JDcrawlers Messageboard

Don't believe I have them reversed, but will check against the service manual anyways. Wouldn't I still get a spark through the spark wires, just at the wrong time? I am getting no spark when I hook up the distributer cap to the coil. Doesn't the fact that it will run on one cylinder when directly h...

Thanks for the neat trick to find the compression stroke. I will try it tomorrow. What was your opinion on the coil statement ... wouldn't the timing have to be close to correct if I can run the engine on one cylinder directly off the coil? Regarding the distributer cap; Thanks for that info as well...

Also forgot to mention that I bought a new distributer cap and tried that as well.

Forgot to mention that the electrical system is a 12 volt, negative ground.

I could not restart my jd 420 after pulling up in the yard to pull the winch off. Some sort of electrical problem and I decided to change out the coil as it was looking a little worn away with rust. Did not start immediately but while fiddling with it, it all of a sudden started working fine. I butt...

Lavoy was dead right about the process here. I got my neighbor to use his front end loader to pick up the weight of the winch and it slid right out with no problem.

I use a 1956 JD 420 with a tow behind arch to pull out firewood and about 5000 bd/ft of saw logs a year. My crawler has a gearmatic 8a winch on it that I have never used. When I bought it years ago, I knew the winch was not working but I have an old chain saw winch that got me by. I decided to final...

Can I just unbolt the side plate or is there some sort of process for removing them. Looks like it is only a question of removing a few bolts and not dropping the plate on your foot but I always worry that a dozen or so tiny spring loaded parts will start flying around when I start the dissemble. Do...

Just bought a nice 420 c. Owner said there was problem with winch (gearmatic 8a) but did not know specifics. I put oil in the winch and filled the control with brake fluid. When I shift the pto into gear, the winch retracts but I cannot get it to switch into brake or free spool. The only way to stop...