8N Solenoid wont click or turn starter

8NDallas

New User
Ive been working on restoring my grandfathers 1948 8N and have ran into an electrical issue. I thought i had a bad solenoid so i purchased a new one but im still having the same issue. My great uncle converted it to a 12v system with a key switch, bypassing the push button. I repleace all the wiring and have put a new battery on it but when i hit the key the solenoid wont click and the starter does nothing. Checking continuity across the solenoid, when the key is turned to start, the solenoid does not send voltage across. When i originally installed the new solenoid and connected the positive lead to the battery, the solenoid engaged and started turning over the starter with the key still in the off position. I had to unplug the positive lead to get it to stop. I dont know if i burned up the new solenoid or not and i dont know what is causing this issue in the first place because i took pictures of the original wiring before starting the restoration and ive confirmed twice now that all the wiring is correct (according to how it was when it was running pre restoration). Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
 
(quoted from post at 20:06:22 07/04/16) Ive been working on restoring my grandfathers 1948 8N and have ran into an electrical issue. I thought i had a bad solenoid so i purchased a new one but im still having the same issue. My great uncle converted it to a 12v system with a key switch, bypassing the push button. I repleace all the wiring and have put a new battery on it but when i hit the key the solenoid wont click and the starter does nothing. Checking continuity across the solenoid, when the key is turned to start, the solenoid does not send voltage across. When i originally installed the new solenoid and connected the positive lead to the battery, the solenoid engaged and started turning over the starter with the key still in the off position. I had to unplug the positive lead to get it to stop. I dont know if i burned up the new solenoid or not and i dont know what is causing this issue in the first place because i took pictures of the original wiring before starting the restoration and ive confirmed twice now that all the wiring is correct (according to how it was when it was running pre restoration). Any help or thoughts would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
ost likely the wrong type of solenoid. If operating with key start/ign switch, then solenoid is of a different type than the 8N had.
 
Welcome to the forum Dallas.

Any reason you're not putting the original neutral safety switch
back into the mix? That would make it very easy to find a good
wiring diagram for the tractor. Not to mention keep you safer.

But as JMOR said, likely cause is the wrong solenoid for current
wiring. Or possibly a bad ground on the correct solenoid for that
type of setup. You could connect a jumper from ground to the
mounting hardware of the solenoid and see if it helps.
 
When i took it into the autoparts store they told me that the one i had was the same one that was used on the early mustangs. I bought that one again thinking since it worked before it would work again.
 
(quoted from post at 22:58:37 07/05/16) When i took it into the autoparts store they told me that the one i had was the same one that was used on the early mustangs. I bought that one again thinking since it worked before it would work again.
s the mounting bracket well grounded?
 

Royse, There were two reasons that i decided not to put the original neutral safety switch on. 1) My grandfather didnt want to change much on it because his younger brother had it wired that way and he has passed, and 2) because so much has be changed, im not sure how much it would take to get it back original. It has a seprate coil bumyoassing the one that us on the front mount distributor, the alternator is not the one wire alternator that is usually on the 12v system, it has the two wire resistor but not the main resitor block or the terminal block.

I know that this probably sounds crazy but it really was working before starting the restoration. I do think your right though. I'm thinking the easiest way to fix it is going to be bringing it back original.
 
(quoted from post at 23:17:08 07/05/16) I think it is but that may be the issue. If it wasnt, could that have messed up the new one?
on't damage it....it just won't function.
 

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