working 9N - faulty neutral switch preventing starting?

karlKLR-9N

New User
Good morning everyone!

We have a 1947 9N that was my grandfathers that still runs and drives and has been working great for a long time. Just recently we decided that we would tear it down and restore it, which mostly meant sandblasting / doing electrolysis, painting, and fixing the brakes (apparently my uncle said they have actually never really worked, my grandfather didn't seem to want to fix them).

Just recently though, it hasn't been starting. I just realized the other day that if I sit and wiggle the shift lever enough, it hits just the right spot and will turn over. Once I hit that spot, it starts immediately. I don't know too much on how the inside of this tractor works yet (I usually just learn in the process of tearing it down, thats how I learned how to fix my KLR motorcycle), but I assume there is a switch in the transmission that will only let the tractor start if its in neutral. It looks like I will have to tear down the whole steering column and actually get inside the frame to get to the issue. I was planning on tearing everything down anyway, but slowly and on my own timeframe to de-rust and paint, instead of all at once, and at the beginning.

Am I correct in thinking that this is not only the problem but the correct way to fix it? Or is it something easier, or perhaps even much more in depth?

I love the people on these forums, and I always turn to the wonderful people in these discussions prior to any big project, the knowledge and ideas I've gotten from places like this is invaluable.

Thanks for any help you can provide, and I will likely be returning with any other questions I have, including pictures, once I really get started with the restoration project!
 
Shifter must be in neutral before rod on bottom of button can pass thru hole, thus allowing button to be depressed, which then operates pivot & pushes rod to right (forward) & activates the right most starter switch.
 
Why do you think its so hard to start now then? The shifter is really loose, and takes about 5 minutes of wiggling before it even does anything. You have to find the perfect spot for it to go. Where would you start with an issue like this? What do you think could have happened?

The issue only really just started. Of course an issue would arise right as we decide to start restoring it. I don't know how it could have started doing this so suddenly. Could something have broken?
 
Just for your info there is no such thing as a 1947 9N ford the 9N was made from 1939 to 1942. In 1942 ford came out with the 2N. Note that the first year made was also the model number as in 1939 is 9N and 1942 2N. 2N has tube type radius rods and the 9N has I-beam radius rods
 
I'm not getting into this argument, but the 2N actually came first in 1939, the 9N was released in '42. And I am 100% damn sure this is a 1947 9N because I have the original manual that came with the tractor when my grandfather got it new.

Back to my original problem, I think I actually have multiple problems. I think my shifter is actually loose, which is making it hard to start because it doesn't fall back to the original neutral position so the rod on the starter button can't connect without lots of wiggling.

The thing I am confused about now is that my starting problem wouldn't cause the engine to immediately die when I shift into neutral while driving. The engine ran perfectly in gear, even with the clutch pressed, but when I shifted into neutral it would die. I think that means I must have some electrical issue. What doesn't make sense is how it dies when I shift into neutral but not when I press the clutch in. That means it can't be an idling issue.

Any of you have any ideas? If I don't get any good replies I will probably just give in and decide to fully rewire the whole tractor, I hate chasing wiring problems, and after working on bikes and few trucks of mine this tractor will be easy to rewire as we rebuild.
 
You have it backwards 9N came out in 1939 and the ( in 39 was the model. 2N came out in 1942 and the 2 in 42 is the model. Look in the I-T FO-04 and it has the serial number and all in it and guess what 9N came first then 2N then 8N which by the way the 8N came out in 1948. I'd scan that page but my manual is not here at the house right now. Asfor the manual you have just because it was with the tractor does not mean it was the one it came with when new many got lost etc over time. If it has I-beam radius rods it is likely to be a 9N but tube type 2N
As for your dieing problem what has been done to it. 12 volts or 6 volts?? Has it been rewired??
 
