Not having rain caps is a major problem! Having a little roof over it like some of them do is what you need. Check your fuel supply. Check with Jegs or Summit auto for performance parts. Also you need to find out the proper timing, when it’s kicking back when starting it means timing is too far advanced, which WILL damage something
YUP ! Rainfall in the exhaust will waste the engine. Likely wasted the distributor cap too. Engine sounds like a fuel problem... like too much fuel ! Which it was I guess.
Seconding for Summit Racing, they should have a quality distributor cap kit and I'd also advise some sort of cover, half a milk jug or something with a Bungie cord to hold it down to keep water from infiltrating. Dielectric Grease can help as well.
I don't think that Grant even owns a timing light? Every distributor that I've seen him replace in previous videos, not once do we ever see him use a timing light to properly adjust the timing. Yes, kicking back against the starter means that the timing is too high. It running on natural gas (lower octane) will likely cause pre-ignition/detonation much easier than with gasoline and can torch the valves and pistons.
Can I just say there is nothing more American than watering your corn with a straight piped American V8. I love it. Honestly, the pivots are the reason I started watching this channel. I grew up in the country, but we don’t have those around here very often. So I always wondered how they worked when I seen them. Now I just watch because you guys are awesome.
regarding the distributor , I've had good luck with ordering from Speedway Motors in Lincoln , and also from the local NAPA shop for cap ,rotor, wires and module .Keep up the great videos ! Also sounds like its advanced way too much , check with a timing light , or pull #1 plug and see where timing mark is at when engine is at TDC
Since the engine is running out in the open and not protected from the weather, you can find Marine grade HEI distributors (complete) for under $200 anywhere - Amazon to Napa. From what I see you're burning the contactor from the coil to the rotor due to your timing being off... You have the vacuum advance disconnected (vacuum hose from intake manifold to distributor)...As your rpm changes due to acceleration or engine load the manifold vacuum changes and the vacuum advance changes distributor timing to maintain air fuel balance with engine torque... Will it run without it ....YES , but then you should think about buying caps and rotors in bulk....
Any hei style distributor that can be had for $200 is going to be junk. It'd be interesting to know what rpm they set the engine at, running the vaccum advance could help with fuel consumption but since it runs at a steady rpm I can understand why they don't bother with it...
The rain water and condensation getting inside is corroding the metal contacts, causes conductive streaks, carbon tracks/short circuits which causes arcing across and then this higher current arcing causes heat and then melts the plastic. No way does the timing being off cause this. Since this engine runs at a constant RPM and load, no vaccum advance is even needed. Mechanical advance (springs counterweights) is all that is needed to ease the starting and eliminate kickback and then raise the timing for the higher RPM for efficiency. Cammed up racing engines usually have their mechanical advance mechanism welded to static and use no vaccum advance at all.
A few diagnostic steps to help determine what's causing the repeated failure would save you a lot of time and money down the road. It may not just be low quality parts as that's an extremely common set of aftermarket parts. The first distributor rotor center tab was bent down away, which caused it to melt. As many have replied, resistance in the secondary ignition is damaging the coil in the distributor. The spark plugs may have too large of a gap. Since natural gas burns clean, spark plugs may be colder and not foul out. The plug wires may be weathered and arcing to ground, WD-40 is a good to spray on wires and in cap to see if it runs smoother or you can go at night in the dark with a spray bottle of water and mist the wires and look for a light show of sparks arcing. Another thing in many aftermarket distributors not mentioned is the phasing of the rotor to the cap, the relationship of where the rotor is pointed to the terminal on the cap when the stator and the pick up coil trigger the coil to fire, if not lined up and firing between the terminals will cause poor running and high resistance. A basic timing light is a good investment, set at lowest idle, if it bucks like it was it is too far advanced. A vacuum gauge can be used also for rough setting, at idle, turn to highest manifold vacuum then reduce 2 inches of vacuum. A good quality cap & rotor with brass contacts will increase longevity, MSD, Accel, NAPA or Standard all have these available for a GM HEI system that your distributor is operating. Make sure the distributor has a good 14 volts when running to operate most efficiently. The control modules can go bad also, changing whole distributors should have made a change in operation. The higher performance the ignition the more maintenance that is required. Maybe going back to a old school points ignition is all that is required for this application, even if it operates a MSD 5 box. A marine system is also a possible option. A good awning, open shed would be great idea for protection of ignition system, alternator and exhaust from water and sun exposure. As a last resort, since you have natural gas, find a small 4 cylinder diesel engine and adapt it to pump, no ignition distributor problems. Just some thoughts to consider. Thanks for the sharing these parts of your life, and showing the hard work and dedication farmers put in!
Grant, all you need is the cap and rotor. Get a good one from Accel with copper connections. The coil on top can be moved to the new cap. Easy peasy. The distributor itself and module will probably last forever in this application. In this case, your carburetor seems to having issues on the idle circuit since it runs fine off idle. Also the cap and rotors probably should be replaced every couple years as regular maintenance depending on the hours. Also get a timing light for setting the timing instead of just moving the distributor around. Pick an application, say a 1985 Chevy Pickup and set the timing to that. I can tell at the end of the video when you are trying to crank it that your timing is too far advanced.
Thanks for another great video Laura and Grant. Wow. Hard day for you both getting the irrigation fixed and going. Who would have thought someone shut the natural gas off. Oh well. You got it going again. Yeah. Once you got the motor going it ran pretty darn good. Nice work you two. Yes irrigation is tough to keep going but it is a necessity to get good crops and make money and have income. So I guess it is something to just put up with. Hang in there you two. You both are doing great. Proud of you for hanging in there. Yeah. Farming has many ups and downs. Hopefully more ups than downs. You are doing great. Keep up the good work Laura and Grant. Thanks for everything. The Iowa Farm Boy. Steve.
