Ford 8N having trouble starting -- many troubleshooting steps take -- suggestions?

[Soundguy]

lets hope not.

it could be a good tractor for somebody.

 

[94BULLITT]

Well we have not heard anything in 5 days. I guess no news is good news.

 

[Soundguy]

we can only hope.

 

[PorkChopsMmm]

Sorry guys, still alive. I missed one of the new comment "emails" and since I haven't been back to the website I didn't get an alert for any more comments. Too funny about the "set it on fire" comment -- if it wasn't running it would be tempting.

So I have used the tractor a little bit and it runs OK but still has the "miss".

Your favorite "mechanic" is coming by tonight with the carb from his working 8N to test on my tractor. I will keep you posted of the results.

In other news, I was talking to a buddy at work who worked his way through college way back in the day, 30+ years ago, as a mechanic. He still fixes up older cars for fun. I was telling him about the tractor and he told me he didn't think I have a carb problem but that I still have an electrical problem. His point was since it is "missing" at idle and still missing at high RPM it most likely isn't a fuel problem. He was saying that often at idle you aren't using much fuel so it isn't missing but when you open up the throttle and need to use more fuel that is when it starts to miss. Makes sense when he mentions it -- I have a consistent miss. I'm not sure what is left in the electrical system that could be causing it, however.

 

[PorkChopsMmm]

1/4" drill bit stem.. even a dull or broke one.. makes a great gauge..

Soundguy -- I am having a hard time figuring out what tool you mean to use. Can you let me know another name for the tool or have a picture?

 

[jeff pk]

I think he means that you turn the drill bit on it's side and use the thickness of the bit:1/4 in, as a large size feeler gauge

 

[PorkChopsMmm]

That makes a lot more sense, thanks, another kind soul pointed that out to me. I thought he was recommended a tool to help with the compression test.

 

[Sno]

Sounds too lean or timing too advanced or a plug wire. I'd watch it run at night and look for sparks you shouldn't see, check again for air leaks ( does carb fit perfectly flat on manifold and is gasket good, is throttle shaft leaking air, etc). I don't know anything about timing on these, so I'd be interested in hearing from someone who does. Thank you all as I have appreciated reading this thread and am learning a lot.

 

[94BULLITT]

Sounds too lean or timing too advanced or a plug wire. I'd watch it run at night and look for sparks you shouldn't see, check again for air leaks ( does carb fit perfectly flat on manifold and is gasket good, is throttle shaft leaking air, etc). I don't know anything about timing on these, so I'd be interested in hearing from someone who does. Thank you all as I have appreciated reading this thread and am learning a lot.

His mechanic was jacking on the timing while it was running so who knows where it is now.

 

[PorkChopsMmm]

We put the new carb on last night and it did not make a difference. I swapped the #3 and #4 plug wires just to see what that would sound like and it sounded worse and completely different. I checked out the wires last night and I don't see where wires could be shorting out and I have run it at night with no sparks or light showing from the wires. The carb was sealed tightly to the manifold, there were no cracks in the manifold, and the muffler was still putting out lots of pressure.

I am going to borrow a compression tester that should fit under the gas tank. So next steps are to check the compression with the right tester and see what that looks like. Hopefully that will reveal the issue. I think in the near future I will pick up a new wiring harness and re-wire the tractor when I wire up the 3 wire alternator.

Thanks guys. I should get the compression tester in the next few days so I should have an update by the weekend.