not rotor in distributor?

pixer

Member
recently bought 50? 8n woriking on getting it to run, popped distrbutor cap off and no rotor!, PO says there was a rotor, my other 8n is front mount and point kit has a rotor, this is a side mount and shaft looks like it goes all way up to and into center of distributor cap, is this right? do some distrbutors not have rotors?. also after cap is snapped on the cap can still be turned 1/4 inch or more left or right with little effort. wont timing be affected? what have i got missing rotor or oddball distributor, manual says remove rotor on late model 8n to change points. appreciate the help
 
It should have a rotor or it will not run. Also should have a dust cover under the distributor cap which maybe why the cap moves like your saying it does
 
Also should have a dust cover under the distributor cap which maybe why the cap moves like your saying it does

A 1950 8N side mount would not have had a dust shield in the distributor originally.
 
(quoted from post at 06:48:33 12/16/14)
Also should have a dust cover under the distributor cap which maybe why the cap moves like your saying it does

A 1950 8N side mount would not have had a dust shield in the distributor originally.

Maybe not but mine works real good with dust cover in place that someone along the line probably added!
 
If you are new to 8ns, have you stocked up on literature to help you along? At the very least, an owners manual, parts manual and service manual? Some of them you can download on the net, others you may have to buy. Once you have them in your hands (if you don't already have them) you will find it much easier to figure out what is missing, and where it goes.

Oh, I were you, I would be inclined to just get the missing pieces and install them (after giving the points a quick cleaning) and see if you can get it running, before getting into removing the distributor and replacing points and condensor and risking messing anything else up.
 
(quoted from post at 06:56:03 12/16/14) If you are new to 8ns, have you stocked up on literature to help you along? At the very least, an owners manual, parts manual and service manual? Some of them you can download on the net, others you may have to buy. Once you have them in your hands (if you don't already have them) you will find it much easier to figure out what is missing, and where it goes.

Oh, I were you, I would be inclined to just get the missing pieces and install them (after giving the points a quick cleaning) and see if you can get it running, before getting into removing the distributor and replacing points and condensor and risking messing anything else up.

You do not need or want to remove the side mount dist to replace the points and condensor!
 
On my side mounts I set the points with a hand crank to roll the lobes up on the points rub. Quick and no bumping. You can remove the dist but really not needed, one tooth off it wont run.
 

does anyone have a picture of the rotor on a 1950 side mount 8n distributor, preferqbly with the rotor in place, also what is a dust cover??.
my other 8n is front mount and i have a rotor out of that distributor but the side mount has nothing that looks like that. some think i want to remove distributor judging by tghier write up but that is the last thing i wantt to do.
 
you wouldnt happen to have a picture of your side mount distributor with the cap off showing rotor and dust cover if you have one?
 
you wouldnt have a picture of a side mount distributor withe the cap off showing the rotor and dust cover. should would help this newbie
 
i do have a shop manual and i really dont want to remove distributor, i guess i just enjoy the give and take of the discussion board, ive learned more here than in the books
 
(quoted from post at 09:02:08 12/16/14) i do have a shop manual and i really dont want to remove distributor, i guess i just enjoy the give and take of the discussion board, ive learned more here than in the books
ere is a picture of my 50 side mount showing dust cover and rotor with dist cap off. there is also a clip on the shaft that goes on before the rotor.
mvphoto13982.jpg
 
(quoted from post at 05:45:38 12/16/14) It should have a rotor or it will not run. Also should have a dust cover under the distributor cap which maybe why the cap moves like your saying it does

mine has the dust cover and the dist cap will still rotate a bit. does not affect timing if it does move a bit.
 
Fronts you remove the dizzy to do points, not so on side mount.

Dust cover is just what it sounds like, a cover over the dizzy innards, under the rotor
 
thanks for pics, there was no dust cover or rotor inside my distributor cap i think previous owner forgot to put it in. appreciate the picture.
 
you wouldnt have a picture of the inside of your cap would you? my cap on the inside looks like smooth plastic and no little nubbin protruding from the center wire to touch the rotor metal.
it just doesnt look like other distributor caps ive seen. i need to look again tomarrow. i didnt notice any contact points under each plug wire plug in on the inside, i need to look again. sorry to be a problem
 
(quoted from post at 17:51:20 12/15/14) you wouldnt have a picture of the inside of your cap would you? my cap on the inside looks like smooth plastic and no little nubbin protruding from the center wire to touch the rotor metal.
it just doesnt look like other distributor caps ive seen. i need to look again tomarrow. i didnt notice any contact points under each plug wire plug in on the inside, i need to look again. sorry to be a problem
o problem, There is no silly question!

Now, for a silly question just because. Is it possible that the side mount was converted to EI? I ask, because I think I once saw a front mount with the rotor removed, and EI put into its place?
 

"I think previous owner forgot to put it in. appreciate the picture."

Help me out a little bit here. In what condition did you buy the tractor in parts and pieces?
Cap and rotor isn't something that you normally take out at least not when you're selling a tractor.

Has The tractior been converted to some sort of electronic ignition
 
tractor was all there hadnt been used in a year claimed he plowed snow but was running on two cylinders, i believe him when he says he drove it into small shed, anyway i paid few hundred for it , points look like new and one clip was off distributor, guy had couple sons who might have tried to get it going, points looked lke new but no rotor. and no dust cap, he described rotor and clip from changing points in past so i think one of kids messed with it. came with end loader, rear blade chains so if it is part tractor it is still a bargain but ill get it running sooner or later
 
(quoted from post at 21:39:40 12/15/14)
(quoted from post at 17:51:20 12/15/14) you wouldnt have a picture of the inside of your cap would you? my cap on the inside looks like smooth plastic and no little nubbin protruding from the center wire to touch the rotor metal.
it just doesnt look like other distributor caps ive seen. i need to look again tomarrow. i didnt notice any contact points under each plug wire plug in on the inside, i need to look again. sorry to be a problem
o problem, There is no silly question!

Now, for a silly question just because. Is it possible that the side mount was converted to EI? I ask, because I think I once saw a front mount with the rotor removed, and EI put into its place?

It would take more than a Pertronix EI kit to replace the rotor. A Hall effect EI like Pertronix makes replaces the points but you still need a rotor to direct the spark to the proper cylinder. No rotor no spark at the plugs. Modern cars/trucks have crankshaft/camshaft position sensors feeding a computer controlled EI with coil on plug which eliminates the entire distributor and all of the HT wiring. I don't know of anyone making such a conversion for the flathead ;-)

TOH
 
Sorry no I do not. If it was summer I could get one but the 8N I have is parked in a bunch of weeds right now and would be super hard to get a picture of it
 

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