I am looking for someone in the Bloomington/Nashville, Indiana area that is familiar with the 8N's. I have a good engine man that is familiar with old autos but not the nuances of the 8's. Any help would be appreciated as I love my tractor but am lost with engines and electronics. Thanks.
- Thread starter swhockett
- Start date
Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
" but am lost with engines and electronics"
At some point, all of us where.
This stuff isn't rocket science. The Kettering ignition system on the 8N was designed in 1903.
Tell us your problem(s) and we can help you get it fixed.
The first things we need to know (we only have one mind reader here) is if your tractor is 6v or 12v & if it has a front or side distributor.
75 Tips
At some point, all of us where.
This stuff isn't rocket science. The Kettering ignition system on the 8N was designed in 1903.
Tell us your problem(s) and we can help you get it fixed.
The first things we need to know (we only have one mind reader here) is if your tractor is 6v or 12v & if it has a front or side distributor.
75 Tips
Having a tractor is not just using it and
racking up seat time, seat time is the time one
spends with ones kester in the seat doing what
you bought your N for. The thing that really
makes seat time enjoyable and is the frosting
on the cake is you were the one who did the
things that make it purrrrr. Just the simple
stuff is a lot of fun. Putting in spark
plugs,greasing fittings, changing the oil in
the air filter and crankcase oil changes at
first. If you dont do some stuff yourself you
will never catch Tractor Fever. Seat time will
be like kissing your sister. Everybody here was
at one time where you are now. The forum is
your friend and people here will jump at a
chance to help. It is great to have somebody
like your motor man around to help- I have one
myself but I am the one who gets his hands
dirty. Try it youll like. I should tell you
this there is no cure for tractor fever it can
only be treated. LB Master of the Obvious.
racking up seat time, seat time is the time one
spends with ones kester in the seat doing what
you bought your N for. The thing that really
makes seat time enjoyable and is the frosting
on the cake is you were the one who did the
things that make it purrrrr. Just the simple
stuff is a lot of fun. Putting in spark
plugs,greasing fittings, changing the oil in
the air filter and crankcase oil changes at
first. If you dont do some stuff yourself you
will never catch Tractor Fever. Seat time will
be like kissing your sister. Everybody here was
at one time where you are now. The forum is
your friend and people here will jump at a
chance to help. It is great to have somebody
like your motor man around to help- I have one
myself but I am the one who gets his hands
dirty. Try it youll like. I should tell you
this there is no cure for tractor fever it can
only be treated. LB Master of the Obvious.
Jim in Ma.
Well-known Member
You can also gain a lot of info from John Smith's
Ford web site.
Ford web site.
I've attempted to attach some photos. It is a front mounted distributor and 6 volt system. I had it worked on last summer and when it came back the engine did not have that same "chugging" sound that I was used to hearing. More like the rhythm of an auto engine. Also it had lost it's pulling power under load. The fellow tinkered with it some more and it was improved. Seemed to drink gas more readily. Last Fall I treated the gas with Stabile, filled the tank, removed battery and placed it on battery tender. This summer I put it together and repolarized system(properly I believe) but couldn't get her to fire. I'd placed new plugs the previous summer.
Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
Using Stabil & a battery tender is wise.
Make sure the battery is fully charged before you go looking for the problem.
Next, check out tip #39 at the link. If you own a 60+ year old tractor, you need the manuals.
It takes three things for an engine to run: spark at the right time, compression, & fuel/air in the right mixture. For the moment, forget about compression & concentrate on narrowing the problem down to spark or fuel.
There are three very important tools you always need to have in your N tool box: a 3 inch piece of wire w/ alligator clips on each end, a spark checker w/ an adjustable gap (* see below) and a 7/16 box end wrench. (see tip # 50 at the link below) And, you really do need a working ammeter on the tractor; it is a very important diagnostic tool. With these tools, you can quickly narrow down most N problems to spark or fuel.
