Clean up prior to front mount dist removal

I need to brush hog soon and the 9N is still problematic when it gets hot. Has to coil and/or old points.

I have replaced the ign key and resistor, all is original 6V + ground.

Anyway, dist has not been out in a long time. I can scrap off the loose stuff first.

Any tips on cleaning before I pull it? Not sure if engine cleaner would hurt things. I was thinking of some diesel and a parts brush then detergent solution.

One other question? When you reinstall dist, is a sealer used on the gasket?

Thanks to those who know......

(quoted from post at 19:11:43 07/17/20) I need to brush hog soon and the 9N is still problematic when it gets hot. Has to coil and/or old points.

I have replaced the ign key and resistor, all is original 6V + ground.

Anyway, dist has not been out in a long time. I can scrap off the loose stuff first.

Any tips on cleaning before I pull it? Not sure if engine cleaner would hurt things. I was thinking of some diesel and a parts brush then detergent solution.

One other question? When you reinstall dist, is a sealer used on the gasket?

Thanks to those who know......

Click to expand...

Engine cleaner and garden hose works well for removing crud. Or pressure washer used with care. There is no gasket on the distributor.

TOH

(quoted from post at 19:23:54 07/17/20)

(quoted from post at 19:11:43 07/17/20) I need to brush hog soon and the 9N is still problematic when it gets hot. Has to coil and/or old points.

I have replaced the ign key and resistor, all is original 6V + ground.

Anyway, dist has not been out in a long time. I can scrap off the loose stuff first.

Any tips on cleaning before I pull it? Not sure if engine cleaner would hurt things. I was thinking of some diesel and a parts brush then detergent solution.

One other question? When you reinstall dist, is a sealer used on the gasket?

Thanks to those who know......

Click to expand...

Engine cleaner and garden hose works well for removing crud. Or pressure washer used with care. There is no gasket on the distributor.

TOH

Click to expand...

Well holy gasket Batman. I looked and i see there is a base gasket. Mine has been working fine without one for 30 years now....

Toh

TOH[/quote]

Thanks Hokie. I've got a complete NOS Ford/NewHolland tune up kit from the late 1980s (bought that when I bought tractor). It's got the dist gasket and coil gasket.

I've done a lot of other mechanics......so I was thinking...


Maybe for next time put some sealer on dist side of gasket, so gasket comes off with dist.

DO NOT USE SEALER, not needed, unless you like to spend time scraping old gaskets when you service it later.

if you need something to hold it in place when you install it, use a light greese (just a thin coat of a dab or 2) put the grease on the dist, gasket on the dist and bolts in the dist holes, it will hold it in place while you mount the dist to the block.

There are 3 gaskets and a dust cover on the front mount A gasket between the dist and engine, one in the dist cap where mounts to the dist and a gasket between the coil and the top of the dist and dist cap, plus a dust
cover that goes under the rotor button.

(quoted from post at 17:34:36 07/17/20)
DO NOT USE SEALER, not needed, unless you like to spend time scraping old gaskets when you service it later.

if you need something to hold it in place when you install it, use a light greese (just a thin coat of a dab or 2) put the grease on the dist, gasket on the dist and bolts in the dist holes, it will hold it in place while you mount the dist to the block.

There are 3 gaskets and a dust cover on the front mount A gasket between the dist and engine, one in the dist cap where mounts to the dist and a gasket between the coil and the top of the dist and dist cap, plus a dust
cover that goes under the rotor button.

Click to expand...

Yep, I forgot the one under the dist cap

I use Gunk original formula engine cleaner for most things. In a pinch however brake cleaner is also a good
option. No water used with that approach.

