Trying to start a laid up 8N

First let me say that I am not much of a mechanic, but I think I understand most of the basics.

I am trying to get a 52 8N started. It's been in the barn and was running when it was parked 2 yrs ago. Yes, the clutch was blocked.

It was my father's and I am going to get it re-done, but I would like to try and get it running.

The engine turns over and I have fresh gas in it.

As the engine turns it seems to almost fire but doesn't get to the point where I have combustion.

I do have fuel to the carb. So far that is what I have checked.

What else could I look into.

Thanks.

-Sal

1. Squirt some oil or Marvel Mystery Oil in each of the spark plug holes and let soak in a day or two or over night is good too. Put the plugs back in when your done. Do each plug at a time so not to mess up your firing order and maybe wire brush them up a bite to make sure they clean while you have them out.
2. Make sure your points are clean. I filed mine with a point file to make sure they had good contact.
3. Makes sure there isn't any obstructions in you air cleaner, exhaust, etc. You'd be suprised what makes a home in things like these. Mice, birds, bees etc.
4. You have gas to the carb but is it getting in the intake. Mine had gas in the carb but wouldn't take off. The main jet was so clogged up with gunk it wouldn't have started in a thousand years. Easy to test. Remove your air filter hose to the carb and have someone spray starting fluid or something of that nature in the opening when your trying to start the engine (this is where the extra body comes into play). If it starts and only runs when this is being done than it's time for a carb rebuild.
5. Took me 5 times to get all of the carb cleaned out right. I got it running by itself but the idle mixture wouldn't respond. Finally broke down and bought the 1 gallon carb soup found at parts start and soaked it. Finally got it cleaned out and running right.
6. If it works, then you know where to start next. Get a carb kit and rebuild it. There's an article on this site about carb rebuilds for N series trators. Follow it to a T.

Link

I hope this helps ya get 'er runnin'

I got lost just after parking my truck next to the tractor, so bear with me and see if I can find my way.

If I understand you correctly, we are about to perform a direct "High Voltage Electron Transfer Infusion" from a sparkplug lead of my truck's distributor cap (the donor), directly into the coil high voltage input to my tractor's distributor cap (the receptor).

Thus we'll be relying on my tractor's rotor to time the incoming high voltage electrons to the needs of the tractors engine. Now if I goose the truck to about 4000 rpm, beings as how it is an eight cylinder, that spark plug lead is providing about 250 sparks per minute (SPM). Meanwhile my tractor at 400 rpm, requires 200 SPM( sparks per minute ) timed to the points opening and spark directed to the proper spark plug by the rotor, in order to bang all four cylinders.

Now knowing from past practical experience my tractor will actually run on any two of the four cylinders, at 400 rpm. I actually require 100 SPM successfully delivered to a random selection of the four cylinders, as determined by the rotor.

Therefore I will only require two of every five High Voltage Electron Infusions to the tractor's distributor, be successfully routed by the rotor to spark plugs in the tractor, in order to maintain a rough 400 rpm.

Now for the really hard dart,,, At this point I'm standing there holding the tractor coil's High voltage lead in my left hand, sparking at 200 SPM. In my right hand I'm holding the truck's sparkplug High Voltage extension lead, sparking at 250 SPM. The tractor is running, although rough, at ~400 rpm. So I’m supposed to remove the truck’s donor High Voltage lead from the tractor’s distributor cap and replace it with the tractor’s original coil High Voltage lead , before the tractor dies? It sounds to me like I should dance in the snake pit at a Texas Rattlesnake Roundup. Have you actually tried this before? Am I going to get my butt knocked into the dust of tomorrow? What ever posessed you to conceive such a thought?

Let me know if I have this correct. Thanks, ATW/WA

While I was writing the previous I started thinking about that old "Weed Chopper" fencer sitting in the barn..... Possible to play around with that thing.

Then the thought crossed my mind, I might be able to win a few brews, off my buddies with this one!!!!!

As I say, never had cause to borrow spark, but now will play with it. Thanks ATW/WA

Supplying that high voltage right to the rotor top should kick it over great... no timing issues, or swapping wires, etc.

Someone try it and let us know if it works! ;->

Soundguy

My brother has several N's, I'll have to show my sister in law, the "coil high voltage electron infusion". She is the operator, he is just the mechanic. She'll have fun at his expense!

Night now. ATW/WA

It is essentially a small glass tube with an electrode in eace end.. one end is adjustable so that you can move the internal contacts for a larger or smaller gap. By adding this extra spark gap, it lets the high voltage build up just a bit more, enabling it to fire across fouled plugs, etc... Might help for a weaker magneto, etc.

here was an article about them in an antique tractor mag i read... something liek antique iron, or farm colelctor, etc..

Soundguy