My tractor hates me...

1948 Ford 8N. It was a front-mount distributor, I converted to 12V with a round coil. Charges correctly. In my post earlier, I described that after the conversion it started much better, but still had thick black smoke and was running rich.

I went through the air cleaner very thoroughly and just rebuilt the carb. I slapped all that on and new plugs and prepared to start it up. Now, mind you, just a few days prior it had started great but was running rich.

Then what happens? When I hold down the starter button, I get one click out of the soleonid and no spinning (that's a first). No continuous clicking, just one. I double checked my wiring which was solid (even battery cables). Started seems to have a good ground. When I jump/bypass the solenoid I got sparks but didn't get a spinning starter.

This is crazy. It's like I finally got one area figured out and a completely unrelated area fails at the same time.

Anyways, I took the starter out. Didn't remember my 75 tips of course and took the long bolts out. Nothing appears to be obviously damaged. Should be fun to put back in.

Is it time to bring the starter in for a bench test? Could it just have been "stuck" instead? And why oh why does it hate me so?

It could have had the starter drive stuck in the flywheel.
Happens quite often if the battery voltage is low.
Did the starter come apart? If so I would bench test it.
The tractor doesn't hate you.
It's helping you by providing a "learning experience".

When the starter just 'clicks' when you depress the starting switch/button, key ON, it often is due to a severely discharged or dead battery. I would have checked the battery out first before yanking the starter off. Battery must sustain a full charge under load, meet specific gravity specs, checked via hydrometer or your local starter shop. "Charges correctly" -means what? The next step, and IMHO, most likely the true root cause, is the wiring. You say 12V, so do you have an alternator or still using the 6V generator and its Voltage Regulator? I'd take the starter AND the battery to your trusty, local starter/alternator shop. He can bench test both. While he does that, verify the entire wiring system is correct for your set up.

Tim Daley(MI)

It sounds to me just like the absolutely most common, simplest, and easiest to fix problem: bad cable connection. Your tractor loves you; it gives you only simple problems.

I agree with Showcrop, that always should be the first thing to check. There's not enough current flow through the dirty battery connections to spin the starter. Remove the cables and clean the connector and post with one of those battery cleaning tools at auto supply stores.

you know your Tractor reads these posts....

(quoted from post at 14:47:16 07/18/18) you know your Tractor reads these posts....

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:lol:

Thanks All!

I swear I hadn't touched the starter with this conversion. But I took it off, lightly cleaned up the mating surfaces, stuck it back in and tried. Got a spark near the copper bar. I tightened those nits (how the heck did they get loose) and Bam, she fired up like it was 1948.

As you may know, I had bad black exhaust before. Clear as can be after my carb rebuild.

Thanks everybody. It seems it is always the basics. Tighten a bolt, clean up some rust, etc... My mind always jumps to it being something complicated.

Thanks again. Without you guys owning an 8N would be no good for me. This has made it a good learning experience over the years.

(quoted from post at 19:31:46 07/18/18) Thanks All!

I swear I hadn't touched the starter with this conversion. But I took it off, lightly cleaned up the mating surfaces, stuck it back in and tried. Got a spark near the copper bar. I tightened those nits (how the heck did they get loose) and Bam, she fired up like it was 1948.

As you may know, I had bad black exhaust before. Clear as can be after my carb rebuild.

Thanks everybody. It seems it is always the basics. Tighten a bolt, clean up some rust, etc... My mind always jumps to it being something complicated.

Thanks again. Without you guys owning an 8N would be no good for me. This has made it a good learning experience over the years.

Click to expand...

Hawkmiles you are far from being alone in going to the complicated things, and it seems to me the toughest thing to get guys to do is to check the cable connections. There have been some that go on for two weeks or better going down various rabbit trails, and finally go away mad rather that check their cable connections. You were easy! thanks for posting back.

I have hauled over 3000 of these things to the scrap yard because of the same thing you are experiencing.
Most of them were given to me to haul off. Good luck with it

(quoted from post at 19:28:34 07/19/18) I have hauled over 3000 of these things to the scrap yard because of the same thing you are experiencing.
Most of them were given to me to haul off. Good luck with it

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hd6gtom, you have hauled 3000 Ns to the scrap yard because they were running like new? Really??

Showcrop you have to realize that hd6gtom is like the opposite of a superhero. Exactly 180 degrees different.