8N firing order

Matthew87 · Dec 22, 2021

Back again for more help.

So tractor ran good for the longest time. Ole 6v coil with
resistor took a crap. Decided to just go ahead and swap
with a true 12v coil. Replaced it and still nothing. Ok cool
so I just decided to do a whole tube up kit. Rotor, points
condenser.

Well in my wisdom I took the plug wires off. Put it all back
on 1,2,4,3 and nothing. So I reset #1 cylinder back to
TDC. Well the crazy thing now is that it will start and run
but the issue is the only way it will is going clockwise
1243 and not CCW. It also sounds like it is missing a
cylinder when running.

Im stumped

Tim PloughNman Daley RIP · Dec 23, 2021

HiYa Matt-
Front Mount or Side Mount distributor? Let's start here and at the end I will post several pictures that should help explain things clearly. FORD 4-CYL firing order on the N-SERIES front mount distributor is 1,2,4,3 CCW as viewed from the front, standing by the radiator and fan. Often, plug wires #3 and #4 get crossed up. So, can we assume you are attempting a 12V Switch out job? How did you test the 6V Coil? If you are using 12V with the front mount and the 6V Coil, do you have the Ballast Resistor in the circuit AND with the 6V Coil the additional, external, 1-OHM ceramic resistor in the circuit? If an early 8N/front mount did you replace the GEN with an ALT and also remove the Voltage Regulator from the circuit altogether? 99.98% of all non-starting issues are due to incorrect wiring regardless if 6V/POS GRN or 12V/NEG GRN. Do you have the ESSENTIAL MANUALS? The OEM Owner's Manual, the I&T FO-4 Manual, and the 39-53 MPC all have the wiring diagrams. JMOR wrote an excellent document on N-Series Wiring called WIRING PICTOGRAMS showing every correct way to wire these N's whether 6V or 12V. On the 8N with a 6V Coil and a 12V setup, you need the 1-OHM resistor in addition to the OEM Ballast Resistor. Swapping out to a 12V coil, you eliminate the extra resistor but still use the Ballast Resistor. On the angle mount, there's no Ballast Resistor but same applies for coils. If you have a front mount and you rebuilt it, did you install the unit correctly? Points and timing must be set and tested on your bench then unit mounted right on engine. Whether using a GEN or an ALT, you must use the belt tensioner device to maintain proper fan belt tension otherwise your system will never charge the battery. You should have copies of all of these for your 8N.

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR w/FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR WIRING & FIRING ORDER:

FRONT MOUNT 6V COIL BASIC STATIC TEST:

*NOTE - VOM MUST BE SET TO OHMS.

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR w/FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR, OEM BALLAST RESISTOR:

AFTERMARKET EXTERNAL 1-OHM CERAMIC RESISTOR REQUIRED WHEN USING A 6V COIL:

FORD 8N TRACTOR (after s/n 263843) ANGLE MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR:

FORD 8N w/ANGLE MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR & WIRING PICTOGRAMS:

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR ESSENTIAL OWNER/OPERATOR/PARTS/SERVICE MANUALS:

Tim Daley(MI)

KristofMI · Dec 23, 2021

(quoted from post at 03:32:56 12/23/21) HiYa Matt-
Front Mount or Side Mount distributor? Let's start here and at the end I will post several pictures that should help explain things clearly. FORD 4-CYL firing order on the N-SERIES front mount distributor is 1,2,4,3 CCW as viewed from the front, standing by the radiator and fan. Often, plug wires #3 and #4 get crossed up. So, can we assume you are attempting a 12V Switch out job? How did you test the 6V Coil? If you are using 12V with the front mount and the 6V Coil, do you have the Ballast Resistor in the circuit AND with the 6V Coil the additional, external, 1-OHM ceramic resistor in the circuit? If an early 8N/front mount did you replace the GEN with an ALT and also remove the Voltage Regulator from the circuit altogether? 99.98% of all non-starting issues are due to incorrect wiring regardless if 6V/POS GRN or 12V/NEG GRN. Do you have the ESSENTIAL MANUALS? The OEM Owner's Manual, the I&T FO-4 Manual, and the 39-53 MPC all have the wiring diagrams. JMOR wrote an excellent document on N-Series Wiring called WIRING PICTOGRAMS showing every correct way to wire these N's whether 6V or 12V. On the 8N with a 6V Coil and a 12V setup, you need the 1-OHM resistor in addition to the OEM Ballast Resistor. Swapping out to a 12V coil, you eliminate the extra resistor but still use the Ballast Resistor. On the angle mount, there's no Ballast Resistor but same applies for coils. If you have a front mount and you rebuilt it, did you install the unit correctly? Points and timing must be set and tested on your bench then unit mounted right on engine. Whether using a GEN or an ALT, you must use the belt tensioner device to maintain proper fan belt tension otherwise your system will never charge the battery. You should have copies of all of these for your 8N.