I think the first thing you should do is look right behind the oil canister on the left side if the motor. There is a serial number. It should start with the 9n prefix. That will tell you for sure what it is and the year it was produced by serial number look up on the 2n/9n/8n forums. The starter button has a mechanical device located under the housing cover. iT will not let the push button to go down when in gear. Probably just needs to be tightened up. As far as your tractor dying you might after you start your tractor unhook the wire going to you push button and see if it still dies. That's actually a ground wire and is the only thing electrical hooked up to your neutral device but I really don't know if it would do that or not. Hope this helps. Norm
 
(quoted from post at 10:26:56 12/05/15) I think the first thing you should do is look right behind the oil canister on the left side if the motor. There is a serial number. It should start with the 9n prefix. That will tell you for sure what it is and the year it was produced by serial number look up on the 2n/9n/8n forums. The starter button has a mechanical device located under the housing cover. iT will not let the push button to go down when in gear. Probably just needs to be tightened up. As far as your tractor dying you might after you start your tractor unhook the wire going to you push button and see if it still dies. That's actually a ground wire and is the only thing electrical hooked up to your neutral device but I really don't know if it would do that or not. Hope this helps. Norm
see 8n VS 9n/2n confusion here. As far as 9N or 2N, as related to his problem it matters not one iota. Just fodder for jaw flapping.
 
Wow, so apparently somehow my grandfather was wrong his whole life. He had always told me they had been made the other way around. Strange, because he was so good with mechanics and working on all of his machinery.

But, that doesn't matter with my problems. I went out yesterday and actually had no problems getting it started, it seemed to sit into neutral correctly every time I tried. But, still, it won't stay on for more than a few seconds. I got it to stay on for a minute or 2 if I held the choke in, but I didn't want to do that too much and do any damage.

I gave in, cleaned up my grandfathers garage quickly yesterday morning before work, and put her inside. Last night I started tearing it apart. I tore the entire carburetor apart, will put it in the ultrasonic cleaner on Wednesday. It was so much dirtier on the inside than any motorcycle any of us have ever seen, so maybe thats why it wasn't running. I'm thinking I will make my own air cleaner tube instead of sandblasting it, we have a nice pipe bender.
Hopefully that will make it run correctly, but I bet I have an electrical issue somewhere because yesterday morning it was dying like a fuel issue, but the other day it was dying to quickly to really be fuel related.

Another question, I started taking the fenders off. All the bolts so far came off with just a good supply of PB Blaster (man I love that stuff) except for the carriage bolts. Instead of having nuts on the ends, it looks like they all have round things on the inside. Not sure if somehow just those nuts rusted out or if they are actually like huge rivets? In the assembly manual I have it shows they are actually carriage bolts with nuts on the end. I am thinking I will just end up cutting them off and getting new carriage bolts, unless you guys know exactly what they are and how to actually remove them.

Otherwise, my plan is to fully tear everything down, wirebrush / sandblast / electrolysis and then paint. I can't wait, its been a while since I've been wrenching. And all of the bikes in the family are Japanese, so I haven't had a chance to use my grandfathers tools (all SAE) so its good to work with the tools he used his whole life.
 
The old girl in the garage.
30678.jpg

Carburetor all taken apart. Except the jets, because I didn't have a flathead big enough at the time to screw them out. All ready for the ultrasonic cleaner! The gasket even came off in one piece so I don't need to get a new one.
30679.jpg

She's pretty rusty. Everything will get de-rusted and then I think we will take the frame to get sandblasted at the local steel shop, I don't have the stuff needed to properly take care of the frame, and I really don't want to just grind it clean.
30683.jpg
 
On that carb if you have a local O'Reilly's auto parts store they carry the Walker brand kits part number 778-505A and will cost around $20. It is a good basic kit. Be sure when you clean that carb to use lots of spray carb cleaner and also use a piece of wire or as I use a torch tip cleaner tool and poke out all the passage ways.
 
Forgot this. As for ignition problems check at all 4 plug wire that you have a good blue/white spark that will jump a 1/4 inch gap or more. Point gpa should be 0.015 since it is a front mount distributor
 

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