8n problems

I have never had so many problems with a 4 cylinder Ford engine.
First Ford engine I rebuilt was a 1959 (English) Ford Escort. I was 16. Had basic hand tools, and did the job in one day. Rings, bearings, gaskets. Started right up and ran fine till I sold it when I went to college.
Second Ford was a 80 something Ford Pinto. It had sat for years with no hood, carb exposed. Cleaned it up, new bearings, rings, gaskets and a tuneup, and it started and ran till I sold it. I was about 30.
This little Ford has me puzzled.
It is getting gas to all four cylinders.
It has a good white spark to all four cylinders.
Cylinders #1 and #2 have 80psi, cylinders #3 and #4 have 95psi.
Will start sometimes with full choke, but mostly backfires through carburetor until it starts, if it starts.
Starts easily by pulling. When running if I pull plug wire #3 or #4 it will immediately try to die.
If I pull plug wire 1 or 2, it has no real effect. It will sit and run with both plug wires #1 and #2 pulled at the distributor. Spark at distributor jumps 1/2 inch at distributor on those two wires. After running if I pull the plugs, 1 and 2 will be wet, 3 and 4 will be dry and hotter than 1 and 2.
So I have fuel, spark, and compression. It should run.
There wasn't anything wrong with the old rings, but I replaced them since I already had the pistons out. I used a new head gasket with copper coat. I tested all valves to be sure they weren't leaking. I checked tappet clearance on all the valves.
When running the rpm's fluctuate a little up and down.
The tractor also makes a odd squealing sound when trying to start but not when running. Maybe the water pump is getting bad?
When I put a timing light on it, the marked jumped back and forth by about 1/4 inch. The only time I have seen this before was on my '86 pickup, and I was having a lot of the same problems. I replaced the distribuotr on the truck and now it runs fine. I think my problem on the tractor is related to the distributor.
Anybody have any suggestions on how to test the distributor before I yank it out and replace it?
 
It sounds to me like you have a couple bad wires or plugs,try swapping wires from another cyl. or two different wires from another tractor to see if it changes first then try new plugs or swap plugs to see if it changes.You said you had fire at the dist.,do you have fire at the plugs? Pull a plug and narrow it down.I don't think it would be the dist.
 
TexasCowboy,Check your firing order #1-2-4-3.Check for fire at the plugs.Hook a old plug up to each wire one at a time with the gap set 1/8" or more,or stick a phillips screw driver on the wire and hold it 1/4" away from the plug base and check the spark.
Check the distributor shaft for any side to side play.
 
I was checking the wires to see if I had a bad wire and discovered that #1 and #2 were switched. Rookie mistake but due to the grouping of wires in the thing on top of the engine all the wires run through. Wish I had a picture of what a 1952 spark plug wire loom should look like. Probably not what is on my tractor since it bunches all the wires together.
 
That was the problem. 1 and 2 were switched. Running on all four now. Still won't start without full choke, but I noticed the float bowl gasket is leaking so that is probably the problem there.
I wish I had a picture of what the 52 spark plug wire loom is supposed to look like. Mine just groups them all together.
 
"float bowl gasket is leaking so that is probably the problem"

I assume you mean it's leaking gas.
There shouldn't be liquid gas that high in the carb to leak.
Could be a bad float, float adjustment, needle not seating,
missing gasket under the needle seat, seat not tight enough
on the gasket, etc. That seat needs to be tight.

Glad you found the other issue though!
 
Before I found out that I had crossed #1 and #2 plug wires, the tractor was backfiring through the carburetor. I could see bubbles escaping through the gasket.
I put a new gasket in and now it is fine. No more leaks. Carburetor was new last July. I ruined the float bowl gasket when I took it apart to fix a sticking float valve. I didn't have a new gasket so I put the old one back on. Like I said. I am getting senile. (lol)
 
Tex........unlike the early 8N's with the tube threaded sparkie wires, the later 5-nipple 8N's just had a simple gathering ring. You can do the same with a plastic wire tye. Simple, eh? .......electrical Dell
 

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