When i was farming a long while back we had a hand clutch to be able to start the motor without the pump running. Worked great for working on the motors too.
My guess on the primary problem was the diaphragm in the natural gas "carburetor". So partially right, was a fuel problem but the dist. cap was really tired. Love the day to day vids cuz you make them educational. Hoping for an update on Pepper and her little ones. Best as always
Laura and Grant, you must dream about pivots, I am glad you tie-up your hair Laura working near machinery. Laura, you have the widest and best smile I know, your dad once told me you take after your mother with the smile. Love to you both from Mike. ❤
We grew our corn primarily for animal feed (small farm), but it was sweet corn because Mom would always harvest some for the table and to go in the freezer. I knew there were different varieties, like silver queen, but I always thought yellow corn was yellow corn. You learn something new every day.
DUI distributors. Stands for Davis Unified Ignition. They are made in the USA. They are a little bit more expensive but i have been running one on my 1972 Ford F-350 for almost 2 years and it is still going.
Laura, you counting out the months of effort towards harvest is so telling (frame 9:03/23:31). A great harvest will be worth all the effort and your callused hands are beautiful! I wish I had some.....
The farmers down here in Southern Arizona have a little metal tin roof over the pump engines to keep the Blazing Heat and the rain and hail from destroying the engine something you might think about doing to your pump engines out there...and check the choke...and your timing.
Check with Air boating speed equipment In the South: Florida, Louisiana. With an all-out door Application Your equipment is always in the elements. may look into a shed with the bottom cut out to cover that motor.
as for your issues with engine electrics keeping it Dry while running help as even marine engines need to be dry to run best. Adding some type of plastic cover over the distributor would help as the temperature changing underwater running over it when hot, will break the cap and the electronics inside them. The other choice may be marine electrical caps for the gas motors. I have seen the Leead Farms has several pivots with roofs on them. Any choice will have some cost
A mobile gas powered air compressor is a valuable tool. With pressurized air and a blow gun with an extended nozzle you can easily blow surfaces clean of all the lose debris and caked on crud before you start removing parts. The is also a problem that a lot of people do not know about. If the coil is compromised and is not putting out a very strong spark, the flow of air in the cylinders as they are in the compression stroke can literally blow the spark out before it can ignite the fuel. Also, for engines left out exposed to the elements, when it rains it can mess up the electronics for the ignition outside and inside the distributor cap. If you get a tube of dielectric grease and put a generous amount on all of the electrical connections inside and outside the cap and the coil and put a bead of dielectric grease where the cap and the distributor base come together you can seal out water and prevent any corrosion and tarnish or dirt buildup on all of the connections.
Hi as a kid on our back in the late 60s we ate field corn many many times we pick it just before the silk turned dark brown it wasn't bad at all and many families here on the lower eastern shore of Maryland did this every year the sweet corn we grew in our gardens was cooked n frozen for winter months
Noticed that there is not a vacuum advance tube connected to the timing advance actuator on the distributor. This is what adjusts the timing to compensate for engine load, and can explain why it was running poorly when transitioning from idle to higher rpms.
08:44 This sucks. That is about the first time I have heard you grumble. Totally sympathise. On a different track, surely a roof of some sort would help keep that piece of engine archaeology running happier?
A trick you can do to help with the distributor if you make a cover to protect it from the direct sunlight they will last longer the sunlight drys the plastic out a lot quicker then if it was covered
You should cover those moors with some sort of rain protection. Also, swap out the ignition system for a distributor less ignition. No cap to go bad, and one bad cylinder will not drag the others down.
While dealing with those problems are time consuming and running pivots can be a pain, be thankful you don't have to irrigate with gated pipe. While we never farmed the acres y'all do, laying out pipe, putting it together, setting gates, and watching the end of the rows for the water to come thru, was extremely time consuming. And back when I was a little kid, we used a ditch and tubes to irrigate. The best part of that was getting in the ditch when it was full of nice cold well water. Nothing better!
Come to Maine if you need some water for your crops, we've probably had 3 feet this summer, fields are so wet we haven't been able to do anything all year without pulling tractors out of the mud every day
My dad worked for our local Farm Bureau Co-op. He was the county maintenance man. He found the top grade Standard brand or the best grade NAPA ignition parts both had brass posts in the cap. He found this when keeping the spray and fertilizer trucks running. They would eat the lower grade parts due to heat under the hoods. I've seen the exhaust manifolds glowing red by the end of the day.
Great video. Great channel. Processing hay in Southern Ohio. Cheers to you and Grant. His experience and mechanical capabilities are certainly an asset to your ROI. Happy days 👍
Get rid of the HEI distributor and put one that doesn't have the coil on top. They are not ment to be out in the rain. Water will get under the coil and internet top of the distributor. You can get a drop in distributor from Jegs for under 100 bux
Timing chain, or gas diaphragm in the regulator. You can help the fuel by spraying carb cleaner in the airbox as you try to raise RPM. If it runs better with a richer air/fuel mix, then it is fuel starvation.
It`s been raining here since first in July, I wish I could borrow your dry weather for a while before it starts snowing 😅 All ready had two nights with frost as well. 🙄
Bad wires will cause problems with the distributor cap as the high energy ignition charge seeks somewhere to go if the wires are bad and it will flow through the wrong place in the cap. An orange looking deposit in the cap is indicative of too much resistance in the plug wires. Of course the module in the bottom of the distributor can also be a problem.
As far as those sprinkler heads that loosen up and get sent into the field, you could try a hardening type pipe dope, or even red loctite thread locker. Hope that helps! Love your energy and how happy you guys are! When crap hits the fan, and things get bad, I remember what my late grandma said to me “This too shall pass”… and I go forward… Im raising 4 kids… and I try my best to lead food by example.
