart from bouncing up and down as it heats up while running for the day !!!!

 

[Jay Fetters]

Hi Jay,

I'm thinking that's an excellent idea. I already have a cheap replacement coil coming my way, and I want to run some tests on the rest of the electrical system once I can get it running just to make sure I don't have any other issues. I don't understand how the thing ran for 10+ years with a oil-filled coil (one rated at 1.5ohms internal resistance no less) and now its burning out 3ohm coils every few hours. I'm suspecting I might have another issue. But, it definitely could be that I just have bad/cheap coils. I think I'll end up getting the Bosch either way. Thanks for the info!

I went through 8 parts store coils and then got a good one that lasted almost 20 hours. I had the Bosch blue sitting on the shelf waiting, along with a new complete wiring harness that I ordered from cub cadet specialties, another sponsor of this forum. When the coil burnt up, I mounted the Bosch unit, and it currently has 50+ hours on it, with the harness still in the box, waiting. I wanted to see if I had a wiring issue or a coil problem. I'll install the new harness when I tear the cub down for a complete overhaul, but that's a couple years down the road. The Bosch cured my issue, and it's a cheap, simple fix to try on yours. We've all wasted more money on dumber stuff than that.

 

[jdrong]

"Like an Ol Chevy a lot used a resistor wire or a porcelain resistor before the coil and it maintain a steady voltage it makes a big difference on the coil, and keeps the apart from bouncing up and down as it heats up while running for the day !!!!"

If I remember right, the reason for a resistor back in the 50's and 60's was that when auto manufacture's started converting from 6 to 12 volts, they kept using a 6v. coil on a 12 volt system for an extra boost to the points while starting. The resistor was by-passed during starting and, when the key switch went back to the run circuit, the battery voltage returned to flowing through resistor and voltage to the 6 volt coil returned to 6 volts. Otherwise, 12 volts to a 6 volt coil running constantly would burn up the points. When the resistor failed, the engine would start and run as long as the key or the start button was held in the start position. When the key or push button returned to the run position the engine would stop.

 

[mfrade]

"Like an Ol Chevy a lot used a resistor wire or a porcelain resistor before the coil and it maintain a steady voltage it makes a big difference on the coil, and keeps the apart from bouncing up and down as it heats up while running for the day !!!!"

If I remember right, the reason for a resistor back in the 50's and 60's was that when auto manufacture's started converting from 6 to 12 volts, they kept using a 6v. coil on a 12 volt system for an extra boost to the points while starting. The resistor was by-passed during starting and, when the key switch went back to the run circuit, the battery voltage returned to flowing through resistor and voltage to the 6 volt coil returned to 6 volts. Otherwise, 12 volts to a 6 volt coil running constantly would burn up the points. When the resistor failed, the engine would start and run as long as the key or the start button was held in the start position. When the key or push button returned to the run position the engine would stop.

You are correct.

 

[PACub100]

I went through 8 parts store coils and then got a good one that lasted almost 20 hours. I had the Bosch blue sitting on the shelf waiting, along with a new complete wiring harness that I ordered from cub cadet specialties, another sponsor of this forum. When the coil burnt up, I mounted the Bosch unit, and it currently has 50+ hours on it, with the harness still in the box, waiting. I wanted to see if I had a wiring issue or a coil problem. I'll install the new harness when I tear the cub down for a complete overhaul, but that's a couple years down the road. The Bosch cured my issue, and it's a cheap, simple fix to try on yours. We've all wasted more money on dumber stuff than that.

I too have the Bosch blue - on my 1450, 100 and one for my 1650 when it's complete.

 

[Mark Evans]

I too have the Bosch blue - on my 1450, 100 and one for my 1650 when it's complete.

Sometimes when there are big Electro magnets are used for clutches in the electric system the use of a diode should put in reverse for a negative charge dissipation called a delta inversion, some are not installed on power feed throw power surge through the positive side of the electric system, they can blow up batteries fry out coils and cause other problems through short’s and heavy power build up when clutch is turned off, always use a reverse diodes from negative to positive off of electric clutches and always incorporate on ignition systems to use a resistor to feed the coil for an ignition system that uses points capacitors, it’s an added plus for safety !!!

 

[Bobby Russell]

Dan. Did you ever figure out the problem? Solution? I am experiencing the same issue.

 

[Mark Evans]

Describe the exact happenings your having with the machine for the diagnosis of what may be going on with it SIR !!! ? Are you having battery’s blow and ground wires start burning up, it will be a power feed going up the ground when you turn off your electric clutch, the power flash comes from the electromagnetic clutch building up at shut down and travels up the wire, thats were you install a diode backwards from ground wire to the power feed to the magnet to release the power feed away, that dissipates to nothing !

 

[Mark Evans]

If it is the coil that is oil loaded and operating at a level of voltage, they use a resistor wire or resistor in a porcelain framing for safety if it burns from overload voltage to save the coil and points/condenser that was occurring during voltage Regulation from the voltage regulator that reacted slowly in micro seconds !!!! Make sure that it’s connected by its positive and negative respectively !!!!

 

[Bobby Russell]

If it is the coil that is oil loaded and operating at a level of voltage, they use a resistor wire or resistor in a porcelain framing for safety if it burns from overload voltage to save the coil and points/condenser that was occurring during voltage Regulation from the voltage regulator that reacted slowly in micro seconds !!!! Make sure that it’s connected by its positive and negative respectively !!!!

Replacement coil is oil loaded. Neg is at neg. Pos is at pos. Runs great for about 30 minutes then looses it's spark. Ohm test on first and second burnt coil show primary wire (pos and neg terminal on coil) to be broken.