8N Won't Start

[Bill Tattersall]

Hi All,

I have checked this so far:
1. Steady flow of gas from the port on the bottom of the float bowl
2. Good spark at the plugs; hot spark across 1/4" on my spark gap tester
3. 110+ compression on all cylinders

When I crank the engine it makes no effort to start. If I take the air cleaner hose off, there is gas running out of the carb. Then I pull the plugs; they are totally dry. This makes no sense to me, What am I missing. Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[old]

Hi All,

I have checked this so far:
1. Steady flow of gas from the port on the bottom of the float bowl
2. Good spark at the plugs; hot spark across 1/4" on my spark gap tester
3. 110+ compression on all cylinders

When I crank the engine it makes no effort to start. If I take the air cleaner hose off, there is gas running out of the carb. Then I pull the plugs; they are totally dry. This makes no sense to me, What am I missing. Thanks for any thoughts.

Hold your hand over the air intake of the carb while trying to start it. You should feel a good suction and get gas on your hand and it may even try to start

 

[Jim L WA]

After doing what Old said, you cold try a little starting fluid. See if you get any response.
How long since it ran, yesterday, a month or what?

 

[Bill Tattersall]

After doing what Old said, you cold try a little starting fluid. See if you get any response.
How long since it ran, yesterday, a month or what?

Tried what Old said: good suction, gas on hand, no start. Starting fluid didn't help. A year ago, it always started on the first or second turn. It has gotten progressively worse over time. With many cranks, it started about 2 weeks ago, then died, No fire or start since, I forgot to say, I put new Autolite 437's in it this week.

 

[old]

Tried what Old said: good suction, gas on hand, no start. Starting fluid didn't help. A year ago, it always started on the first or second turn. It has gotten progressively worse over time. With many cranks, it started about 2 weeks ago, then died, No fire or start since, I forgot to say, I put new Autolite 437's in it this week.

I stopped using the 427 years ago and now use the NGK3112 and I bet it you try them things will change

 

[used red MN]

If Autolite plugs consistently would not run an engine, there would be no more Autolite plugs sold. I got a sneaky suspicion it’s your carb. Pull a couple spark plugs and dump a tablespoon of gas in each one. Screw the plugs in finger tight put the wires on and crank it. Bet she’ll run a few seconds. If so take your carb off a poke a wire in every passage, shoot carb cleaner in it and blast it with compressed air, REPEAT, maybe even do it a 3rd time. Make sure you pull out what I call the “fuel nozzle” 9530 in the picture, clean it and the passage it sets in extra carefully. See those holes along it? Air comes down and through those holes and mixes with the fuel. Then emulsified fuel is dumped into the air intake stream as it passes through the venturi #9586.
That process is nearly as important as the fuel itself getting in there. That is not as important for the initial start but highly important for it to run well at any speed above idle.

 

[Eman85]

Makes no sense to me either.
If you have spark and good compression and after cranking the plugs are dry it usually indicates a lack of fuel. You say you tried starting fluid?
The gas running out of the carb is what happens with an updraft carburetor but that would indicate gas being drawn through the carburetor.
You checked spark at the plug wires?

 

[Bill Tattersall]

Makes no sense to me either.
If you have spark and good compression and after cranking the plugs are dry it usually indicates a lack of fuel. You say you tried starting fluid?
The gas running out of the carb is what happens with an updraft carburetor but that would indicate gas being drawn through the carburetor.
You checked spark at the plug wires?

I have an adjustable spark checker and the spark will strongly jump 1/4". Grounding the plugs also produces a strong spark. Grrrrr!

 

[Bill Tattersall]

If Autolite plugs consistently would not run an engine, there would be no more Autolite plugs sold. I got a sneaky suspicion it’s your carb. Pull a couple spark plugs and dump a tablespoon of gas in each one. Screw the plugs in finger tight put the wires on and crank it. Bet she’ll run a few seconds. If so take your carb off a poke a wire in every passage, shoot carb cleaner in it and blast it with compressed air, REPEAT, maybe even do it a 3rd time. Make sure you pull out what I call the “fuel nozzle” 9530 in the picture, clean it and the passage it sets in extra carefully. See those holes along it? Air comes down and through those holes and mixes with the fuel. Then emulsified fuel is dumped into the air intake stream as it passes through the venturi #9586.
That process is nearly as important as the fuel itself getting in there. That is not as important for the initial start but highly important for it to run well at any speed above idle. View attachment 67041

Totally dismantled the carb and cleaned everything. No improvement. I know I must be missing something but I'm not smart enough to see it.

 

[used red MN]

Is this a front mount distributor? You don’t say anything about having it out or checking the points. If you did are you sure you did not install it 180 out? It can be done, but if you did your distributor is now broken. Alternatively, if the plug wires are on wrong much easier fix. Sorry about dumbing it down but all avenues need exhausted.

 

[Bill Tattersall]

Is this a front mount distributor? You don’t say anything about having it out or checking the points. If you did are you sure you did not install it 180 out? It can be done, but if you did your distributor is now broken. Alternatively, if the plug wires are on wrong much easier fix. Sorry about dumbing it down but all avenues need exhausted.

Thanks. Side mount. New points & condenser. Wires correct and unchanged since it last ran.