Water moisture is what really does your distributor caps and well all ignition parts in ruins them that carbon button that was gone on that particular cap you showed really is affected by moisture if you would have them roofs on top of them like that diesel one you showed that would really help a lot but being they pump water and all the moisture around them I would even seal the distributor up to help protect them but definitely a roof would make a big difference even the sun does your plug wires in cracks them up
For non-farmers, you normally only see them working when they are discing, planting, harvesting, etc. You never see all the work that goes on like Grant fixing the area in the field for the combine to cross, or working on pivots. Always great to see a couple working together.
Silicon grease on the distributor cap boots, tighten the alternator belt slightly, yeah I too think the timing is too advanced . And if you can manage it , a shed roof over the engine or at least flappers on the exhaust mufflers to keep the rainwater out . Old sun baked plug wires can get leaky. And water condensation in the distributor cap made me miss a number of college classes ( 67 Austin Healy Sprite ) At least you guys don’t deal with Lucas Electrics lol
Each year, Nebraska farmers produce well over one billion bushels of high-quality corn. Nebraska is the nation’s third largest corn producer, behind only Iowa and Illinois.
Laura, if you paint your nails Left hand--blue, orange, green, brown, slate Right hand--white, red, black, yellow, violet then you would have the color code to splice telephone cable.
Thank you for sharing your life with us. I wish my wife and I had the relationship you two do. I'm sure it's not all unicorns ad roses, but you two make an awesome, blessed by God, couple.
Go to most any parts store get standard brand name blue point distributor parts make sure they have brass inserts for the plug wire terminals if they are aluminum it's not the true standard bluepoint and they are actually blue but all standard parts for distributors are not expensive and last and last longer than most aftermarket stuff and usually readily available at most parts stores
00:15:15 Even field corn can be shelled and ground into cornmeal. I did that using my grampa's corn grinder, sifted the coarse meal out, and gave it to my mom. Best cornbread ever!
Get your distributor caps from a GM dealer. That’s nothing but a GM-HEI ignition distributor cap. They were used on all General Motors vehicles through the 80s and 90s. Super common in my day not so much now.
Great channel and videos, keep it going. Time stamp 3:37 in the video, the pivot you started looks to have a very loose belt, as you can see the alternator spins and stops
You two do a great job of doing your best with what you have. a sun shed or weather cover will help with Part of the situation of this engine. the 'HEI' Distrbutor is a great up grade for the OEM ford spark distributor. As mentioned in other post here a distributor cap with Brass towers (or contacts) will last much longer in this application. As for the 'Chinese distributor' good luck. what you have is a Ford engine with a adapted ( machined) GM (Chevy) style 'HEI' Cap and rotor. this system is Far superior then a Ford system most racers will agree. the replacement of these cap and rotors are easy. ( you do need to remove the coil from the cap) when replacing the cap and rotor these should cost you around $40 ( O'Reilly's price) give or take a couple of dollars plus tax. Next learn how to use a timing light. You will will save in natural gas consumption, If timing is set correctly for natural gas. You guys are doing great with what you have to work with. Keep up the good work. Love your Videos. Thank you for sharing these challenges.
Couple of comments. One, Laura's eyes = the bomb! Nuff said. Two, those pivot motors need cover if you want them to last. Three, the belt was too loose on poor ol' uncovered motor.
Speedway Motors is the only place I order Plugs, Distributers, Coils, and Plug Wires from for my Demo Derby engines, 4x4 off-road engines, and off-road go-karts. Never had an issue with them. Would also suggest rain caps on the exhaust collectors, or add a 90 degree bend at the ends, roughly the same price. They also have carb rebuild kits for cheap that aren't China made
I had 3 of your videos to catch up on, so Laura and Grant was my dinner entertainment this evening 😅 Great video guys, always educational and you make it fun to watch. Feels like the Laura Farms 2023 harvest season is like waiting on the next season of Stranger Things! Excited for what’s to come! I vote for a return of snack bag reveals
No idea if you'll find this comment since the video is 4 hours old.... From watching this video, I can see you have a big block Ford with an HEI conversion distributor. It is most likely a POS, but that's OK. For what you're doing it can be fixed. First, the ONLY ignition module to run in those is an OEM GM or Delphi module... Bad part is they don't exist anymore. I paid extra for one a couple months ago and it came with ''made in China'' on the box. Another thing you need to look at is the mechanical advance next time you have the cap and button off. There's a VERY good chance it's seized up. That explains why it was kicking back when you were trying to start it. If it's locked at full advance, it'll be hard to start but 'right' when running. (assuming the timing is set right for your fuel and load when running right) Now it's good you don't have the vacuum advance setup. On cars, it's great, for a stationary engine that runs one speed, it's useless. The engine only sees one load, so there's no need for a load related advance adjustment. Now for the quality of your cap, button, and coil what you have is standard GM stuff. If you look up parts for an '80 Camaro with a 350, you'll find listings for whatever you need. Rockauto is a great place to find good parts on the cheap and buy in bulk. I like the caps with brass terminals instead of terminals. On thing you need to investigate is 'rotor phasing'. Basically that means the spark fires while the rotor is actually pointed at the terminal. If it's way off, you'll have sparks flying around in there creating some havoc, that could shorten the life of your carbon contact and the other contacts as well. You found one of your issues with the smoked carbon contact that made a bunch of issues under the cap. You can also get a Standard brand with brass contacts. I've have good luck with those in cars. If you want to try an AC Delco cap, Amazon has them for $14. I have no idea if they're made in China right now, but you can see them here. amzn.to/46f2hgj Pertonix is also a good brand. For a few bucks more they have a cap and rotor kit that might work good for your stationary engine. amzn.to/3PsMa7U The real trick will be to find a cap and rotor that will last one full season. Then you can just make that yearly maintenance item and hopefully stop dealing with it at random when crops are dry. Since I pretty much wrote a book, I should probably stop, but IF you happen to find this and need some clarification, just message me back and I'll fix you up.