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR w/FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR WIRING & FIRING ORDER:
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/xlChOv7l.jpg></center>
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/xu7sMo3l.jpg></center>
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/MXLPPwsl.jpg></center>

FRONT MOUNT 6V COIL BASIC STATIC TEST:
<center><img src= https://i.imgur.com/BCAtemml.jpg></center>
*NOTE - VOM MUST BE SET TO OHMS.

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR w/FRONT MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR, OEM BALLAST RESISTOR:
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/Laahz4tl.jpg></center>

AFTERMARKET EXTERNAL 1-OHM CERAMIC RESISTOR REQUIRED WHEN USING A 6V COIL:
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/XRLi3vSl.jpg></center>

FORD 8N TRACTOR (after s/n 263843) ANGLE MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR:
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/t4l70hJl.jpg></center>
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/NWNKQAjl.jpg></center>
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/7KjkEJKl.jpg></center>
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/RagVHYul.gif></center>

FORD 8N w/ANGLE MOUNT DISTRIBUTOR & WIRING PICTOGRAMS:
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/TBC19a5l.jpg></center>
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/xQ2ojiTl.jpg></center>

FORD N-SERIES TRACTOR ESSENTIAL OWNER/OPERATOR/PARTS/SERVICE MANUALS:
<center><img src=https://i.imgur.com/2a28IGzl.jpg></center>

Tim Daley(MI)

His is side mount distributor. He post it in another thread

KristofMI · Dec 23, 2021

(quoted from post at 22:18:10 12/22/21) Back again for more help.

So tractor ran good for the longest time. Ole 6v coil with
resistor took a crap. Decided to just go ahead and swap
with a true 12v coil. Replaced it and still nothing. Ok cool
so I just decided to do a whole tube up kit. Rotor, points
condenser.

Well in my wisdom I took the plug wires off. Put it all back
on 1,2,4,3 and nothing. So I reset #1 cylinder back to
TDC. Well the crazy thing now is that it will start and run
but the issue is the only way it will is going clockwise
1243 and not CCW. It also sounds like it is missing a
cylinder when running.

Im stumped

How did you set to TDC? Did you remove the spark plug and check it this way? Or by looking at the markings thru timing window?

Matthew87 · Dec 23, 2021

Sorry for that. I knew I was missing some info.

Mine is a 1952 side mount.

I dont have the ceramic resistor or the ballast resistor as I was told I dont need either of those for a true 12v coil.

I have uploaded the diagram I used for my wiring.

I just dont get why its firing and running slightly when I go clockwise with my firing order and not CCW.

KristofMI · Dec 23, 2021

Mine is 1950 and I just did 12V conversion using JMOR wiring diagrams. I have to use the ceramic resistor since my coil is not true coil. But the ballast resistor wasn't there. And I think those are used with front mounted distributor.
Are you sure you set the TDC correctly? If you used the markings on wheel you might have use the wrong ones since there are two sets of marking on it.

Matthew87 · Dec 23, 2021

I removed the #1 spark plug. Unfortunately there are no
timing marks on mine.

Matthew87 · Dec 23, 2021

Im almost certain I did but thats why Im thinking maybe
I didnt. I cant see why it would be running slightly in a
clockwise direction.

KristofMI · Dec 23, 2021

(quoted from post at 06:42:00 12/23/21) I removed the #1 spark plug. Unfortunately there are no
timing marks on mine.

What do you mean there are no timing marks? If you look thru the timing window?

Jim L WA · Dec 23, 2021

You said, " It also sounds like it is missing a
cylinder when running."
Try swapping the number two and three plug wires at the cap. Let us know the results.

Tim PloughNman Daley RIP · Dec 24, 2021

Matt - The later 8N, after s/n 263843 using the side mount distributor does NOT use the OEM 9N-12250 Ballast Resistor at all. There is now a junction block post. If you have a 12V switch over job, you do need the 1-OHM external resistor IF you have a 6V coil otherwise you can swap out the 6V coil to a 12V coil and eliminate external resistor. You really need to invest in the Essential Manuals.

TPD

JMOR · Dec 24, 2021

(quoted from post at 06:39:34 12/24/21) Matt - The later 8N, after s/n 263843 using the side mount distributor does NOT use the OEM 9N-12250 Ballast Resistor at all. There is now a junction block post. If you have a 12V switch over job, you do need the 1-OHM external resistor IF you have a 6V coil otherwise you can swap out the 6V coil to a 12V coil and eliminate external resistor. You really need to invest in the Essential Manuals.

TPD

e really needs to follow Jim L WA advice on wires 2 and 3

8N firing order

Matthew87

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Tim PloughNman Daley RIP

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KristofMI

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KristofMI

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Matthew87

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KristofMI

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Matthew87

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Matthew87

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KristofMI

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Jim L WA

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Tim PloughNman Daley RIP

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JMOR

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