Hello from East Texas

[Thomas]

:welcome: to TBN Rick...enjoy.

 

[Rick01]

Thx everyone for you comments and welcomes. I hope to learn much here from you, and I have much to learn as a fairly new tractor owner. Not a new tractor. (52 model) but new to me. I think I may have found my problem, the key switch was a bit wonky and when checking the wires on the back end the whole end just fell off. That can稚 be good. New switch on the way so hopefully this will fix my problems.

 

[TBN Support]

:welcome:

Welcome to the forum!

I'm going to move this thread over to our Ford section.

 

[Soundguy]

most likely the switch was the issue. a quick check when you get spark problems is to hotwire the tractor. IE.. run a wire from the battery directly to the coil primary and go from there.. that bypasses a few feet of wire and a switch / connections .. any of which could be iffy. especially avoid crimp connectors like unions and splice crimps.. they let in air and water.. corrosion happens, then you get a marginal connection, etc.

 

[Rick01]

Thx sound guy, great tip on troubleshooting. That’s why I joined this forum, to learn the tricks and tips I don’t know. Thx to everyone who has offered help and please stick around, I am sure I will have other issues on this tractor as I plan on keeping it running till I just can’t drive it any longer. So if ya see an old guy riding down the road on an 8n wave, it could be me.

 

[Soundguy]

Welcome!

 

[Rick01]

Ok, still having issues on my 52 8n side distributer 12v tractor. Waiting on key switch, hung up in houston. Usps. Enough said on that. I jumped the switch out and still didnt have very good fire. Changed out coil and i started right up. Alrighty then. Ran great for two days but this morning wont start. It was 35 degrees outside. Waited till after lunch, 45 degrees outside. Started right up. What can i check or adjust or change to fix a tractor that wont start in cold weather ?

 

[rScotty]

Ok, still having issues on my 52 8n side distributer 12v tractor. Waiting on key switch, hung up in houston. Usps. Enough said on that. I jumped the switch out and still didnt have very good fire. Changed out coil and i started right up. Alrighty then. Ran great for two days but this morning wont start. It was 35 degrees outside. Waited till after lunch, 45 degrees outside. Started right up. What can i check or adjust or change to fix a tractor that wont start in cold weather ?

Sounds like the key switch will be a welcome addition, but what soundguy said will work until it gets a new switch

I doubt that ten degrees made the difference....and neither temperature is cold by engine & fuel standards. If it needed choking at 35 degrees it probably would at 45 degrees too.

So what else changed between the two times? It had to be something, no matter how unlikely it seems.
BTW, have you changed out the distributor cap, rotor, points, condensor, plug wires and plug caps yet? They are all simple and inexpensive. You'll be time ahead to eliminate problems instead of chasing each new one down. Those old electrical parts get old - particularly the ones that carry the spark. Each part I've recommended changing for new is one that I've found faulty when it was brought into my shop - and in each case the owner was sure it couldn't be.

The argument that new parts are just as likely to be bad as old parts is not right in my experience.

Unless it was raining, the problem probably wasn't the weather. Lots of old battery and coil type tractors sit outside and work fine - mine has for 60 years.
rScotty

 

[jaxs]

Look's like we are at a crossroad where you decide whether you want to learn how to test and troubleshoot or have your problems diagnosed and told what should be replaced. The suggestions in post #8 were made because symptoms point to morning dew possibly causing crossfire on plug wires(I live just down the road and see it happen often). Obivously you didn't find crossfire or you would have mentioned it. Doesn't matter anyhow since someone found that not only are wires bad, distributor cap, rotor, points, condensor, and plug caps also need to be replaced. I don't have the ability to diagnose problems long distance,only able to give suggestions that alow one to diagnose themselves. I hope you don't feel I was just trying to make you look foolish out in the dark messing with it. BTW,if someone decide's to go the old fashion way and don't have time to drag out booster cables,lay one hand on tractor hood then brush fingers and other hand along plug wires to find if they leak.:hissyfit:

 

[Rick01]

When i first posted here i said i was looking for tips and tricks or advice on troubleshooting. You jax have not ben helpful at all. One person tells me to do a complete tuneup. You say wait on that and that bad parts are sold all the time. Then you ask me have i put the tune up parts on yet. You immediately assume i dont know how to use a multi meter because i asked for help troubleshooting and cant be near as smart as you. Now you ask do i want to learn to do this myself or have you fix it long distance. I prefer you dont post anything for me anymore. Everyone else here has been very nice and helpful but i find you to be arrogant and obnoxious.