It's Occam. You also need to rebuild that motor over the winter, in your spare time of course. You should also have covers over the exhaust to keep out the rain. Love you guys.
Those engine don t need need rebuild every year. I have 15 old wind machines. Only minor repairs. Engines run like a car at 70 miles an hour no problems either
Simple solution for water. Mark a huge x in the middle of your field. Have it in the center of a circle with a diameter of at least 500 feet. Then keep walking clockwise, muttering the rain ryhme. And sure as the sun will come up. The rain shall fall. But be carefull. Its very powerful. Its like constipation, you think the laxitive is not working but it is and if you take to much, you end up having an extremly muddy, mess. At least 10x around every day should do it. You think I am crazy. Thats fine. Just try it.
Look for one that is marine rated the most likely failure is the control module and cap and rotor, coils rarely fail in my experience. When the rotor burns through and shorts it will take out the module.
I'm in Wisconsin, and it's my understanding that there is one week in growing corn that field con is really good, but you have to know when I have had it and it was awesome, real big kernels very tasty and bright yellow.
May want to try and come up with a way to cover that distributor cap to shield it from the outside elements. If the caps you're using are actually just failing that often you want to look at something like an MSD equivalent to what you have.
@@garypoyner4899 okay I guess every engine is good to sit out in the open uncovered then since Gary does this and has never had any problems. I guess disregard my suggestion to cover your engine then guys since we have at least one engine out of thousands that has never been affected by sitting out in the open elements.
Currently, in MN, the farmer's corn dryer is running across the road from us. He had corn fall over due to the drought. Probably had to take it a month ahead of time. He said it's at 22% moisture content.
Another fantastic video! Thank you for sharing your farming and life journey with us, I'm continually amazed by all the multitasking you and Grant do every day. By the way, the T-Shirts are fantastic! After several washings they are soft and comfortable and no shrinkage of pilling of the fabric. Well done!
I am a big fan but I think you guys need a plan B. Perhaps in the areas where the irrigation does not reach you should try planting some dry crop like hemp or something. That would give you experience with how to use that in your planters and harvesters if the aquifer dries up someday.
I'm not a farm person but I found Grant's explanation on what you're looking for in the development of the ear and when it's ready. If you think about it, record the black line you were talking about when the kernel stops taking on nutrients.
Go get a ford factory distributor, them aftermarket distributors are junk! You can use a 289, 302, and 351c, 351m, and a 429, and 460 factory distributors. All these distributors will work on the 460, Fords Awesome like that!! 💪🏼😎👍🏻 Great video's guys, keep them coming!!
The hard, labored starting of the engine is a sign of engine timing being too far advanced. Which would also explain why you aren't getting good run time on the distributors and why the distributor caps have so much wear.
The factors that contribute to this are sometimes temperature fluctuations, which cause the plant to abort and delay the maturation cycle. Drought also contributes to the delay, sometimes you started the Planting a little late May God bless you Laura, if I can help you with anything, you can count on me
I really don't know much about pivots however a long running engine takes more maintenance than just adding oil and gas. A diesel engine would be a better option and then I feel an electric motor may be the best for a long running application. maybe something to think about for the future; because it'll be planting time once again in 6-7 months to start the cycle over again.
Not having rain caps is a major problem! Having a little roof over it like some of them do is what you need. Check your fuel supply. Check with Jegs or Summit auto for performance parts. Also you need to find out the proper timing, when it’s kicking back when starting it means timing is too far advanced, which WILL damage something
YUP ! Rainfall in the exhaust will waste the engine.
Likely wasted the distributor cap too.
Engine sounds like a fuel problem... like too much fuel ! Which it was I guess.
Seconding for Summit Racing, they should have a quality distributor cap kit and I'd also advise some sort of cover, half a milk jug or something with a Bungie cord to hold it down to keep water from infiltrating.
Dielectric Grease can help as well.
And check the alternator. I wonder how well it's charging?
I don't think that Grant even owns a timing light? Every distributor that I've seen him replace in previous videos, not once do we ever see him use a timing light to properly adjust the timing. Yes, kicking back against the starter means that the timing is too high. It running on natural gas (lower octane) will likely cause pre-ignition/detonation much easier than with gasoline and can torch the valves and pistons.
@@joefudd I kept wondering the same thing. Timing lights aren't real expensive.
Can I just say there is nothing more American than watering your corn with a straight piped American V8. I love it. Honestly, the pivots are the reason I started watching this channel. I grew up in the country, but we don’t have those around here very often. So I always wondered how they worked when I seen them. Now I just watch because you guys are awesome.
regarding the distributor , I've had good luck with ordering from Speedway Motors in Lincoln , and also from the local NAPA shop for cap ,rotor, wires and module .Keep up the great videos ! Also sounds like its advanced way too much , check with a timing light , or pull #1 plug and see where timing mark is at when engine is at TDC
You can also try southwest performance
I've never seen Grant ever use a timing light. I'll bet that he doesn't even own one!
Since the engine is running out in the open and not protected from the weather, you can find Marine grade HEI distributors (complete) for under $200 anywhere - Amazon to Napa. From what I see you're burning the contactor from the coil to the rotor due to your timing being off... You have the vacuum advance disconnected (vacuum hose from intake manifold to distributor)...As your rpm changes due to acceleration or engine load the manifold vacuum changes and the vacuum advance changes distributor timing to maintain air fuel balance with engine torque... Will it run without it ....YES , but then you should think about buying caps and rotors in bulk....
