1952 8N Distributor

[CCarr1945]

My 8N ran good for 25 years then quit. New starter, coil, went through all wires and connections. Then started buying parts. Caps would not fit. Rotors wont fit. I'm ready for a new distributor. Lots of distributors on line. But quality wise, where to buy.
I drive a 73 F100, Never had problems with caps and rotors. I've set points for over 50 years. Never had a cap not fit. I'm out in the wilderness. New Holland is just a counter boy with a parts book. My guy is down for over a month. Any source ideas?

 

[EdGooding]

A direct answer to your question: 8N12127B-8N12127B Years:1950-52 Distributor Assembly (Angle

NCA12106A-NCA12106A Years:1950-64 Distributor Cap (For Angle

www.just8ns.com

C0NN12200A-C0NN12200A Years:1950-64 Rotor Assembly (Distribu

www.just8ns.com

Make sure you have one of these: 8N12213-8N12213 Years:1950-64 Rotor Spring Clip (Distributor

But, before you plunk down that much money, where are you buying your tuneup parts? Most are coming from the Land of Almost Right and fitment issues are abundant. I'm still getting decent tuneup parts from my local Napa.

Your post implies that you have already assumed that your problem is electrical and most non-starting issues are, but have you ensured that you are getting gas? How is your compression?

What exactly do you mean by "quit"? Won't start? Will start but won't idle or run properly?

 

[CCarr1945]

Parked and sat for short period. Hot battery and just would not fire. Got gas, hot batt, good ground. I started with wires and new coil. Set the points. New plug wires. Caps from Gingel, New Holland (2 different). No NAPA in vicinity. I've enjoyed this old girl but don't have time in my life to keep fiddling. I'll buy parts rather than parking it. I forgot to add a new gas line and cleaned the gas valve.

 

[EdGooding]

Parked and sat for short period. Hot battery and just would not fire. Got gas, hot batt, good ground. I started with wires and new coil. Set the points. New plug wires. Caps from Gingel, New Holland (2 different). No NAPA in vicinity. I've enjoyed this old girl but don't have time in my life to keep fiddling. I'll buy parts rather than parking it. I forgot to add a new gas line and cleaned the gas valve.

You said you "got gas" - how do you know it is enough and continuous? The way I test this is to take a pint jar, remove the drain bolt from the carb fuel bowl and you should fill the pint jar in about 2 minutes or less. If you can't fill it in that time, then you have a blockage. I'm assuming you made sure that the two filter screens in the fuel bowl are clear? How about the one at the end of the fuel line at the carb inlet?

 

[CCarr1945]

New screen on the carb, cleaned the screen in the gas valve. New gas line to the carb. Clean gas. I did not remove a plug from bottom of carb. I replaced the carb and head gasket when I purchased the tractor.
I was wondering if someone bought a knock off distributor and stuck it in. I could not find a well viewable part number. Small tag with very light 56222.

 

[EdGooding]

I would recommend doing the fuel drain test to fully eliminate fuel as your problem. Fuel flow can be impacted by the gas tank vent hole getting plugged (loosen your gas cap to eliminate this as a cause). If your float is sticking, that will also affect fuel flow. Did you replace the carb with a Marvel-Schebler or one from China?

 

[CCarr1945]

I will follow your advice and do the fuel flow. I seem to always loosen the gas cap. I tighten it down when I stop. That is a good question on the carb. 30 years ago I wasn't so concerned on where the parts were made. I am now when I can. I still have the old carb. I'm not a farmer. Just a brush cutter and push a little dirt.

 

[EdGooding]

I will follow your advice and do the fuel flow. I seem to always loosen the gas cap. I tighten it down when I stop. That is a good question on the carb. 30 years ago I wasn't so concerned on where the parts were made. I am now when I can. I still have the old carb. I'm not a farmer. Just a brush cutter and push a little dirt.

If you still have the factory M-S carb, I would use that every day, all day over one of the Chinese jobs. They are a crap shoot - some are ok, some suck out of the box. The M-S carb was engineered to be rebuilt over and over. Actually, many of the parts on the N's were engineered that way. You should not need to run with a loose gas cap unless the vent hole is plugged. It might vibrate off. It is a pain to reopen the gas tank vent hole so many folks just drill a 1/8" hole in the gas cap and then you and keep it tight when installed. If you need help with rebuilding an M-S carb, you can probably find videos on YouTube or download this excellent tutorial written by another 8N owner: https://www.ntractorclub.com/howtos/pdfs/Carburetor-Overhaul.pdf

Let us know what you find.

 

[CCarr1945]

I checked the gas flow and it was quite brisk. I pulled the dizz and found the dust cover I was sent is incorrect as was the broken rotor I suspect. I'll take the distrib to the local parts house and fit a rotor, use the new cap if it fits and try over. Plus drill the hole!

 

[John0829]

If you are having problems getting spark after you get the cap and rotor problem sorted check the though bolt for power on the side of the distributor. The insulator can and will, fail grounding the system.

I know you said there are no NAPA's near by but their parts usually just fit without any issues. Oh and as has been mentioned don't forget about the small metal clip under the rotor.

As for replacement dizzy, my SIL's 8N he had at the time the dizzy was so worn out it was less expensive to get a replacement than to buy parts to rebuild it. If I remember correctly he bought it from Just8N's, good quality and it worked as expected.