1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue

   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #1  

Dadaw

New member
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Messages
10
Location
Marshfield Mo
Tractor
1949 Ford 8N
The tractor has been running fine until the other day. I went to start and had some firing issues. I had to jump it. Still no fire. I stopped and checked the fuel for water and got back on and pushed the start button and nothing. I checked the ballast resister and starter switch and had current on both sides of each, as well with the switch(it has a pull switch instead of a key) I had an extra ballast resister and starter switch, so I replaced them both and I hit the start button again and....nothing, again. Any help is appreciated.
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #2  
put test lamp inline with coil.. crank tractor over. lamp MUST blink.

if no blink.. then you have an open.. either in coil primary.. or points not closing. Note. if you have a 12v conversion and only 1 resistor.. then you need the 2.5 ohm coil and hte oem ballast resistor. if you use the oem 6v coil then you need 2 resistors. if you ran insuficient resistance. coil and or points may have burned up.

if condensor opens.. points can arc and burn as well.

if lamp stays on.. then you have a short. check condensor.. then breaker plate next.. or see if points are closed up.

post back

gap is .015 points

.025 plugs
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Thanks for the reply. However, in order to follow your suggestion, the starter must run. It does not. The start button does not activate the starter.
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #4  
and if you don't know how to make an electric starter motor spin other than pushing a button. time to sell the tractor now. :) save some headache down the road :)

is this an oem setup using the thumb sized interlocked button on the trans cover and oem 3 terminal solenid? or some fudged up key to start or dash mounted push button to start using a car solenoid.

in either case.. it should be completely obvious how to activate the solenoid to make the startr spin.. or otherwise bypass it.

on 2nd thought.. don't pypass it. you apparently are not familiar enough with equipment to safely work on it.

roll the engine over by hand with plugs out.. much safer...
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue
  • Thread Starter
#5  
it is a 12 volt system and i know how to make the starter spin off a jumper cables (any nincompoop can do that). That's not the issue. The issue is 1) why the thumb size push button on top of the tranny(in front of the shifter) suddenly stopped working and 2) I don't have spark at the plugs. I have power to the distributor cap but not beyond so the problem is there and I can deal with the spark issue. It's the first issue I am questioning . It's in neutral and will role if pushed and the push button will depress but nothing. Why did it work one time and not the next? The key switch was replaced with a toggle switch by a previous owner.
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #6  
All the pushbutton does is ground the wire going to the starter solenoid.

When you say nothing happens, is it truly nothing?? or just not engaging the flywheel/cranking the tractor over.

Does it still work if you use the jumper cables???

If so, its the pushbutton. Take it appart and see why it isnt getting grounded.

IF it dont work with the jumper cables, and truly dont do anything at all. Starter is probably junk.

IF it just dont turn the engine over, but you can hear/feel the starter spinning, you probably broke the bendix off the end of the starter and now will need to fish it out of the bellhousing. This is fairly common on 12v conversions with that 6v starter.
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Yes it's truly nothing. It's like the cable from the starter switch was not connected to the starter. And yes, I can power the starter from jumper cables and it does turn the motor over. I am still running down why I suddenly don't have spark at the plugs. FYI the starter switch has a button that goes into the block horizontally towards the thumb size push button in front of the gear shifter that just has a rod that goes into the tranny (I assume it is a safety switch to insure that the tranny is in neutral before it will allow you to start it). So the button in front of the gear shift that I push down on, somehow pushes on the starter switch button (new switch)?
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #8  
with what you described. are you sure you don't have a 9n/2n ??

the 8n has a button ont he flat trans top with a wire on it that runs to the starter solenoid on the starter.

the 2n/9n uses a mechanical jingle stick that pushes thru the steering column to a switch mounted on the back of the steering column.

no solenoid.

which do you have.

almost sounds like you just described a 9n/2n

Yes it's truly nothing. It's like the cable from the starter switch was not connected to the starter. And yes, I can power the starter from jumper cables and it does turn the motor over. I am still running down why I suddenly don't have spark at the plugs. FYI the starter switch has a button that goes into the block horizontally towards the thumb size push button in front of the gear shifter that just has a rod that goes into the tranny (I assume it is a safety switch to insure that the tranny is in neutral before it will allow you to start it). So the button in front of the gear shift that I push down on, somehow pushes on the starter switch button (new switch)?
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #9  
Any pictures of the tractor so we know if its a 2n/9n or 8n.

You can tell at a glance by looking at the rims. The 9/2n use a large diameter funky(by todays standards) hub.

The 8n is a smaller bolt circle and a more normal looking rim.
 
   / 1949 Ford 8N (converted to 12 volts) starter issue #10  
migth be an 8n engine in a 9n/2n chassis
 
 
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