Replacing parts without first performing true root cause problem solving methods to determine if defective is not a smart procedure. Why were ignition switch and resistor were replaced? "Problematic" when hot needs further explanation and troubleshooting. Could be fuel -did you do a fuel flow test? Old coil and points means nothing. Incorrect wiring is main cause of non-starting but you say it gets hinky after it is hot. 6V POS/GRN doesn't mean it is wired as such correctly. It could be dirty fuel system. It could be dirty carb. It could be worn engine that when hot starts losing compression. There a few variables. If it's been over 6 years since a tuneup, may be time but not the cause of a problematic hot engine. Get your ESSENTIAL MANUALS and wiring diagrams. Have battery tested at a shop. Go thru wiring -test with a VOM set to continuity, not at test light. If you need to pull distributor for a tuneup, I use a spray bottle filled with Mineral Spirits (charcoal lighter fluid & paint thinner are the same thing)and spray off the unit and everything around the area before while using compressed air to blast all off with. Always blast out the spark plug wells with air before you pull plugs. Will keeps debris from falling in when plug is out. Cleaning the entire distributor and area of caked on grease and dirt before removing also prevents crud from getting on engine. Front Mount Distributor is the 2nd most misunderstood (6V is 1st) feature on these old Ford N's. New points are now only made by three good/reliable suppliers that I've tested. They are Standard Ignition/Blue Streak; CNH; and TISCO. Most others are junk. Timing can best be set with unit on your bench. Point gap is .015". Timing then set per instructions in manuals. Dist Cam tang is offset. When unit is assembled, fully test with your VOM before mounting back on. Front mount unit is bolted on one correct way with male offset tang mating to female offset cam slot on engine. Mount it off 180° and force it down will result in a busted base the second power gets applied -see photo. There are 4 Gaskets in the kit that comes for the front mount. There is a paper gasket on the unit base that fastens to the engine block; a round cork gasket under groove in the crab/dist cap; a cork gasket under the coil where it fastens to the unit; and a round paper gasket under the inside of unit to cover the points. This latter gasket wasn't released until the 1949 8N. Gasket must be installed before rotor is pressed on. Up until then there was no gasket under the cap but is wise to use one now. I don't recommend using GUNK, soap and water; water especially.

FORD TRACTOR FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR FIRING ORDER; 1,2,4,3 CCW:

FRONT MOUNT TIMING PROCEDURE:

FORD TRACTOR FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR TIMING APPLICATION GAGE:

FORD FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR – WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MOUNTED 180° OFF:

FORD TRACTOR 9N & 2N, AFTER S/N 12500, OEM 6V/POS GRN WIRING:

FORD 9N-10505-B CUTOUT –USED AFTER S/N 12,500 TO S/N 258504 ON 9N & 2N MODELS ONLY:

WIRING PICTOGRAMS by JMOR; OEM 9N & 2N ELECTRICAL SETUP:



FORD 9N/2N TRACTOR ESSENTIAL OWNER/OPERATOR/PARTS/SERVICE MANUALS:


Tim Daley(MI)

Tim, I've had this tractor > 30 years. It is an old friend that has treated me well.

Wiring is as per JMOR's diagram, I replaced much ~ 25 years ago with [u:0f8feefb91]quality wire and connections from an electrical shop, soldered not crimped[/u:0f8feefb91]. Battery is ~ 6.5 volts after cranking, so not a surface charge. In fact battery is an oversize I have a hard time installing, it has >>> more CCA than standard size battery, I plow snow in the winter, and tractor started at 0 oF this year.

I rebuilt the carb when I replaced the manifold ~ 20 years ago. A quality kit, not Chi-Com crap, carb was dunked in Zep cleaner and all passages blown clean. Fuel flow is fine, from carb bowl drain. I keep the sediment bowl clean and there is no water in the fuel.

I replaced ign switch and resistor as they are hard to test after running a while, for proper resistance, and the fact that jumping the switch/resistor would get the tractor to run, when it cut out hot.

The points have not been touched in a LONG time. I have a NOS CNH OEM tune up kit from the 1980s to use for parts. I won't buy Chi-Com crap if possible. I also have a couple of sets of NOS Blue Streak points. These should outlast me. . Running bat voltage (6.4 V) to dist/coil problem is still there when hot. So problem is down to dist/coil

I've made a jig up to set/check timing for distributor, and have a good multimeter. I understand how to do this. I used to wrench old motorcycles that had 2, sometimes 3 sets of points. On the single cyl bikes, I could set the points with a matchbook cover, and do timing with a rolling paper. Checked with a light timing was never off more than a degree or two.

Anyway thanks for help and suggestions. My question was about cleaning up prior to working on it.

(quoted from post at 19:10:56 07/20/20)


Anyway thanks for help and suggestions. My question was about cleaning up prior to working on it.

Click to expand...

Sounds like you got it goin on.

Be sure to buy some essential manuals from Tim the repop guy. LOL..

I have bought SEVERAL wont start tractors recently. All had rusty points,etc.a little cleanup job and/or a backup distributor, brought them back to life.

Cleaning, I use gunk or any grease cutting solution. I also use a pressure washer, after covering up the stuff that hates water.

Send us a pic, love to see em still in use..