My 1952 8N Story

[OldBlue61]

Hope this is OK, but I created this post to document my experience with my 8N that I picked up yesterday.

I purchased my 8N from the 2nd owner (making me the 3rd owner) and got a little backstory on it. It was purchased by the original owner in '52 and used to mow and maintain their 15 acre property. Fortunately it was almost always stored in one of a couple of barns on the property when not in use. When the original owner passed away in 1988, the property was sold and the tractor went along with the sale. That owner used it for the same purpose, maintaining and storing it pretty much the same way. That owner moved into an assisted living facility and put the 8N up for sale. I picked it up for $800, becoming the 3rd owner.

Seems to be in pretty good condition, though it is dirty as all get out. It's a working tractor, so what do I expect! Time to give a little love. Looking at the serial number I believe it's <>8N496546<> (please correct me if you see something different), so I'll get it registered later. Looking forward to learning more about keeping it going and picking people's brains about it!

--EDIT-- Spelling, of course!

 

[showcrop]

Change the fluids.

 

[OldBlue61]

Thanks! That's the first thing on my list:

• Oil & filter/air filter
• Antifreeze/cooling system maintenance
• Hydraulic fluid change
• A GOOD CLEANING
• Compression test
• Look into new left rear rim/tube
• Sort the 3 point/bent arms
• 12v conversion
• ELectronic ignition

 

[504]

Why convert to a 12v when the 6v is and has worked fine since it was new? There’s not 1 horsepower to be gained and this board is full of posts about the eltronics failing. If it won’t charge that is different.

 

[OldBlue61]

I'm not expecting to gain horsepower, but I was hoping to increase the ease of starting (because it struggles even with a new battery and clean connections) and the ease of jump starting it if the need arrises. Plus I like tinkering on stuff, and I purchased this tractor to have something to tinker on when I retire in a couple of years and to help out on our property. The original electronics have been buggered up pretty bad with numerous butt connectors and loose hanging wires not hooked to anything, and while I could just rewire the 6v system, I figured this would be a good time to change it. What electronics are prone to failing on the 12v system? If that's a big issue, then maybe I'll rethink that.

 

[Non-farmer]

There is nothing wrong with EI for an N. The biggest issue is when people buy the cheaper option and then leave the key on. I have a 2N, so a different distributor than yours. But Pertronix makes 2 models for 12 volts for that distributor. The more expensive one is about 40% more money IIRC - but it will not fry if you leave the key on when you're done using it for the day. And I know it does what they claim, because I have left my key on a couple of times, and the EI is still working fine. I would think they have an equivalent better model for the side mount distributor as well. The other thing that gives EI a bad name with some here is that not everyone follows the instructions and replace their spark plug wires with suppressor wires - no metal conductor in the wire. That's pretty much a guarantee to fry the unit, all because some people can't be bothered to read or follow the instructions and try to get away with using their original equipment metal core wires.

This board is also full of posts about points failing too

 

[OldBlue61]

Now that makes sense. You cannot run a metal conductor plug wires w/ EI. And yes, I'd rather spend a bit more and get a better quality system versus cheap chinese junk. I was also thinking of adding a light on the dash to indicate the ignition key is 'on', but I'll have to figure out how to wire it.

 

[soaked]

Thanks! That's the first thing on my list:

• Oil & filter/air filter
• Antifreeze/cooling system maintenance
• Hydraulic fluid change
• A GOOD CLEANING
• Compression test
• Look into new left rear rim/tube
• Sort the 3 point/bent arms
• 12v conversion
• ELectronic i

Great story, nice find!
Only thing I would offer, is to take the hood off, and rig a temp gas tank. Gives easy access which makes it more fun to tinker.
I put 1244A Pertronix on my 52 back in 2010. Have a ritual of turn the fuel off till it dies, then turn the key off, then pull it out and lift the battery lid, and place it on the gas tank. Also put 1244A on first sidemount I bought in 2008 ish. Gave it to my oldest son. He has forgot to turn the key off 4 times! His engine Guardian Angel has so far, always stopped the engine rotation where the magnet sleeve left the coil off. So the ignitor still lives. Put suppression wires on both, even though not required on ignitors built before 6/4/21. Both run great.
If you get the 91244A ignitor ll, Pertronix recommends also getting one of their 0.6 ohm flame thrower ll coils. They were designed to pair together.