Any hei style distributor that can be had for $200 is going to be junk. It'd be interesting to know what rpm they set the engine at, running the vaccum advance could help with fuel consumption but since it runs at a steady rpm I can understand why they don't bother with it...
The rain water and condensation getting inside is corroding the metal contacts, causes conductive streaks, carbon tracks/short circuits which causes arcing across and then this higher current arcing causes heat and then melts the plastic. No way does the timing being off cause this. Since this engine runs at a constant RPM and load, no vaccum advance is even needed. Mechanical advance (springs counterweights) is all that is needed to ease the starting and eliminate kickback and then raise the timing for the higher RPM for efficiency. Cammed up racing engines usually have their mechanical advance mechanism welded to static and use no vaccum advance at all.
You guys do a great job of filming, and explaining the deets. Great job. Farming is indeed a noble profession.
1. Occams Razor
2. Summit Racing
3. Check your timing, it’s likely off.
4. Cute Kittens.
Great video.
Hello from Texas. Love watching you guys. Y’all are great examples for the young people today. Love you
A few diagnostic steps to help determine what's causing the repeated failure would save you a lot of time and money down the road. It may not just be low quality parts as that's an extremely common set of aftermarket parts.
The first distributor rotor center tab was bent down away, which caused it to melt.
As many have replied, resistance in the secondary ignition is damaging the coil in the distributor. The spark plugs may have too large of a gap. Since natural gas burns clean, spark plugs may be colder and not foul out. The plug wires may be weathered and arcing to ground, WD-40 is a good to spray on wires and in cap to see if it runs smoother or you can go at night in the dark with a spray bottle of water and mist the wires and look for a light show of sparks arcing. Another thing in many aftermarket distributors not mentioned is the phasing of the rotor to the cap, the relationship of where the rotor is pointed to the terminal on the cap when the stator and the pick up coil trigger the coil to fire, if not lined up and firing between the terminals will cause poor running and high resistance. A basic timing light is a good investment, set at lowest idle, if it bucks like it was it is too far advanced. A vacuum gauge can be used also for rough setting, at idle, turn to highest manifold vacuum then reduce 2 inches of vacuum. A good quality cap & rotor with brass contacts will increase longevity, MSD, Accel, NAPA or Standard all have these available for a GM HEI system that your distributor is operating. Make sure the distributor has a good 14 volts when running to operate most efficiently. The control modules can go bad also, changing whole distributors should have made a change in operation. The higher performance the ignition the more maintenance that is required. Maybe going back to a old school points ignition is all that is required for this application, even if it operates a MSD 5 box. A marine system is also a possible option. A good awning, open shed would be great idea for protection of ignition system, alternator and exhaust from water and sun exposure. As a last resort, since you have natural gas, find a small 4 cylinder diesel engine and adapt it to pump, no ignition distributor problems.
Just some thoughts to consider. Thanks for the sharing these parts of your life, and showing the hard work and dedication farmers put in!
Your ignition timing is off on the engine. You have to set it with a timing light. That's why it cranks hard like that.
Grant, all you need is the cap and rotor. Get a good one from Accel with copper connections. The coil on top can be moved to the new cap. Easy peasy. The distributor itself and module will probably last forever in this application. In this case, your carburetor seems to having issues on the idle circuit since it runs fine off idle. Also the cap and rotors probably should be replaced every couple years as regular maintenance depending on the hours. Also get a timing light for setting the timing instead of just moving the distributor around. Pick an application, say a 1985 Chevy Pickup and set the timing to that. I can tell at the end of the video when you are trying to crank it that your timing is too far advanced.
Thanks for another great video Laura and Grant.
Wow. Hard day for you both getting the irrigation fixed and going.
Who would have thought someone shut the natural gas off. Oh well. You got it going again. Yeah.
Once you got the motor going it ran pretty darn good.
Nice work you two.
Yes irrigation is tough to keep going but it is a necessity to get good crops and make money and have income. So I guess it is something to just put up with.
Hang in there you two. You both are doing great. Proud of you for hanging in there. Yeah.
Farming has many ups and downs. Hopefully more ups than downs.
You are doing great. Keep up the good work Laura and Grant.
Thanks for everything.
The Iowa Farm Boy. Steve.
When i was farming a long while back we had a hand clutch to be able to start the motor without the pump running. Worked great for working on the motors too.
My guess on the primary problem was the diaphragm in the natural gas "carburetor". So partially right, was a fuel problem but the dist. cap was really tired. Love the day to day vids cuz you make them educational. Hoping for an update on Pepper and her little ones. Best as always
Laura and Grant, you must dream about pivots, I am glad you tie-up your hair Laura working near machinery. Laura, you have the widest and best smile I know, your dad once told me you take after your mother with the smile.
Love to you both from Mike. ❤
I know nothing about farming, I just enjoy watching you two.
if you watch enough farming videos you should be fully trained in how to drive combines and other equipment!
We grew our corn primarily for animal feed (small farm), but it was sweet corn because Mom would always harvest some for the table and to go in the freezer. I knew there were different varieties, like silver queen, but I always thought yellow corn was yellow corn. You learn something new every day.
What I really like about your 'channel' is that you show, pretty much, everything!!! And that is good. Thank you so much!!!!
DUI distributors. Stands for Davis Unified Ignition. They are made in the USA. They are a little bit more expensive but i have been running one on my 1972 Ford F-350 for almost 2 years and it is still going.
