# Round 2 with The 52 8N



## aaron.d2010 (Nov 4, 2019)

Recently I replace the composite gear for aluminum cast gear due to the tractor being out of timing. Got the tractor up and running better than ever used it one time grading some driveways and it fell on its face and will not stay started. Worked on carburetor finally bought new carburetor and installed it. Still can't get it started and stay running. Pulled all plugs out checked fire to compression I'm getting fire ,check the gaps their proper I believe it's .025.as I pulled the plugs I observed they were soaking wet with gas. I went through all the initial settings on the new carburetor but due to it not being able to warm up a cannot set it completely.I do not believe it's a gas issue because of the spark plugs without being choked are getting wet, compression on head is #1 65,63,60,63. The bottom compression is more than 75% of the top compression and the tractor was running when it went down so this tells me that compression is low but still should run with poor horsepower quality. The coil obviously gets hot when the switch is on position 12volt sys. I did check points and set them .010 if I'm not mistaken. They are working properly as when they disconnect and touch they fire and I'm getting fire up at the plugs at the moment of top dead center of each cylinder. I took a coil out of a Ford pickup truck older model and used it to make sure that it wasn't a fire issue nothing changes. When the motor does hit it has to be choked for several seconds then when you release it it will hit and backfires and pops out the carburetor And tail end. It makes me want to say that it sounds like when the cam goes down in a vehicle. By having extra fuel on the spark plugs I just did the main power adjustment to almost off to limit the amount of fuel and change the air settings slowly to no avail......." Tractor running great all the sudden has these symptoms". I am considering purchasing a quality set of points and condentser ,and try this route.if anyone's ever ran through this before and can shine some light on this I would much appreciate it.


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## VFord8N (Aug 18, 2013)

I switched to electronic ignition to eliminate the points issue entirely. I also installed new plugs and matching wires (not the modern new wires either). That helped me for a while at least; might be of value to you to consider.


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## Joe.S.AK (Nov 26, 2020)

So Aaron, All is not lost! 


Spark to all 4 plugs, CHECK. 


Points inspected and re-gaped, CHECK. 


Air to new Carb, CHECK. 


Fuel getting to new Carb, CHECK. 

So, what could it be? WELL, on my '40 9N it was that brand new Chinese  Carb. They are notorious as being, lets be kind and say 'inexact in faithfulness to quality, design and purpose'. Very poor attention to engineering detail --- but they do look shiny-new.

If you saved the old, 'It Worked for Years Before' Carb go find it. Clean it well, get a rebuild kit and rebuild it using good care. It Ain't Rocket Science and you certainly do seem to have more, much more, experience and skill than the average bear. 

WET PLUGS are WRONG.  A vaporized fuel-air mix should not make the plugs WET. At the very least your float or needle valve is sticking, causing the engine to flood out. 

I suspect that possibly that new carb, (like the brand new shiny aluminum one I bought last summer and, after weeks of agony still wouldn't get things working) needs to carefully go back in some old box and be put far away on the highest dusty shelf in the barn (I did that exact thing). Those 40s and 50s MS and Zenith Carbs were capable of being rebuilt many, many times and should outlast all of us.

Oh, my Pertronix Electronic Ignition kit made 'things' much, much better.
- Joe -


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