First, check for fuel. Get a can & put it under the carb. Remove the bolt in the bottom of the carb; as long as the fuel is turned on, you should see gas flowing out of the carb. Let it run for at least 30 seconds. If it’s a dribble, or runs for 5 seconds & stops, or none at all, you have solved half the problem: it’s fuel related. If gas flows well out of the carb & only stops when you turn it off at the sediment bowl, chances are very good it’s not a fuel problem. So, next, turn the key on, crank the engine & look at the ammeter. What is the needle doing? Does it show a constant discharge, no movement at all, or does it move back & forth slightly? Next, hook up your spark checker, turn the key on & crank the engine. If the spark jumps the 1/4” gap, you probably don’t have a spark problem. If it won’t jump the ¼” gap, you have a spark problem. If the ammeter needle shows a constant discharge, or doesn’t move at all, that also tells you that you have a spark problem. Jump the ignition switch w/ your jumper wire & see what happens. If it runs, you found the problem. If it doesn’t have spark after you jump the ignition switch, post back for more info on further troubleshooting. (and do not forget to turn the ignition switch off; see tip # 38)
If it does not have gas coming out of the carb at a steady stream w/ the bolt out for at least 30 seconds, you have a fuel problem. First, remove the gas cap. Your vent could be clogged & it vacuum locked. If that doesn’t work, tap the carb bowl w/ a hammer handle in case the float is sticking closed. (don’t whack it w/ the head of the hammer; you can crack the bowl). If you still don’t see gas flowing, the N has three fuel screens; one in the brass elbow, one in the top of the sediment bowl & one on the stem of the sediment bowl in the gas tank. Check the screen in the elbow & the screen in the top of the sediment bowl. (don’t worry about the one in the tank) Both probably need to be cleaned. If you have the fuel knob turned on all the way, & 1 gallon or less in the tank, it may be trying to feed off of the reserve inlet which is probably clogged. Only open it 2 full turns. Put at least 2 gallons in the tank. (and do not forget to turn the gas off; see tip # 9)
There are ways to check for spark & fuel that work & ways that don't. For example, having gas to the carb is nice, but having it past the float is what counts! That’s why removing the 7/16” bolt in the bottom of the carb is the way to check for fuel. And, same thing w/ spark at the plugs. Some folks think that checking for spark means pulling a plug wire off & looking for one. Well, it's the distance the spark jumps at the plug that gives you the info you want. It takes about 17kv to jump a 3/16" gap & 22kv to jump ¼” in the open air. Remember, it’s 14psi outside of the engine & about 90psi at a 6:1 compression ratio in the cylinders & compressed air creates electrical resistance, so you really need the 17-22kv to fire the plugs when the engine is running. A store bought plug checker (in the picture) will work better than an old plug because it won’t shock the snot out of you like an old plug might!
Chances are about 7 out of 10 that your points are corroded from sitting all winter. But, lets not guess; confirm you have a spark problem & that it's in the distributor before you jump ahead to fixing it.
Post back with results or more questions.
*If you don’t own a spark checker w/ an adjustable gap, buy one. In the meantime, an old spark plug w/ the gap opened to at least ¼” will work. Ground it to a rust & paint free spot on the engine turn the key on & look for a spark.
75 Tips
Make sure the battery is fully charged before you go looking for the problem.
Next, check out tip #39 at the link. If you own a 60+ year old tractor, you need the manuals.
It takes three things for an engine to run: spark at the right time, compression, & fuel/air in the right mixture. For the moment, forget about compression & concentrate on narrowing the problem down to spark or fuel.
There are three very important tools you always need to have in your N tool box: a 3 inch piece of wire w/ alligator clips on each end, a spark checker w/ an adjustable gap (* see below) and a 7/16 box end wrench. (see tip # 50 at the link below) And, you really do need a working ammeter on the tractor; it is a very important diagnostic tool. With these tools, you can quickly narrow down most N problems to spark or fuel.
First, check for fuel. Get a can & put it under the carb. Remove the bolt in the bottom of the carb; as long as the fuel is turned on, you should see gas flowing out of the carb. Let it run for at least 30 seconds. If it’s a dribble, or runs for 5 seconds & stops, or none at all, you have solved half the problem: it’s fuel related. If gas flows well out of the carb & only stops when you turn it off at the sediment bowl, chances are very good it’s not a fuel problem. So, next, turn the key on, crank the engine & look at the ammeter. What is the needle doing? Does it show a constant discharge, no movement at all, or does it move back & forth slightly? Next, hook up your spark checker, turn the key on & crank the engine. If the spark jumps the 1/4” gap, you probably don’t have a spark problem. If it won’t jump the ¼” gap, you have a spark problem. If the ammeter needle shows a constant discharge, or doesn’t move at all, that also tells you that you have a spark problem. Jump the ignition switch w/ your jumper wire & see what happens. If it runs, you found the problem. If it doesn’t have spark after you jump the ignition switch, post back for more info on further troubleshooting. (and do not forget to turn the ignition switch off; see tip # 38)
If it does not have gas coming out of the carb at a steady stream w/ the bolt out for at least 30 seconds, you have a fuel problem. First, remove the gas cap. Your vent could be clogged & it vacuum locked. If that doesn’t work, tap the carb bowl w/ a hammer handle in case the float is sticking closed. (don’t whack it w/ the head of the hammer; you can crack the bowl). If you still don’t see gas flowing, the N has three fuel screens; one in the brass elbow, one in the top of the sediment bowl & one on the stem of the sediment bowl in the gas tank. Check the screen in the elbow & the screen in the top of the sediment bowl. (don’t worry about the one in the tank) Both probably need to be cleaned. If you have the fuel knob turned on all the way, & 1 gallon or less in the tank, it may be trying to feed off of the reserve inlet which is probably clogged. Only open it 2 full turns. Put at least 2 gallons in the tank. (and do not forget to turn the gas off; see tip # 9)
There are ways to check for spark & fuel that work & ways that don't. For example, having gas to the carb is nice, but having it past the float is what counts! That’s why removing the 7/16” bolt in the bottom of the carb is the way to check for fuel. And, same thing w/ spark at the plugs. Some folks think that checking for spark means pulling a plug wire off & looking for one. Well, it's the distance the spark jumps at the plug that gives you the info you want. It takes about 17kv to jump a 3/16" gap & 22kv to jump ¼” in the open air. Remember, it’s 14psi outside of the engine & about 90psi at a 6:1 compression ratio in the cylinders & compressed air creates electrical resistance, so you really need the 17-22kv to fire the plugs when the engine is running. A store bought plug checker (in the picture) will work better than an old plug because it won’t shock the snot out of you like an old plug might!
