1952 Ford 8N won't start

[Don87]

I thought he was talking about the switch?

No offense intended, but.............

Soundguy has probably repaired more Fords than you and I have seen .............combined. Theres a time to talk, and a time to learn

[moog]

Thanks, makes sense. If volt meter is across switch contacts and switch is open/off, it reads no voltage, if switch is closed/on and points are closed, voltage is 6 and if switch is closed/on and points are open voltage is minimal or 0.

Have shorted switch with a jumper and still no spark.

Any ideas for what to check next? Dist. has new points installed, gap set, installed, new coil, new condenser. All this due to no spark at plugs. Put to bed in December and never woke up, was running fine.

So far nothing has yielded successful results. In past it was carb probs. and a rebuild solved them. This time, lack of spark at the plugs is the concern.

Looking for any good ideas.

If the switch is closed/on you will read no voltage across the switch. The meter is reading the "difference" in voltage so with the switch closed you are reading the same voltage ie 0 volts. When you open/off the switch you should read 6 volts because there will be 6 volts difference between the two points. I will try to attach a very crude drawing of what's happening...

[94BULLITT]

No offense intended, but.............

Soundguy has probably repaired more Fords than you and I have seen .............combined. Theres a time to talk, and a time to learn

That's a pretty good accusation to make for someone you don't even know. I think I am more than capable of getting a old tractor running. If the guy would have listened to the advice I gave in post 3 or 7 his tractor would be running. That is good advice for any old tractor/ car with no spark.

[Don87]

That's a pretty good accusation to make for someone you don't even know. I think I am more than capable of getting a old tractor running. If the guy would have listened to the advice I gave in post 3 or 7 his tractor would be running. That is good advice for any old tractor/ car with no spark.

No offense was intended from me, but the first thing you'll notice is that post number 3.........made by you was totally innacurate.............OP has negative ground.

Post number 7, made by you, was totally overuled by Soundguy, where................I believe he show 5 instances(I would need to count), where your diagnosis was innaccurate, and required more troubleshooting.

I wasn't trying to be a smarta**..............I just know when to turn the reigns over to the experts, that have been working on these since before you and I were born.

[94BULLITT]

What's with these guys and never posting back? Did the OP get his 8N running?

No offense was intended from me, but the first thing you'll notice is that post number 3.........made by you was totally innacurate.............OP has negative ground.

Post number 7, made by you, was totally overuled by Soundguy, where................I believe he show 5 instances(I would need to count), where your diagnosis was innaccurate, and required more troubleshooting.

I wasn't trying to be a smarta**..............I just know when to turn the reigns over to the experts, that have been working on these since before you and I were born.

If you know anything about a 8n, they were all 6 volt positive ground. Most but not all 6 volts are positive ground. I really don't see were Soundguy said to do more troubleshooting than what I did in post 7.

[94BULLITT]

No offense was intended from me, but the first thing you'll notice is that post number 3.........made by you was totally innacurate.............OP has negative ground.

They are positive ground

scroll down to the bottom of the first table Old Ford Tractor Specifications and Data

Click on the 4th page, (it is number 12 in the manual) 1948 Ford 8n: Ford 8n Specs

Maybe I do know a little bit about what I'm talking about.

[majorbacon]

If the switch is closed/on you will read no voltage across the switch. The meter is reading the "difference" in voltage so with the switch closed you are reading the same voltage ie 0 volts. When you open/off the switch you should read 6 volts because there will be 6 volts difference between the two points. I will try to attach a very crude drawing of what's happening...

OK, so what if I read no voltage in both cases?

[moog]

First, make sure you have your voltmeter set to DC volts and not AC volts, been there done that!

I've found several different wiring diagrams of the 8N. One shows three wires on the key switch. The one from the battery you should see 6v to ground on that wire. If not then you have a broken wire, bad connection, bad wire end etc or a dead battery. This wiring diagram is the simplest one I found, although it appears some of it may be left out so I didn't include a link to it.

The other diagram shows shows a wire from the terminal block to the key switch then a wire from the key switch to the coil. From the terminal side of the key switch you should see your 6v to ground. If not then again its a bad wire, bad connection etc. You need to follow the wiring backwards until you find 6v to ground then work your way back to the switch replacing the wire, the ends or whatever it may need.

Heres a pretty good wiring diagram.

Harper Farms - Morgan County Georgia

Heres another of basically the same thing, although the first one appears to be a little easier to read

8N FRONT MOUNT WIRING INFO-ORIGINAL 6-VOLT

[majorbacon]

First, make sure you have your voltmeter set to DC volts and not AC volts, been there done that!

I've found several different wiring diagrams of the 8N. One shows three wires on the key switch. The one from the battery you should see 6v to ground on that wire. If not then you have a broken wire, bad connection, bad wire end etc or a dead battery. This wiring diagram is the simplest one I found, although it appears some of it may be left out so I didn't include a link to it.

The other diagram shows shows a wire from the terminal block to the key switch then a wire from the key switch to the coil. From the terminal side of the key switch you should see your 6v to ground. If not then again its a bad wire, bad connection etc. You need to follow the wiring backwards until you find 6v to ground then work your way back to the switch replacing the wire, the ends or whatever it may need.

Heres a pretty good wiring diagram.

Harper Farms - Morgan County Georgia

Heres another of basically the same thing, although the first one appears to be a little easier to read

8N FRONT MOUNT WIRING INFO-ORIGINAL 6-VOLT

Thanks for that, Will try that tomorrow. Looks like mine is wired to the switch like your second description, only two wire to switch and they both come from the terminal block with the ballast resistor on.

[moog]

After looking at the diagram again I used a bad description, told you wrong or just flat out lied to ya, however you choose to look at it, although it was accidental. Both wires do come from the terminal block. The wire from the ammeter to the terminal block should be your 6v to ground. The wire then goes through your switch back to the terminal block then over to the coil. Sorry for the confusion.