Ford 8N Tractor - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

Is it a no spark problem? or fuel problem?

If it is a no spark problem....check for voltage to the coil when it stops.
You do/should have a resistor before the coil which could be bad ( no voltage when hot) or missing (removed) overheating the coil.

If no fuel.....check for flow to/at carb when it stops.
Is the gas cap vented?

ignition key faulty no power circuit to the coil while in the start position check wiring in that circuit check for all safety micro switches are operational as they are all connected to that circuit

these are gravity fed there is a chance something is pugging the outlet hole I would disconnect the fuel line and see if you have flow if not take the cap off and use air to blow back up into the tank to free up flow again

The last resort is: Take the carburetor off and take it to a shop and have it "soaked" overnight in a "soak tank", blown out with compressed air, and reassembled with a new overhaul kit. You did all the right things, but the tiny drilled holes & passageways can clog with gummy deposits and prevent fuel flow. God bless your efforts.

What are we working on here??

Try removing the gas cap and see if it still stalls after 10 minutes. If it doesn't then the vent hole in the gas cap is clogged up.

It is frozen, hit it with a soft faced hammer.

i fixed it with heat and lots of wd40 and about 2 hours worth of elbo grease

Sounds like either a bad headgasket or a cracked coolant journal in the head, or possibly a blocked passage that is forcing cooling out at the point of lowest resistance.

Check to make sure fuel is getting through.

Hi Carl: We had one of these when I was a kid. The control lever connects to a mechanism located inside the casting under the seat. On ours, a piece had broken and needed to be brazed, then re-installed. There are a lot of old tractor clubs with lots of folks who are willing to help with a project. I'd recommend that you try to find the nearest one to you and see if you can enlist a new friend. Cheers.

Check these: Make sure fuel is flowing out the hose connected to, at the carburetor. Take a spark plug lose, reconnect it to the spark wire. Lay it on the motor and crank the motor. Is it showing a spark spark spark pattern? Is clean fuel in the carb bowl? Deeper checks would be a carburetor clean - where air is blown thru all jets - showing fuel will flow in them to the motor. Take a product like Mega Power and pour some in the oil and in the air intake to help produce a piston seal and suction - which they lose over time, to draw in fuel properly. Hope this helps. http://www.auto-tune-up-and-repair-options.com/worn-motor-treatment.html

Check with Rob Rinaldi of N-News magazine. [email protected]

I would suggest you contact Rob Rinaldi with Ford N-News magazine. [email protected] if he can't answer your problem I'm sure he knows someone who can. News The Magazine for the Ford Tractor Enthusiast

could be sucking too much air

It sounds like a "Load Resistor" problem, not sure if you have this type of starting system. The load resistor is in the wiring that goes to your coil after the engine has started. It is bypassed when starting to offset the loss of voltage when the starter is engaged and turning over the engine, then after the engine has started the "Load Resistor" is again in series with the points dropping the voltage slightly and providing longer point life. If this resistor burns out then you would be able to start the tractor but as soon as you released the starter foot switch the points/distributor would no longer have voltage. The Load Resistor is a large gray, brown or white colored rectangle ( 3" long and about 1/2wide aprx.) mounted on the back side of your dash panel....

Short answer is yes. As long as both are 6 volt still. Should be a simple swap.

For the best answers to your question ask Robert Sybrandy, Technical Advisor for Ferguson Enthusiasts of North America [email protected] or Rob Rinaldi of N-News magazine [email protected]

The point gap on the 8N is 0.015".

In order of probability, you have a blown head gasket, a cracked cylinder head, or a cracked block. Pray it is the first.