Chances are about 7 out of 10 that your points are corroded from sitting all winter. But, lets not guess; confirm you have a spark problem & that it's in the distributor before you jump ahead to fixing it.
Post back with results or more questions.
*If you don’t own a spark checker w/ an adjustable gap, buy one. In the meantime, an old spark plug w/ the gap opened to at least ¼” will work. Ground it to a rust & paint free spot on the engine turn the key on & look for a spark.
75 Tips
http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/articles/artint268.htm(quoted from post at 15:56:40 10/29/14) Using Stabil & a battery tender is wise.
Make sure the battery is fully charged before you go looking for the problem.
Next, check out tip #39 at the link. If you own a 60+ year old tractor, you need the manuals.
It takes three things for an engine to run: spark at the right time, compression, & fuel/air in the right mixture. For the moment, forget about compression & concentrate on narrowing the problem down to spark or fuel.
There are three very important tools you always need to have in your N tool box: a 3 inch piece of wire w/ alligator clips on each end, a spark checker w/ an adjustable gap (* see below) and a 7/16 box end wrench. (see tip # 50 at the link below) And, you really do need a working ammeter on the tractor; it is a very important diagnostic tool. With these tools, you can quickly narrow down most N problems to spark or fuel.
First, check for fuel. Get a can & put it under the carb. Remove the bolt in the bottom of the carb; as long as the fuel is turned on, you should see gas flowing out of the carb. Let it run for at least 30 seconds. If it’s a dribble, or runs for 5 seconds & stops, or none at all, you have solved half the problem: it’s fuel related. If gas flows well out of the carb & only stops when you turn it off at the sediment bowl, chances are very good it’s not a fuel problem. So, next, turn the key on, crank the engine & look at the ammeter. What is the needle doing? Does it show a constant discharge, no movement at all, or does it move back & forth slightly? Next, hook up your spark checker, turn the key on & crank the engine. If the spark jumps the 1/4” gap, you probably don’t have a spark problem. If it won’t jump the ¼” gap, you have a spark problem. If the ammeter needle shows a constant discharge, or doesn’t move at all, that also tells you that you have a spark problem. Jump the ignition switch w/ your jumper wire & see what happens. If it runs, you found the problem. If it doesn’t have spark after you jump the ignition switch, post back for more info on further troubleshooting. (and do not forget to turn the ignition switch off; see tip # 38)
If it does not have gas coming out of the carb at a steady stream w/ the bolt out for at least 30 seconds, you have a fuel problem. First, remove the gas cap. Your vent could be clogged & it vacuum locked. If that doesn’t work, tap the carb bowl w/ a hammer handle in case the float is sticking closed. (don’t whack it w/ the head of the hammer; you can crack the bowl). If you still don’t see gas flowing, the N has three fuel screens; one in the brass elbow, one in the top of the sediment bowl & one on the stem of the sediment bowl in the gas tank. Check the screen in the elbow & the screen in the top of the sediment bowl. (don’t worry about the one in the tank) Both probably need to be cleaned. If you have the fuel knob turned on all the way, & 1 gallon or less in the tank, it may be trying to feed off of the reserve inlet which is probably clogged. Only open it 2 full turns. Put at least 2 gallons in the tank. (and do not forget to turn the gas off; see tip # 9)
There are ways to check for spark & fuel that work & ways that don't. For example, having gas to the carb is nice, but having it past the float is what counts! That’s why removing the 7/16” bolt in the bottom of the carb is the way to check for fuel. And, same thing w/ spark at the plugs. Some folks think that checking for spark means pulling a plug wire off & looking for one. Well, it's the distance the spark jumps at the plug that gives you the info you want. It takes about 17kv to jump a 3/16" gap & 22kv to jump ¼” in the open air. Remember, it’s 14psi outside of the engine & about 90psi at a 6:1 compression ratio in the cylinders & compressed air creates electrical resistance, so you really need the 17-22kv to fire the plugs when the engine is running. A store bought plug checker (in the picture) will work better than an old plug because it won’t shock the snot out of you like an old plug might!
Chances are about 7 out of 10 that your points are corroded from sitting all winter. But, lets not guess; confirm you have a spark problem & that it's in the distributor before you jump ahead to fixing it.
Post back with results or more questions.
*If you don’t own a spark checker w/ an adjustable gap, buy one. In the meantime, an old spark plug w/ the gap opened to at least ¼” will work. Ground it to a rust & paint free spot on the engine turn the key on & look for a spark.
75 Tips[/url
Thanks Bruce. Lots to learn here. Last year I had replaced fuel line and sediment bowl. Will start with charge in battery and go from there.
Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
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