Glad you got your pivots started. Thanks for the kitten update. Take Care and Be safe on the farm. Out
Laura, you counting out the months of effort towards harvest is so telling (frame 9:03/23:31). A great harvest will be worth all the effort and your callused hands are beautiful! I wish I had some.....
The farmers down here in Southern Arizona have a little metal tin roof over the pump engines to keep the Blazing Heat and the rain and hail from destroying the engine something you might think about doing to your pump engines out there...and check the choke...and your timing.
Check with Air boating speed equipment In the South: Florida, Louisiana. With an all-out door Application Your equipment is always in the elements. may look into a shed with the bottom cut out to cover that motor.
Hello Is @ mislaurafarms the real deal or is it spam/scamming?
as for your issues with engine electrics keeping it Dry while running help as even marine engines need to be dry to run best. Adding some type of plastic cover over the distributor would help as the temperature changing underwater running over it when hot, will break the cap and the electronics inside them. The other choice may be marine electrical caps for the gas motors. I have seen the Leead Farms has several pivots with roofs on them. Any choice will have some cost
A mobile gas powered air compressor is a valuable tool. With pressurized air and a blow gun with an extended nozzle you can easily blow surfaces clean of all the lose debris and caked on crud before you start removing parts.
The is also a problem that a lot of people do not know about. If the coil is compromised and is not putting out a very strong spark, the flow of air in the cylinders as they are in the compression stroke can literally blow the spark out before it can ignite the fuel.
Also, for engines left out exposed to the elements, when it rains it can mess up the electronics for the ignition outside and inside the distributor cap. If you get a tube of dielectric grease and put a generous amount on all of the electrical connections inside and outside the cap and the coil and put a bead of dielectric grease where the cap and the distributor base come together you can seal out water and prevent any corrosion and tarnish or dirt buildup on all of the connections.
Hi as a kid on our back in the late 60s we ate field corn many many times we pick it just before the silk turned dark brown it wasn't bad at all and many families here on the lower eastern shore of Maryland did this every year the sweet corn we grew in our gardens was cooked n frozen for winter months
Noticed that there is not a vacuum advance tube connected to the timing advance actuator on the distributor. This is what adjusts the timing to compensate for engine load, and can explain why it was running poorly when transitioning from idle to higher rpms.
08:44 This sucks. That is about the first time I have heard you grumble. Totally sympathise. On a different track, surely a roof of some sort would help keep that piece of engine archaeology running happier?
A trick you can do to help with the distributor if you make a cover to protect it from the direct sunlight they will last longer the sunlight drys the plastic out a lot quicker then if it was covered
You should cover those moors with some sort of rain protection. Also, swap out the ignition system for a distributor less ignition. No cap to go bad, and one bad cylinder will not drag the others down.
While dealing with those problems are time consuming and running pivots can be a pain, be thankful you don't have to irrigate with gated pipe. While we never farmed the acres y'all do, laying out pipe, putting it together, setting gates, and watching the end of the rows for the water to come thru, was extremely time consuming. And back when I was a little kid, we used a ditch and tubes to irrigate. The best part of that was getting in the ditch when it was full of nice cold well water. Nothing better!
Come to Maine if you need some water for your crops, we've probably had 3 feet this summer, fields are so wet we haven't been able to do anything all year without pulling tractors out of the mud every day
My dad worked for our local Farm Bureau Co-op. He was the county maintenance man. He found the top grade Standard brand or the best grade NAPA ignition parts both had brass posts in the cap. He found this when keeping the spray and fertilizer trucks running. They would eat the lower grade parts due to heat under the hoods. I've seen the exhaust manifolds glowing red by the end of the day.
Shed in the engines to keep them out of the sun and the weather. Keep them dry and sun free and your repairs will go down and less parts damage.
It's true about biteing corn or any grain, it's been done for years. Love your adventures in Nebraska.
Great video. Great channel. Processing hay in Southern Ohio. Cheers to you and Grant. His experience and mechanical capabilities are certainly an asset to your ROI. Happy days 👍
Get rid of the HEI distributor and put one that doesn't have the coil on top. They are not ment to be out in the rain. Water will get under the coil and internet top of the distributor. You can get a drop in distributor from Jegs for under 100 bux
Timing chain, or gas diaphragm in the regulator. You can help the fuel by spraying carb cleaner in the airbox as you try to raise RPM. If it runs better with a richer air/fuel mix, then it is fuel starvation.
It`s been raining here since first in July, I wish I could borrow your dry weather for a while before it starts snowing 😅 All ready had two nights with frost as well. 🙄
Bad wires will cause problems with the distributor cap as the high energy ignition charge seeks somewhere to go if the wires are bad and it will flow through the wrong place in the cap. An orange looking deposit in the cap is indicative of too much resistance in the plug wires. Of course the module in the bottom of the distributor can also be a problem.
You all make a great team, keep up the good work!
Delco remey cap from a GM dealer. Keep using the same coil. They generally last forever.
As far as those sprinkler heads that loosen up and get sent into the field, you could try a hardening type pipe dope, or even red loctite thread locker. Hope that helps! Love your energy and how happy you guys are! When crap hits the fan, and things get bad, I remember what my late grandma said to me “This too shall pass”… and I go forward… Im raising 4 kids… and I try my best to lead food by example.
I understand your frustration....thats farming at its best...never mind you 2 work really well together...stay safe...god bless
Water moisture is what really does your distributor caps and well all ignition parts in ruins them that carbon button that was gone on that particular cap you showed really is affected by moisture if you would have them roofs on top of them like that diesel one you showed that would really help a lot but being they pump water and all the moisture around them I would even seal the distributor up to help protect them but definitely a roof would make a big difference even the sun does your plug wires in cracks them up
Thanks for explaining sweet corn and field corn
Thanks for explaining the different levels of starch and how to tell when the corn is ready for harvest.