 

[old]

Thanks. Side mount. New points & condenser. Wires correct and unchanged since it last ran.

Put the old condenser back in. Common now days to buy a new bad condenser. I have not changed a condenser in any of my tractors in well over 15 years now

 

[Jim.ME]

Put the old condenser back in. Common now days to buy a new bad condenser. I have not changed a condenser in any of my tractors in well over 15 years now

People must have missed #2 in his first post of the thread yesterday, he posted: "2. Good spark at the plugs; hot spark across 1/4" on my spark gap tester"

Also post #8: "I have an adjustable spark checker and the spark will strongly jump 1/4". Grounding the plugs also produces a strong spark."

I would rule out a couple simple things first. Start by confirming the spark occurs for #1 at the same time you feel compression on #1. Then confirm again the wires are going around the distributor the right way from #1 to match rotation, even though you say they are unchanged, it only takes a minute to check.

 

[soaked]

Hi Bill, is exhaust pipe clear?
No mouse nests up the tailpipe?

 

[Bill Tattersall]

People must have missed #2 in his first post of the thread yesterday, he posted: "2. Good spark at the plugs; hot spark across 1/4" on my spark gap tester"

Also post #8: "I have an adjustable spark checker and the spark will strongly jump 1/4". Grounding the plugs also produces a strong spark."

I would rule out a couple simple things first. Start by confirming the spark occurs for #1 at the same time you feel compression on #1. Then confirm again the wires are going around the distributor the right way from #1 to match rotation, even though you say they are unchanged, it only takes a minute to check.

Thanks. Have spark on #1 spark plug wire while detecting compression in #1 cylinder. Wires 1,2,4 3 ok around the distributor.

 

[old]

Totally dismantled the carb and cleaned everything. No improvement. I know I must be missing something but I'm not smart enough to see it.

Did you use a small wire of as I do a torch tip cleaner tool and poke out all the passage ways then spray carb cleaner spray in the passagesways then poke out again and repeat those 2 tings at least 4 times

 

[used red MN]

Thanks. Have spark on #1 spark plug wire while detecting compression in #1 cylinder. Wires 1,2,4 3 ok around the distributor.

You say the wires are on the same as it was since it last ran, but I have to ask they are is order counter-clockwise in the cap? Again, this is all about leaving no stone unturned. This would still leave two cylinders to fire. You did all these checks in sort of a chronological order as the posts have progressed? I say clean carb, you reply I did it. Is this a fact or are you just saying this because gas runs out when the hose is pulled off? Sorry, if you feel I am calling you out but it’s all about turning the stones. You checked the spark at one point, but how about right now? Is the rotor installed? Frustration, can be just that.. frustration, it can lead the brain to do funny things. I believe I have read where the exhaust and intake can burn through to each other, does a Ford guy know if this is possible? Even if this has happened I would still think it would occasionally catch firing a cylinder or two. I am still going to stand by the tablespoon of gas in a couple cylinders to see what happens. So the description in reply 4 covers what lead you here? Nothing else to add, just been trying to start it for 2 weeks? The gas in the tank is gas not water?

 

[Roger in Iowa]

You say the wires are on the same as it was since it last ran, but I have to ask they are is order counter-clockwise in the cap? Again, this is all about leaving no stone unturned. This would still leave two cylinders to fire. You did all these checks in sort of a chronological order as the posts have progressed? I say clean carb, you reply I did it. Is this a fact or are you just saying this because gas runs out when the hose is pulled off? Sorry, if you feel I am calling you out but it’s all about turning the stones. You checked the spark at one point, but how about right now? Is the rotor installed? Frustration, can be just that.. frustration, it can lead the brain to do funny things. I believe I have read where the exhaust and intake can burn through to each other, does a Ford guy know if this is possible? Even if this has happened I would still think it would occasionally catch firing a cylinder or two. I am still going to stand by the tablespoon of gas in a couple cylinders to see what happens. So the description in reply 4 covers what lead you here? Nothing else to add, just been trying to start it for 2 weeks? The gas in the tank is gas not water?

I know the manifold can be made wrong with passage internally from intake to exhaust and vise versa. Had a new one from TSC made wrong.
Perhaps his burnt thru therefore no suction of fuel to cylinders.
Remove manifold. Turn upside down . Put water into carb mount while holding hands over intake ports. If water comes out exhaust you found the problem...

 

[Bill Tattersall]

Hi Bill, is exhaust pipe clear?
No mouse nests up the tailpipe?

Again, thanks to all who have tried to help. The latest:
1. Checked for spark on the compression stroke on #1. Good spark
2. Firing order vs. Plug wires correct counterclockwise on distributor cap.
3. Carb completely dismantled and cleaned this morning
4. Tried the TSP of gas this AM.
5. Completely drained tank and put new gas in.

 

[used red MN]

If you put a tablespoon of gas in a couple cylinders and cranked it and it did not fire this would rule out the intake manifold to exhaust crossover as a problem or at least not the cause of your no start. It basically rules out fuel or carburetion as the cause of no start. That leaves properly timed spark and properly timed compression.
You said the plugs are new, they are absolutely clean and the gap is 0.025”? Your sure on the gap, please double check.