1952 Ford 8N carburetor problem??

A couple weeks ago my 8N (side mounted distributor and converted to 12v) quit while I was giving my 5 year ld daughter a joyride. I decided to go through it and get it ready for bush hog season so I gave it a tune up by rebuilding the carb and replacing everything in the ignition system. Not sure when everything was replaced last since I bought it less than a year ago. The things I replaced are, battery, 6v resistor that was corroded through, coil, points and condenser, plug wires and plugs. I also replaced all of the wiring and the key switch.

My problem is that it starts fine and runs normally for as long as I want but once I shut it off it doesn't want to start unless I remove the carb and take it apart (thinking the float is stuck) and put it back on.

The float seems fine and I've adjusted it to 1/4 inch from the gasket. Getting frustrated and wanted some direction.....any ideas?

Thanks

Check your spark and make sure it is in fact a blue white in color and will jump a 1/4 inch gap at all 4 plug wires. #2 pull the carb drain plug and see if you have a good steady flow of gas for a few minutes. Catch it to make sure it is not full of water and dirt etc. #3 when was the last time you serviced the air cleaner. If it is full of water/dirt it can and will cause funny things

#1
I"ve checked the spark on 2 of the 4 plugs and it looks fine....will try to pull all 4 tomorrow though and check them.....hmmmmm it should jump 1/4 inch huh? I"ll try that and let you know.

#2
I"ve spun out the small brass drain on the bottom of the carb and it seems to run steady. I"ve read that it should fill a pint jar in 2-3 minutes though and haven"t tried that yet. Will do that in the morning also. Is the small brass drain the correct drain to make this 2-3 minute measurement with or should I be using the larger (small pipe threaded) drain plug at the very bottom of the carb.

#3
I haven"t ever serviced the air cleaner but removed it from the equation by disconnecting the intake hose. I will be servicing that though.....i"m sure it"s all grimed up.

Thanks for the quick response.

Are you sure there's a problem? When I got my current 8N I had a devil of a time starting it when it was hot. I had to hold my tongue just right.

After I had used it quite a bit I learned the engine and now it starts like a champ for me. I use choke just after I start cranking. When it is cold it never needs choke.

Have you learned what it wants?

Could be spark, too. The flame isn't good enough to get her going.

at restart.. check spark. if spark is good. check fuel flow thru carb bowl

if good, but no start.. will she start with starter fluid sprayed in carb mouth while cranking?

post back

David........keep yer itchy-twitchy fingers off'n them handy-dandy carb tweek'ums!!! All you shadetree mechanics think the carbs the problem. So the 1-st thing you do is rebuild yer carb. 90% of all run issues are in the sparkies.

Fer the 12-volt sidemount, we recommend a REAL 12-volt roundcan coil, NAPA IC-14 that NEVER uses a resistor. Gap yer points 0.025" and clean'n'polish yer INVISIBLE corroded points after installation. Me? I use a clean $1-bill and clamp between the points and pull. Iff'n yer really cheap, tear a strip from HEAVY brown paper grocery sack and use that.

You complain......."My problem is that it starts fine and runs normally for as long as I want but once I shut it off it doesn't want to start unless I remove the carb and take it apart (thinking the float is stuck) and put it back on".......it aint'chur carby ittza yer weaksister CONDENSER!!! The amount of time it takes for you to UNNECESSARILY take yer carb apart is plenty of time for yer BAD condenser to cool and re-sparkle yer sparkies. Condensers can be BAD, right outta the box. So buy another condenser. Simple, eh? .........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

(quoted from post at 00:26:02 03/09/13) David........keep yer itchy-twitchy fingers off'n them handy-dandy carb tweek'ums!!! All you shadetree mechanics think the carbs the problem. So the 1-st thing you do is rebuild yer carb. 90% of all run issues are in the sparkies.

Fer the 12-volt sidemount, we recommend a REAL 12-volt roundcan coil, NAPA IC-14 that NEVER uses a resistor. Gap yer points 0.025" and clean'n'polish yer INVISIBLE corroded points after installation. Me? I use a clean $1-bill and clamp between the points and pull. Iff'n yer really cheap, tear a strip from HEAVY brown paper grocery sack and use that.

You complain......."My problem is that it starts fine and runs normally for as long as I want but once I shut it off it doesn't want to start unless I remove the carb and take it apart (thinking the float is stuck) and put it back on".......it aint'chur carby ittza yer weaksister CONDENSER!!! The amount of time it takes for you to UNNECESSARILY take yer carb apart is plenty of time for yer BAD condenser to cool and re-sparkle yer sparkies. Condensers can be BAD, right outta the box. So buy another condenser. Simple, eh? .........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

Click to expand...

ell, if it is his condenser, then it will be very obvious, as his spark will be very small, yellow, weak across a small gap or none at all at the moment that it will not start.

