Looking on putting electronic ignition on an 8 N with a front mount distributor (positive ground 6 volt). I have found the parts, but I have questions:
Can you use the same spark plug wires after the electronic ignition is installed? or do they need to be changed to carbon core wires? There is one wire on top of the coil coming from the key, is this where the wire from the ignition system connects? Is there a possibility I will need to re-time the motor after installation?
I have installed a few petronix ignition systems on other tractors with the more traditional type of distributors on them, but not a front mount ford. Any information would be very helpful and appreciated. Thanks
 
Quality breaker points last 10 or 15 years or more, what heartbreak are you trying to set yourself up for?

To answer you worries, though, Pertronics DEMANDS "suppression" spark plug wires. That would mean "carbon core" or "spiral wound" metallic core wires.

The kit will come with instructions as to how to wire it.

As to "retiming" the "motor" that's impossible unless you understand engines well enough to find TDC and make your own timing marks on the front crankshaft pulley, as a "front mount" distributor 8N has NO factory timing marks.
 
You will want suppression wires.

Timing of the engine is done with marks on the camshaft and
crankshaft gears. You're not going to change that adding EI.

Timing of the distributor, with points, is done on the bench.
Marks are on the side of the distributor. No timing light method.

Not really as big of an issue, if at all, with EI.
The distributor only fits on the tractor one way without breaking.
No need to worry about getting teeth lined up like other distributors.

Personally, I wouldn't put EI on a 6V system.
I would convert it to 12V negative ground with points, make sure everything worked,
then add the 12V EI if needed. Both are usually band-aids for other issues IMHO.
 
OK, it's your tractor and your hard earned $$$ so you can do anything you want to it. That being said, why do you want EI? I concur with Royse. If you are having non-starting issues now, what makes you think an EI is going to 'fix' that? You say it is 6V now. How do you know it is wired correctly? Have you done a root cause problem solving procedure to determine the cause? Or are you just committing no-no rule #1 -replacing parts not knowing if defective or not? 99.98% of all non-starting/non-running issues are due to incorrect/bad/cobbled up wiring whether 6V/POS GRN or 12V/NEG GRN. I'm just saying if you have issues now, adding EI to the mix is only going to muddy the water. The front mount distributor coil has one wire attached to the top terminal post. It runs to the OEM Ballast Resistor on the back dash pane, fastened to the LH terminal. It isn't connected to the key switch directly as you say. If you don't have a ballast resistor, 6V generator, and voltage regulator, w/ a 6V battery, all wired correctly, then your wiring system is cobbled up. You need the essential manuals first of all. If you just want EI to be 'fashionable' good luck. Contact Pertronix for help. If it ain't running now, well, you have our advice. Find the root cause, then proceed forward.

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Tim *PloughNman* Daley(MI)
 
[i:654c4848f0]"That being said, why do you want EI?"[/i:654c4848f0]

He said he has installed EI on a few other tractors. Wouldn't you guess he thinks it's worth the money and effort to do it?
 
yep, installed on others yet needs to know how to do another? No, I think he has other issues and not saying... just my opinion and I'm sticking to it

TPD
 
"have installed a few petronix ignition systems on other tractors with the more traditional type of distributors on them, [b:654c4848f0]but not a front mount ford."[/b:654c4848f0]
 
I had the issue of not staying running with my N. I was looking in to it, and after talking with an old time thats a N expert, I decided to.stick with the traditional 6v pos ground system. The key is to make sure you have a coil resistor on the back side of the dash to step down the amps to the coil, 0therwise it will cook. I was also informed to use the coils from.Dennis Carpenter, NOT the TSC ripoffs. For your points, use the blue streaks. Expensive, but you have more tungsten on the contacts to prevent arc marks than and putting. In my eyes, while the EI is a modern convenience, it overcomplicates things. If I have learned anything, it's the simple to work on fact that stands out the most. Dont reinvent the wheel!
 
In defense of the OP, who didn't ask for opinions on WHY to install. I looked into it for the serviceability gains. I have an FEL on my front mount 8N, and it is a real chore, and awkward as heck to service the dist. On my JD I can service the points, condenser, and rotor in a matter of 10 minutes. On the 8N with loader it is a several hour job.

Ford apparently recognized this and moved the dist on later models, because my guess is that like me, most owners came back to Ford dealers and had unkind comments about servicing the points, which led to hard starting, which led to tractors getting a rep as difficult.

I'm glad others have chimed in to answer the questions requested. I didn't put the EI on, but was tempted. BTW, I time the engine by sound and power, not by marks.
 
you know it's amazing to me that I asked a few questions and for the most part I was ridiculed for asking. There are no issues with the tractor, it belongs to my cousin and he was asking me about EI, I have EI on 1 tractor and have had it for about 12-15 years with no issues. I love it. Now I now this is not a petronix EI, but with petronis the instructions say you MAY have to re-time the tractor (turn the distributor not re-stab it) after installation, hence my questions, All I was looking for was useful information to relay to my cousin, not accusations and second guessing of what is wrong with the tractor. You know when I have asked questions on YT about Molines and Farmall's I don't get ridiculed for my questions. I thought this site was designed to help one another.
 
With the timing, the only thing you can do is set the advance, on a vise, with a feeler gauge set at .015". The FO-04 manual describes how to do that. The timing, for all intensive purposes on the front mounts is static, in that it will find its spark. Ridicule wasn't meant on my part. I apologise if you took it as such.
 
I don't believe there was any ridicule in my reply. None was intended.
I thought I answered your questions. I did add my opinion on 6V EI
since you said you didn't have experience with a front mount Ford.
Pertronix does make EI for the front mount Fords, but there is no
"turning the distributor" on a front mount Ford. Timing is set with
the distributor off the tractor on the work bench.
It only goes in one way and you have to "re-stab it" every time.
 
This is absolutely the Best board on the whole internet for reliable help and info on these little Fords. Please remember that.
Be glad there are so many great guys who give freely of their time to help others.
That said, it is a rather peculiar place in that some here are so outspoken about keeping them all original and 12V and particularly EI are topics that set some people on edge like fingernails on a blackboard.
The mantra here supposedly is; "It's your tractor, do as you like with it."
That is, untill it comes to those two topics.
It is getting better so be glad for that.
Today you get a couple of "Why do you want to do that?" type comments.
5 or 10 years ago you would have started a knock down, drag out fight just for asking the question you did.
There are many here that just hate the looks of an alternator hanging on the side of one of these tractors.
Ok, I can accept that the purists don't like them. But EI is an alteration that can not easily be seen and it is a simple matter to change them back to points.
The peculiar part is how so many of the purists don't make a peep about a 9N or 2N painted up like a red belly - which is a Lot harder to change back to the original Gray - yet they will raise a stink about EI.
Anyway, there are a lot of people here who are running EI and/or 12V that are entirely happy with it but they just don't talk about it for fear of being denigrated or editorialized to and starting the voltage/EI wars again.
I'm sorry I'm not much help here other than this bit of philosophizing. I'm not an "N expert" by any means. I'm sure I could convert a front mount to EI if it was here in front of me but won't try to help another guy do it online.
That said, if you ask any question about a 1965 to 85 3 cylinder Ford tractor then I'm your man.
I come here because it's a great board and I like reading it - first stop in the morning and last stop at night.
 

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