starting 8-N

Not good with these kinds of problems. Started and used my 1952 8_n 10 days ago--did a little mowing of some dead grass. Tractor started with coaxing of choke, and throttle set just right, only took a few attempts and note that the thing had set for several weeks and it was a cold day. I mowed an hour, came back to pour in gas, and then it was just dead as a door nail. I cleaned cables, still no go. I put battery charger to see if it would start--it started immediately. So last week I bought a new battery, put it in today. It rattled one time, kicked the starter out as normal when it's cold, then it was stone dead again. Starter would not engage to be able to try again. I have to have a dead wire or switch--any suggestions? Maybe the key switch--or push switch on transmission cover? Not too clever here on trouble shooting or jury rigging to try tricks. Thanks guys
 
You should test things first before buying and replacing with new not knowing. Avoid the guesswork. You can take the battery to your local trusty starter shop or auto parts store and have them bench test it. If it doesn't meet specific gravity and maintain a full charge under, it is weak or dead. The battery is the heart any system whether 6V/POS GRN or 12V/NEG GRN. 99.98% of all non-starting issues are due to incorrect wiring so get out your manuals and verify the rest of the system is correct while he's testing the battery, and don't start pulling off parts and replacing. Avoid 'jury rigging' ay all costs, If you don't know what you are doing get help. You can also tell us if it is 6V or 12V. You say it is a '52 8N so that tells us it
has a side mount distributor. Get the Essential Manuals -very important tools to have.


CORRECT FORD 8N ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS - 6V & 12V:
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FORD 8N TRACTOR ESSENTIAL OWNER/OPERATOR/PARTS/SERVICE MANUALS:
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Tim Daley(MI)
 
It's a 6 volt--the old battery was 7 years old, didn't think it a bad idea to replace it, the old battery started the tractor when I put a charger on it, figured it was dead. It tried to start today, once, but then was stone dead again. It has a normal generator on it, ran fine all last summer, but maybe a rat ate something out in barn. I'll look at it again tomorrow, and I do have an ITT manual, and the 75 tips.
 
You say, "It rattled one time, kicked the starter out as normal when it's cold, then it was stone dead again."
Is the starter locked up? When you put it in gear & rock it does the engine turn at all?
 
The starter is not locked up, it's just not getting any juice to it. Push down the starter button--nothing clicks, nothing happens. When I connected the cables to the new battery, hit the starter button, it engaged and turned it over, then it fired, did not start, and kicked the starter off the flywheel, as the motor was ice cold and not so easy to start when like this. The 2nd attempt to crank it over yielded no engagement, noises, or turning over.
 
Try grounding the wire that goes to the push button on top of the
transmission. Do that while you're on the seat, holding the clutch
down because you are bypassing the neutral safety switch.
If it rolls over then, you may have a bad switch.

If that doesn't work, I would check both ends of both battery
cables and the little wire from the switch to the solenoid to make
sure they are in one piece, clean and connected tightly.

It's not your key switch though. They will turn over key on or off.
 
I'm a total idiot when it comes to mechanics but when I had a similar problem with my 8n I followed Bruces suggestion and REALLY cleaned all the connections. This was after buying a new battery that I probably didn't need. I had also tested the starter by jump starting with the battery directly to the starter and frame. When it turned perfectly I knew it had to be a connection.
 

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