Pipe plug is what you should pull not the other small one since that is not a drain plug but the main jet clean out plug

OK so I did a few things today and i'm back up and running but I have a new issue, i'll get to that in a minute though.....

1. first thing I did was check my fuel flow through the carb by pulling the larger pipe threaded drain plug and timing how long it took to fill a pint jar. It took exactly 1 minute and 45 seconds so I have good flow. The fuel was clean with no water.

2. I took NOTJUSTAIR's advice about cranging with the choke in then pulling it out because that made sense to me. Although in the past i've rarely needed to use the choke at all. It acted like it wanted to start and after a few tried I actually got it to, but it wouldn't start every time.

3. I bypassed the resistor with no change.

4. starter fluid, no change.

5. pulled each plug one at a time and checked to see if my spark would jump 1/4 of an inch. It did but looked a bit weak to me and wasn't the blue color that I've been reading about.

6. tried the "dollar bill clean the points" trick that DELL suggested with no change.

7. This led me to the auto parts store for another condenser. While I was there I explained my situation to the owner who has restored a Ford 8N and still owns it. He asked me if I replaced the old wires with a set made for the tractor or if I used a set of wires for a car. I told him that I used a set for a car of course...haha. Anyway I got a new set of wires and a new condenser and put the wires on first. With no change.

8. My last ditch effort was the condenser and that seemed to do the trick. It starts right up with no choke and idles and runs smoothly.

so now I have a question about the resistor. I've been told yes and no do the resistor with a 12 volt system. It doesn't seem to run any different with it in line or bypassed and I'd like to see some discussion on what the more experienced guys think and why.

OK so I said I have a new issue. When I put the tractor in reverse it wants to bog down and stall. This also happens when I put it under a load, for instance when the PTO/brush hog is engaged. I know DELL I couldn't keep my itchy twitchy fingers off the carb so I did try to adjust it to fix my previous problem. Is this why?? Is my carb in need of being dialed in. I haven't ever had a problem with being under a load or going in reverse.

Thanks in advance for the help.



6.

If you have a 12 volt coil, you don't need the resistor.
If you lose power under load right after changing the plug wires, the first
thing I would check is the firing order. These engines will run fine with two
plug wires swapped, they just lack power under load.

Also I forgot to to mention that when it bogs down in reverse or under a load that it backfires occasionally....which it never did before. Thought that might be an important fact to know.

that was a thought of mine also. I changed the wires one at a time though. I did do a search prior to changing them to see if i could find a diagram of the plug wires from the distributor to the engine but couldn't find one. I understand the firing order is 1,2,4,3 but a diagram like i mentioned would be helpful to give me that warm fuzzy feeling.

(quoted from post at 16:59:19 03/09/13) that was a thought of mine also. I changed the wires one at a time though. I did do a search prior to changing them to see if i could find a diagram of the plug wires from the distributor to the engine but couldn't find one. I understand the firing order is 1,2,4,3 but a diagram like i mentioned would be helpful to give me that warm fuzzy feeling.

Click to expand...

b:88e1fd9d9d][i:88e1fd9d9d]

This should help for the firing order, only!!! This is with 6V so ony look at the distrib wiring in this diagram !!! (Yours is 12vlt??) Ya did say 52 8N!!!??? Side mount distrib.!!!!!!



Gary :?: [/i:88e1fd9d9d][/b:88e1fd9d9d]

Thanks Gary, a picture is worth a thousand words!
David, notice in Gary's drawing it does point out the rotation is CCW.
If they were cut-to-length wires, you may also want to double check the ends.
Both to make sure they're on good and to make sure they clip on/in securely.
I've had some that were too loose and didn't fit well, and some that were too
tight so they didn't plug on good when I thought they were.
Backfire out the exhaust, or through the carb?

A back fire tells me you either have a clogged main jet or you have the main jet adjusted to lean. Good starting point for the main jet is 2 full turn out form bottom. As for the resister I do not remember if your is the front or side mount but with a 6 volt coil and 12 volts you need the resister so as to keep from over voltaging the coil which will burn it out over time

Thanks for the info OLD....I have a 12V coil so i'm assuming the resistor isn't required?

if i run the resistor with a 12V coil will that limit my performance?

am I correct to assume that the #1 on the distributor cap is where the #1 plug wire goes? Then work counter clockwise from there?

Ah but there are 12 volt coils that sat external resister needed and others that say no resister needed so which do you have