Tractor Repair: ELECTRICAL FAILURE, poulsbo wa, massey harris

Question
Dean I am desperately in need of your expertise. I know you advertise MF but I have a Model 22 Massey Harris with the continental engine. It has served me well for a lot of years, but suddenly it is dead. Will not do anything. I checked the starter switch and ignition switch and even bypassed both. There is 6+ volts there as long as the coil and starter are not connected. As soon as the negative side is connected to the coil, voltage goes to zero. I have replaced the coil twice and and had the starter rebuilt, but no change. I thought the system ground may have failed and cleaned it up and even relocated it, but again, no luck. The electrical system appears too simple to get stumped this hard.
Any ideas or experience with this?
Thanks in advance...Ken, Poulsbo Wa

Answer
Hi Ken
  If I understand your problem it has to be either dirty battery terminals or a bad cable. Old cables will sometimes build up so much resistance they want carry enough amperage & when you put a load on them you will loose all voltage it is rare but I have run into it several times. Check the voltage at the solenoid end of cable when you hook the coil up & when you try to start it if you loose voltage there then it would have to be a bad cable or dirty terminals. If you have voltage there start a the ammeter and start to check voltage in the wire going to it & leaving it till you find where you are loosing the voltage. Hope this will help If I can be of further help Email me at daustin62@aol.com