You two are just the best, I just can’t believe how you make everything seem so easy but I know it can’t be.
For non-farmers, you normally only see them working when they are discing, planting, harvesting, etc. You never see all the work that goes on like Grant fixing the area in the field for the combine to cross, or working on pivots. Always great to see a couple working together.
Grant convert the coil and cap to a MSD box we use them in our mud race trucks they are water proof and work great f
Silicon grease on the distributor cap boots, tighten the alternator belt slightly, yeah I too think the timing is too advanced . And if you can manage it , a shed roof over the engine or at least flappers on the exhaust mufflers to keep the rainwater out . Old sun baked plug wires can get leaky. And water condensation in the distributor cap made me miss a number of college classes ( 67 Austin Healy Sprite ) At least you guys don’t deal with Lucas Electrics lol
Each year, Nebraska farmers produce well over one billion bushels of high-quality corn. Nebraska is the nation’s third largest corn producer, behind only Iowa and Illinois.
Laura, if you paint your nails
Left hand--blue, orange, green, brown, slate
Right hand--white, red, black, yellow, violet
then you would have the color code to splice telephone cable.
IF you know were the pivots stop watering or can't reach why waste seed in them areas., that can seed that you can save for next season .
Hi put a electronic ignition in, works much better, better spark better on fuel etc.
Thank you for sharing your life with us. I wish my wife and I had the relationship you two do. I'm sure it's not all unicorns ad roses, but you two make an awesome, blessed by God, couple.
MSD Ignition would be your best choice for the distributors. There used in most racing and hot rodding applications..
Go to most any parts store get standard brand name blue point distributor parts make sure they have brass inserts for the plug wire terminals if they are aluminum it's not the true standard bluepoint and they are actually blue but all standard parts for distributors are not expensive and last and last longer than most aftermarket stuff and usually readily available at most parts stores
Summit racing or Jegg’s for this caps, they are a standard distributor with the coil in the cap…
00:15:15 Even field corn can be shelled and ground into cornmeal. I did that using my grampa's corn grinder, sifted the coarse meal out, and gave it to my mom. Best cornbread ever!
Get your distributor caps from a GM dealer. That’s nothing but a GM-HEI ignition distributor cap. They were used on all General Motors vehicles through the 80s and 90s. Super common in my day not so much now.
Watching you makes me appreciate my SW Ohio farm where we don't have to use pivots. Great videos, keep up the great work.
How long does a full pivot sweep take, and how many hours do you get on an engine?
Great channel and videos, keep it going. Time stamp 3:37 in the video, the pivot you started looks to have a very loose belt, as you can see the alternator spins and stops
Great job Grant and Laura keep up the good work really enjoyed it can't wait for next video
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You two do a great job of doing your best with what you have. a sun shed or weather cover will help with Part of the situation of this engine. the 'HEI' Distrbutor is a great up grade for the OEM ford spark distributor. As mentioned in other post here a distributor cap with Brass towers (or contacts) will last much longer in this application. As for the 'Chinese distributor' good luck. what you have is a Ford engine with a adapted ( machined) GM (Chevy) style 'HEI' Cap and rotor. this system is Far superior then a Ford system most racers will agree. the replacement of these cap and rotors are easy. ( you do need to remove the coil from the cap) when replacing the cap and rotor these should cost you around $40 ( O'Reilly's price) give or take a couple of dollars plus tax. Next learn how to use a timing light. You will will save in natural gas consumption, If timing is set correctly for natural gas. You guys are doing great with what you have to work with. Keep up the good work. Love your Videos. Thank you for sharing these challenges.
Couple of comments. One, Laura's eyes = the bomb! Nuff said. Two, those pivot motors need cover if you want them to last. Three, the belt was too loose on poor ol' uncovered motor.
Speedway Motors is the only place I order Plugs, Distributers, Coils, and Plug Wires from for my Demo Derby engines, 4x4 off-road engines, and off-road go-karts. Never had an issue with them. Would also suggest rain caps on the exhaust collectors, or add a 90 degree bend at the ends, roughly the same price. They also have carb rebuild kits for cheap that aren't China made
I had 3 of your videos to catch up on, so Laura and Grant was my dinner entertainment this evening 😅 Great video guys, always educational and you make it fun to watch. Feels like the Laura Farms 2023 harvest season is like waiting on the next season of Stranger Things! Excited for what’s to come! I vote for a return of snack bag reveals
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No idea if you'll find this comment since the video is 4 hours old.... From watching this video, I can see you have a big block Ford with an HEI conversion distributor. It is most likely a POS, but that's OK. For what you're doing it can be fixed.
First, the ONLY ignition module to run in those is an OEM GM or Delphi module... Bad part is they don't exist anymore. I paid extra for one a couple months ago and it came with ''made in China'' on the box.
Another thing you need to look at is the mechanical advance next time you have the cap and button off. There's a VERY good chance it's seized up. That explains why it was kicking back when you were trying to start it. If it's locked at full advance, it'll be hard to start but 'right' when running. (assuming the timing is set right for your fuel and load when running right)
Now it's good you don't have the vacuum advance setup. On cars, it's great, for a stationary engine that runs one speed, it's useless. The engine only sees one load, so there's no need for a load related advance adjustment.
Now for the quality of your cap, button, and coil what you have is standard GM stuff. If you look up parts for an '80 Camaro with a 350, you'll find listings for whatever you need. Rockauto is a great place to find good parts on the cheap and buy in bulk. I like the caps with brass terminals instead of terminals.
On thing you need to investigate is 'rotor phasing'. Basically that means the spark fires while the rotor is actually pointed at the terminal. If it's way off, you'll have sparks flying around in there creating some havoc, that could shorten the life of your carbon contact and the other contacts as well.
