Busted 8N

[Tractorable]

Back when I was a young'n, I thought I'd be cool and show my buddy how to kill a runnin motor by pulling the coil wire. Whew, that shock about knocked me on my butt. Now I think twice before pulling wires off running motors!

 

[Oldpath05]

Back when I was a young'n, I thought I'd be cool and show my buddy how to kill a runnin motor by pulling the coil wire. Whew, that shock about knocked me on my butt. Now I think twice before pulling wires off running motors!

Exactly, I guess with the right clamping tool like rScotty posted it would be ok as long as you're not the nervous type..........but it is a good teaching lesson.

 

[Clint S]

I use a nice set of insulated rubber gloves when pulling them if I can, but have pulled quite a few without issue with long handle needle nose or boot pliers like above. I won't say I have not been zapped more than once though

 

[ruffdog]

I have a pair of Bluepoint pliers SBP 3 that are made to pull stubborn plug boots. I normally resort to other trouble shooting first though.
Pliers, Boot, Vinyl Coated Offset Jaw Tips (Blue-Point(R))

 

[rScotty]

My neighbor and I may have found the problem with the 8N. Put the manifold and carb with new gaskets back on the tractor yesterday and it still barely ran, if at all, just popping and sputtering.

Remember from the beginning the carb was rebuilt? Well, we found gas pooling into the intake pipe, so even though it was rebuilt, it's still having issues. The float was set spec but gas is still getting by the float valve.

We're going to try to fix the original Marvel Schebler carb, but I ordered a new carb to get it running and to have a second spare carb on hand in the parts bin.

We also verified the timing and plug wire routing and everything looks dead on.

I get the new carb on Wednesday and will let you guys know if that fixes it.

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Well, congratulations - I hope. It sounds like you may have found the problem. There isn't much rubber or plastic in an old Marvel Schebler Carb for the alcohol in our modern "gasoline" to attack....but do double check any rubber fuel lines from tank to car. It is worthwhile to go to all metal lines, although Honda mowers and a few other modern small gasoline carburetted engines seem to have found a plastic fuel line that is impervous to alcohol. When rebuilding a Marvel Schebler carb look carefully at the tip of the float needle valve. Especially if the float valve is the type with a rubber tip.
Good luck,
rScotty

 

[Oldpath05]

I have a pair of Bluepoint pliers SBP 3 that are made to pull stubborn plug boots. I normally resort to other trouble shooting first though.
Pliers, Boot, Vinyl Coated Offset Jaw Tips (Blue-Point(R))

Good link, pliers like those is the ONLY way I'd pull plug wires. Me too I'd look at everything else first to find out whu an old gas motor wont fire, I'd even check the gear oil in the transmission first.

 

[Oldpath05]

I use a nice set of insulated rubber gloves when pulling them if I can, but have pulled quite a few without issue with long handle needle nose or boot pliers like above. I won't say I have not been zapped more than once though

Now when someone does the old pull plug wire trick on an old gas running motor, I'd laugh everytime if/when they get zapped, funny stuff right there.

Reminds me when my son was ten in the early 80s, had an old lawnmower that wouldn't start, well of course the first thing to check if the plug is wet is the fire, and of coarse when kids are young there always right there in the way TRYING to help, as I pulled the cord the plug fell off the motor, son being the little helper he was quickly grab it to put it back on the block and as quickly as he grab he quickly let it go, to this day he has a good respect for electricity.

 

[ruffdog]

I got zapped one time using a coil tester while leaning up against the metal bench...little sparky was never the same after that. sad

 

[jaxs]

Time out! Has this turned into the I'm a bigger wussy than you thread? Half the time when I pull a wire,I'm mowing or something when tractor lose's power and I need to find out what happened then get back to work. I've used everything from a dry stick to gritting my teeth then grabbing a wire to see which cylinder is dropping out. Pliers,Leatherman or what's handy serve's to r&r plug for a quick clean then back to work.. I've heard a couple of people recite Sunday School lessons and one poor soul fixed his britches but I've never heard of anyone crippled or killed by ignition shock. Considering some of the worn out stuff I've used over the years,I would never get anything done if I went to shop where I tested compression,fuel pump,fuel filters and such before seening if a plug has fouled. Ya,ya,I know it's cost me a couple of distributor caps that were ruined from carbon tracking but I can stand one every 20 years.

 

[Mace Canute]

Now when someone does the old pull plug wire trick on an old gas running motor, I'd laugh everytime if/when they get zapped, funny stuff right there.

Reminds me when my son was ten in the early 80s, had an old lawnmower that wouldn't start, well of course the first thing to check if the plug is wet is the fire, and of coarse when kids are young there always right there in the way TRYING to help, as I pulled the cord the plug fell off the motor, son being the little helper he was quickly grab it to put it back on the block and as quickly as he grab he quickly let it go, to this day he has a good respect for electricity.

That reminds me of something a friend did many many years ago. He was tuning up his lawnmower and his wife came out just before he put the sparkplug wire back on. He told her to take hold of the end and as soon as she did he gave it a quick pull. :shocked:

You can imagine how well that turned out!