"New" 2n

[Eyecatcher]

Just bought a "new to me" old ford. Looks like it has been run hard and left wet. The insulator on the starter battery cable hookup was completely gone, consequently fields were shot. Got the starter rebuilt. Had a discrete 12v coil wire tied to the upper radiator hose, regular coil missing, so top of distributor open to the weather. Waiting for coil, points and condenser to come in, then I'll pull the distributor and rebuild it. Had 3 plug wires, and 1 12 gauge THHN plug wire, so need to find a set of wires. Has a one wire GM alternator mounted, but belt is way too long and I'm sure it has never worked. I have a small compact alternator off a foreign car that I think I'll replace it with, far less obtrusive. Has one new R1 rear tire, other 3 are pretty badly weather checked. I pulled the radiator off to get to the distributor, it looks pretty good. Pulled the plugs with the starter off and rotated the engine, it turns freely,
don't know if it has any compression yet. I'd like to keep it as stock looking as possible, so would like to keep and use the starter switch mounted next to the gear shift, but looks like it has only one wire. I understand this was originally a positive ground, can I still use this starter switch? Is it just a NO switch? SN appears to be:9N183719 (very hard to read). I think that makes it a 1945 2N.
Correct me if I'm wrong. Not bad for $150, I don't think.

 

[atgreene]

Can't go wrong there. Good little tractor with some TLC.

 

[Eyecatcher]

Update: Finally got a chance to work on it again. Moved it up into the barn and pulled distributor. I think I'm in trouble! I had turned the motor over with a prybar in the starter hole, and it moved freely. Now I pulled the distributor, and it was locked up solid. Put it in the vise, Kroiled it and it took a big pair of channel locks to break it free. I had my daughter watch the drive slot while I turned the flywheel with the bar, and she says it moves, but I don't see how I could turn the engine over with the flywheel while the distributor was locked. Just about bet money I've got some teeth stripped of the cam gear. I'll get the starter remounted tomorrow, and roll it over with that and see how the slot reacts. After I got everything loosened up a little, I was able to dis-assemble the distributor and clean everything up. Because the PO had attempted to convert it to 12v, he had wired a discreet coil into the distributor, and left the top open where the coil is supposed to mount. Consequently, the distributor was in bad shape, everything rusted fast. Even had to destroy the points to get them off the pivot shaft. I think I've got everything cleaned up and freed up, but I had to order a new front bushing - too much slop. It looks like the distributor body casting has been repaired (heliarced) around the nose, and ground to fit. The lower bushing I think was a little out of round, seemed to have some tight spots. Put a little valve grinding compound on the shaft, and rotated it a few times. After cleaning it up and applying a little never sieze it works pretty nice. On to the carburetor: Looks like a recent rebuild, nice and clean, but had been left full of water and was all white corrosion inside. Left it to soak overnight.

 

[Soundguy]

I bet turning a few feet on a prybar didn't turn too much at the dizzy, and since the dizzy did turn with a tool, I'm guessing you had enough mech adv to turn it over. I wouldn't panic just yet.

 

[Eyecatcher]

Got quite a bit done today. Installed the battery and a solenoid that has an ungrounded coil so that the start sequence is still via the dimmer switch on the transmission top, and the gear interlock is intact. The freeze plug behind the starter was seeping, and just a touch it disintegrated. Bought 4, I'll change all of them on that side. 1 3/16 by the way. I dug tons of mud out from behind that plug, so she certainly needs a flush. Ill bet there's one up behind the flywheel that will leak. Worked all afternoon trying to install the starter that I had rebuilt. The starter will not go past the flywheel, unless the bendix is all the way to the end of the shaft. It will not go all the way to the end of the shaft, because there is a spring loaded button and a blind stop inside the scroll that limits it's travel. You have to get the bendix all the way out by depressing that button and going past it, then first engagement, centrifugal force pulls it in, the button pops back out and you're in business. There has to be an easy way to do this. I dis-assembled the bendix drive and used a torch tip cleaner to depress the button. It ain't easy. All back together, starter installed, and the distributor drive goes round and round with the starter.

 

[Soundguy]

You actually can install them with the drive sucked in, you just have to be living right to do so, holding mouth just right helps. The easy way to unlock the drive is to overspeed if with a wire wheel on a bench grinder, much the same way the engine iverspeeds it when starting.

 

[Eyecatcher]

Still waiting on the distributor bushing. I'm sure it's a std bushing, if one knew the dimensions. I'll measure it and post them when it comes in. I think I have kluge here! S/N is 9N183719. That makes it a 1945 2N. - but - it has 4 speed xmission, The big nut on the rear axle and the 3 point shift handle under the seat. Someone must have done an engine swap.

 

[GPintheMitten]

Following your thread. Sounds like you know what you're doing.

 

[Soundguy]

Still waiting on the distributor bushing. I'm sure it's a std bushing, if one knew the dimensions. I'll measure it and post them when it comes in. I think I have kluge here! S/N is 9N183719. That makes it a 1945 2N. - but - it has 4 speed xmission, The big nut on the rear axle and the 3 point shift handle under the seat. Someone must have done an engine swap.

exactly. all N engiens bolt to all N trans bellhousings.

 

[Kirk-NJ]

With these old tractors parts get switched around a lot. Kind of hard to find an original that nothing has been changed out.

Kirk