# update on my 8n



## k_nine

well after a week looking at this thing i think im going to need a starter and starter solenoid. I have power to the one side of the solenoid but not the other side when the starter button is push. I tried to start it by pulling it around with a truck but wont go.
i don't have a way to test the plug wires and plugs, but i do have gas at the carb, I do have power at the distributor. there is a new coil and pionts in the ditribuitor, the old owner had someone rebuild the distribuitor.
now just waiting for pay day to get a starter.

K_nine


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## wjjones

k_nine said:


> well after a week looking at this thing i think im going to need a starter and starter solenoid. I have power to the one side of the solenoid but not the other side when the starter button is push. I tried to start it by pulling it around with a truck but wont go.
> i don't have a way to test the plug wires and plugs, but i do have gas at the carb, I do have power at the distributor. there is a new coil and pionts in the ditribuitor, the old owner had someone rebuild the distribuitor.
> now just waiting for pay day to get a starter.
> 
> K_nine




Does it have a manual kill switch, or is the kill through the ignition?


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## k_nine

just a key ignition


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## ErnieS

Before you buy a starter, Have you eliminated the solenoid as your problem?
The solenoid has 3 wires going to it. A heavy wire from the battery, a lighter gauge wire from the ignition switch, and a heavy wire going to the starter. With the ignition in the on position *and the transmission in neutral*, connect the terminal with the light wire to the terminal where the heavy wire from the battery is attached. If the engine turns, suspect the starter button or a bad wire.
If the engine doesn't turn, take a booster cable, and connect the 2 large wire terminals together. This will bypass the solenoid. If the engine turns now, replace the solenoid and you should be good to go.


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## k_nine

thanks ill try that today


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## Lonn77

Have you removed the starter from the tractor? Earlier thus year my starter was stuck I assume it got wet over winter. I removed it from the tractor and planned to take it in for rebuild but thought I would bench test it first. After working it free I secured the body in a vise and using a set of booster cables cycled the starter of a 12 volt battery. Securing the ground to the body of the starter and touching the red cable end to the wire lug of the starter. The starter ended up being good and I was able to inspect the bendix mechanism at the same time. And it only took a few minutes to remove and test the starter.


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## k_nine

try to jump the solenoid today but it not worked


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## Lonn77

In any case I would try to find a local source to have your starter rebuilt rather than buying a new one. A reputable repair shop should be able to rebuild yours less than the cost of a new one


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## k_nine

yup I've had it out everything moves free. I dont try testing it out of the tractor. when i took it out i didnt know that they werent bolted together


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## k_nine

tried to bench test the starter today and it wouldnt work looks like its a rebuild


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## Lonn77

Does your tractor have the distributor on the side of the engine or on the front? If you have a crank for the tractor it is easy to verify if you have spark by removing the number one spark plug wire and using screwdriver inserted into the wire cap rested with a small gap from screwdriver to the engine block rotate the crank a few times to see if you have any spark. Sounds to me your engine lacks spark if it does not start even with a pull behind the truck. But you should also pull your spark plugs out after attempting to start the tractor to make sure they are wet.


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## Lonn77

How long has the tractor been not running? Also as someone else has worked on the distributor. Did you double check the spark plug wires are hooked in the proper firing order?


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## k_nine

its been two years 
Im going to get new plugs I looked at the plugs they are rusty so i think they are ground


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## k_nine

so tomorrow im going to get new plugs and wires. I dont like how the wire from the coil plugs in, it just pulls off to easy.
the old plugs were really hard to get out(very tight).
my father in-law has a 46 8n and he thinks there is something more to it then it hasn't ran in a couple of years. I think he is thinking its electrical.


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## k_nine

ok new sparks in now to get the starter to turn. anyone know what the voltage should be at the starter? it a 6 volt system. should it be a full 6 volts?


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## ErnieS

Damned close to 6. What are you getting?


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## k_nine

its jumping all over the place from 0.6 to 6.0 volts


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## k_nine

bought a new starter solenoid today put it on and the starter still wont turn, so i guess its going to have to get it rebuilt


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## k_nine

ok we found the the battery is in backwards should be a positive ground. 
then the battery and charger didnt give us enough power the turn the starter over. so the starters ok. 
but no spark. we have power to the Distributor, but no power to the plugs.
all and all its come a long ways so far.
yup it was a good day


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## Lonn77

Well that's good news. The ignition problem should be a lot easier on your pocketbook than a new starter!


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## k_nine

i agree atleast we know what we are looking at now?


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## k_nine

ok so we put new coil and replaced everything in the distributor, and no spark. and borrowed my father in-laws battery out of his tractor.
any ideas?


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## Lonn77

Did you measure the gap in your points? I use a match book cover they should open about that distance. I am guessing you have a side mount distributor as you have a coil Mine has the front mount and this spring I found that the bimetallic band connected to the points had broken so they were not functioning properly.


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## Lonn77

But I am not too familiar with the side mount


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## k_nine

yes it is a side mount distributor and yes it was measured the feeler gauge came in the kit. 
I had a friend of my father in-law who knows about pionts and hes stumped. we ran a new wire from the battery to the coil to bypass the rest of the wiring and still nothing


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## k_nine

just to let you all know that i got the tractor now. can you believe it was a wire that it was too heavy going from the distributor to the coil


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## k_nine

I went out today try to start the tractor and it wont roll over justs clicks. charged the battery all day and still the starter solenoid just clicks. not too sure what too look at now


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## Lonn77

Oh the whoes of vintage tractor ownership! Check your battery cable connections. Especially where your ground cable meets the frame. 6volts isn't a lot of juice so it doesn't take much paint or corrosion to cause too much resistance for a good connection


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## k_nine

checked the starter and moves free, I think its time for a rebuild


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## k_nine

pulled the starter three times, now i have it rolling over.


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