You found one of your issues with the smoked carbon contact that made a bunch of issues under the cap.
You can also get a Standard brand with brass contacts. I've have good luck with those in cars.
If you want to try an AC Delco cap, Amazon has them for $14. I have no idea if they're made in China right now, but you can see them here. amzn.to/46f2hgj
Pertonix is also a good brand. For a few bucks more they have a cap and rotor kit that might work good for your stationary engine. amzn.to/3PsMa7U
The real trick will be to find a cap and rotor that will last one full season. Then you can just make that yearly maintenance item and hopefully stop dealing with it at random when crops are dry.
Since I pretty much wrote a book, I should probably stop, but IF you happen to find this and need some clarification, just message me back and I'll fix you up.
It's Occam. You also need to rebuild that motor over the winter, in your spare time of course. You should also have covers over the exhaust to keep out the rain. Love you guys.
Those engine don t need need rebuild every year. I have 15 old wind machines. Only minor repairs. Engines run like a car at 70 miles an hour no problems either
Simple solution for water. Mark a huge x in the middle of your field. Have it in the center of a circle with a diameter of at least 500 feet. Then keep walking clockwise, muttering the rain ryhme. And sure as the sun will come up. The rain shall fall. But be carefull. Its very powerful. Its like constipation, you think the laxitive is not working but it is and if you take to much, you end up having an extremly muddy, mess. At least 10x around every day should do it. You think I am crazy. Thats fine. Just try it.
Laura and Grant, thanks for sharing and taking us along on your daily tasks! ❤
Look for one that is marine rated the most likely failure is the control module and cap and rotor, coils rarely fail in my experience. When the rotor burns through and shorts it will take out the module.
Use a sealant inside both ends of the spark plug wires.. I think it's called dielectric. Check with rainman Ray.
I'm in Wisconsin, and it's my understanding that there is one week in growing corn that field con is really good, but you have to know when I have had it and it was awesome, real big kernels very tasty and bright yellow.
Grant, try Speedway Motors, I think they are in Lincoln. They can get you set up with racing ignition parts.
MSD ignition components. Available Jegs, Summit. HEI style cap on this particular one, or a std with a separate coil.
May want to try and come up with a way to cover that distributor cap to shield it from the outside elements. If the caps you're using are actually just failing that often you want to look at something like an MSD equivalent to what you have.
Most people do cover there engines up
You would think so, but with that one just sitting there out in the open with no cover in in sight it was just an observation.
My machine set out side in the weather. And there stationary in the rain never had a problem even in rain storms.
@@garypoyner4899 okay I guess every engine is good to sit out in the open uncovered then since Gary does this and has never had any problems. I guess disregard my suggestion to cover your engine then guys since we have at least one engine out of thousands that has never been affected by sitting out in the open elements.
Can't you separate the coil pack from the cap and just get a cap?
Standard ignition blue streak HEI distributer caps and rotors are the best
Currently, in MN, the farmer's corn dryer is running across the road from us. He had corn fall over due to the drought. Probably had to take it a month ahead of time. He said it's at 22% moisture content.
Another fantastic video! Thank you for sharing your farming and life journey with us, I'm continually amazed by all the multitasking you and Grant do every day. By the way, the T-Shirts are fantastic! After several washings they are soft and comfortable and no shrinkage of pilling of the fabric. Well done!
My favorite things to hear!!!! Means the world❤️❤️
@@LauraFarmsI have a question
My best advice for a distributor, would be to check for something marine grade
Check in to Standard Ignition's Blue Streak line, they are a higher quality unit, run about $25 without the coil.
I am a big fan but I think you guys need a plan B. Perhaps in the areas where the irrigation does not reach you should try planting some dry crop like hemp or something. That would give you experience with how to use that in your planters and harvesters if the aquifer dries up someday.
Thank you for sharing a pivotal moment.
If you are not doing this, spray distributor cap with silicone, put dielectric grease in both ends of the plug wires.
I'm not a farm person but I found Grant's explanation on what you're looking for in the development of the ear and when it's ready. If you think about it, record the black line you were talking about when the kernel stops taking on nutrients.
Water! Im about do a rain dance, our pond is down about 2 foot in ohio the fish may have grow legs! But the pear trees look great this year!
Go get a ford factory distributor, them aftermarket distributors are junk!
You can use a 289, 302, and 351c, 351m, and a 429, and 460 factory distributors. All these distributors will work on the 460, Fords Awesome like that!! 💪🏼😎👍🏻
Great video's guys, keep them coming!!
1:51 I love my crank windows
You two work great together. Fun to watch
The hard, labored starting of the engine is a sign of engine timing being too far advanced. Which would also explain why you aren't getting good run time on the distributors and why the distributor caps have so much wear.
Laura I just love watching you and Grant and I'm a woman. You two make a beautiful loving couple ! And you have a wonderful soul.
Farmer's are already harvesting corn 🌽 here in tn. The 🫘 starting to turn color.
Will say your best video of explaining your irrigation issues.
Would agree that covering the engine should help
The factors that contribute to this are sometimes temperature fluctuations, which cause the plant to abort and delay the maturation cycle. Drought also contributes to the delay, sometimes you started the Planting a little late May God bless you Laura, if I can help you with anything, you can count on me
I really don't know much about pivots however a long running engine takes more maintenance than just adding oil and gas. A diesel engine would be a better option and then I feel an electric motor may be the best for a long running application. maybe something to think about for the future; because it'll be planting time once again in 6-7 months to start the cycle over again.
Thanks for the explanation on what and why and what you are doing, great Video stay safe ! ( from Canada )