# 8n issues



## Ken Srock (Jun 27, 2018)

Hi guys, 
A couple weeks ago I picked up my first tractor a 52 8n. 
Well it started great and ran perfect the couple times I drove it around. Last time I took it out it again started instantly and ran great but as I was heading down the road in 4th gear it stumbled like it was out of gas. I messed with the shutoff and it stayed running but just barely. I gimped it home. After reading through posts on here and other pages I figured it was fuel issue. So as of now I have drained and flushed the tank, new gas, cleaned all screens, cleaned fuel line, replaced shutoff assy, took carb apart and cleaned it(didn’t seem dirty, jets not clogged) I have gas through the drain plug on carb when I open the shutoff. But the tractor will only start, idle roughly, and I have zero throttle response. It will idle (kinda) for a minute then die. But it will start right back up. 
Just hoping someone’s had a similar issue or could point me in the right direction. 
Thanks, 
Kenny


----------



## BigT (Sep 15, 2014)

Howdy Ken, welcome to the tractor forum.

You may have missed one of the fuel screens in the system:
1. There is a fuel screen attached to the shut off valve....cylindrical screen....protrudes up inside the tank. See the shut off valve in the attached fuel system diagram.
2. There is a fuel screen (flat/circular screen) in the top of the sediment bowl. See item #14 on the fuel system diagram.
3. There is a fuel screen (cylindrical screen) attached to the inlet elbow of the carburetor. Sits inside the carburetor. See item #16 on the carburetor diagram.

Also, some guys do not clean their air cleaner very often. See air cleaner diagram. Clean dirt out the bottom bowl and fill with oil to a level mark internally. Clean the wire mesh/steel wool inside the main filter element with gas and allow it to drip dry.


----------



## Ken Srock (Jun 27, 2018)

BigT said:


> Howdy Ken, welcome to the tractor forum.
> 
> You may have missed one of the fuel screens in the system:
> 1. There is a fuel screen attached to the shut off valve....cylindrical screen....protrudes up inside the tank. See the shut off valve in the attached fuel system diagram.
> ...


----------



## Ken Srock (Jun 27, 2018)

I’ve not checked the air filter yet. I will tomorrow. 
I have cleaned all fuel screens shut off is new. 
Today I double checked fuel flow through carb, looks good.
Then I checked spark. Looked like weak spark using an old plug. I had picked up a tune up kit, distributor cap, internals, and plugs so after finding weak spark I installed the kit. The tractor fired up immediately and idled perfect and the throttle response was great. Super excited, Well It idled perfect for 5 min. then started getting rough again and now is doing the same thing it was. Starting, idling rough and shutting off. 
Kinda leaning towards electrical issue maybe the capacitor between alternator and distributor? I’ll check air filter tomorrow and poke some more at it!


----------



## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Maybe see if the fuel tank vent is plugged. Try running it with the fuel cap loose and see if that helps.
Could also be the coil?


----------



## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

You have a capacitor between alternator and distributor? Is this a 12V conversion with an electronic ignition? Your spark should be blue/white in color. A yellow/orange spark is not good enough.


----------



## Ken Srock (Jun 27, 2018)

pogobill said:


> Maybe see if the fuel tank vent is plugged. Try running it with the fuel cap loose and see if that helps.
> Could also be the coil?


I did try it with gas cap off, no change. Leaning towards coil.


----------



## Ken Srock (Jun 27, 2018)

sixbales said:


> You have a capacitor between alternator and distributor? Is this a 12V conversion with an electronic ignition? Your spark should be blue/white in color. A yellow/orange spark is not good enough.


I meant to say coil not capacitor, and meant that it’s location is between alternator and distributor sorry. Yes this is a 12 volt conversion. I had weak spark, I installed a tune up kit, cap, internals, plugs and it fired right up and ran perfect for five minutes then got rough and died again. Reading a lot about coils on the 12 volt systems going bad so I’m going to pick one up and try it.


----------



## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Change points & condenser


----------



## The Old Home (May 22, 2018)

Ken Srock said:


> I meant to say coil not capacitor, and meant that it’s location is between alternator and distributor sorry. Yes this is a 12 volt conversion. I had weak spark, I installed a tune up kit, cap, internals, plugs and it fired right up and ran perfect for five minutes then got rough and died again. Reading a lot about coils on the 12 volt systems going bad so I’m going to pick one up and try it.


On some of the 12V conversions, the coild does go bad. Check Balast resistor too.


----------



## VFord8N (Aug 18, 2013)

My experience with performance was solved with a new governor. Not all that expensive. See my write up in dwindling performance on 8N. The governor is like cruse control and regulates fuel flow when under load. Just an idea.


----------



## FordmanUGA (May 30, 2016)

Sounds like the bad coil mine had last year when my mother-in-law still owned it. I put a new coil on it and that fixed the issue.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tractor Forum mobile app


----------