 

[Brown David]

Now that makes sense. You cannot run a metal conductor plug wires w/ EI. And yes, I'd rather spend a bit more and get a better quality system versus cheap chinese junk. I was also thinking of adding a light on the dash to indicate the ignition key is 'on', but I'll have to figure out how to wire it.

If you do convert to 12V and use a 3 wire Delco 10SI alternator with a charging indicator light in or under the dash, you will have accomplished that.

 

[OldBlue61]

Have a ritual of turn the fuel off till it dies, then turn the key off, then pull it out and lift the battery lid, and place it on the gas tank.

Great idea! I've learned that already (turn the fuel off till it dies, then turn the key off) and did that the first time I put it in the barn (along w/ the rest of my cars). I like the idea of putting the key on the tank.

 

[Eman85]

On your to do list add fuel system cleaning, screen in the tank, in the bowl and in the carb inlet fitting.

 

[OldBlue61]

Well, I spent a little time last night getting more familiar with my 8N. Looking things over, making a list of a few things to order for the first round of maintenance. Looked over the fuel system, and nothing seems to be buggered up...until I looked inside the tank. Not that it's buggered up, I mean it looks like a brand new tank on the inside, but there's something in there that there probably shouldn't be. Hopefully you can see it in the picture. Not the easiest thing to take a pic of.

Yup, somehow a fuel filler neck ended up INSIDE the tank. Well, I guess I gotta dig that out...

 

[soaked]

on the filler neck.
Every decade or so, the tank and shut off assy can come out for maintenance.
Look for ant body parts and all plugged with sediment, and the screen was up in the tank. Poked it out, and put it back in, with screen reattatched.

And other critters in the tank-- zoom in to see

Never saw em fly or crawl in.....

 

[OldBlue61]

Wow! I guess the filler neck in the fuel isn't as bad as critters in the fuel!

 

[Non-farmer]

One of the times I replaced my *&$^*%# OEM sediment bowl assembly, I unscrewed it and found a yellow jacket corpse neatly held up by the top of the in-tank filter screen. It didn't adversely affect the flow rate, so it came as quite a surprise. Maybe it was thirsty. I was replacing the unit as the reserve pickup was plugged again, so fortunately it didn't seal off the top of the screen opening. Any fuel could have gone thru the screen - it was nice and clean - but that puts it below the top of the primary stand pipe, and therefore unavailable to the carb since reserve was plugged completely. Tractor ran fine on the fuel that was able to flow around the coroner's office escapee.

But it was a good yellow jacket, as the only good one is a dead one.

 

[showcrop]

I'm not expecting to gain horsepower, but I was hoping to increase the ease of starting (because it struggles even with a new battery and clean connections) and the ease of jump starting it if the need arrises. Plus I like tinkering on stuff, and I purchased this tractor to have something to tinker on when I retire in a couple of years and to help out on our property. The original electronics have been buggered up pretty bad with numerous butt connectors and loose hanging wires not hooked to anything, and while I could just rewire the 6v system, I figured this would be a good time to change it. What electronics are prone to failing on the 12v system? If that's a big issue, then maybe I'll rethink that.

Clean connections, huh? That's what they all say, and keep insisting for days....................

 

[duey]

An air vacuum is pretty handy around a fuel tank... no sparks...

 

[OldBlue61]

Well, I picked up 3 gallons of Prestone, 2 gallons of 15w-40 Shell Rotella, some Prestone radiator cleaner, and my oil filter arrived today. Just ordered hoses and a thermostat from this website so as soon as they show up I'll start my cooling system maintenance and oil/oil filter/air filter servicing. Planning on pulling the hood to do the radiator service, a compression check, and getting the filler hose out of the tank.

 

[OldBlue61]

A question about rims - it looks like there are two different widths of the rear rims? My 8N has 13.6 x 28 rear tires, so what would be the best rim width for these? I've seen many 8N's w/ 12.8 rear tires - is that what they came originally? I need to look for a replacement for the left rear as it's rusted like the cars get after a few winters in Ohio. I'm sure that's thanks to the calcium chloride.

 

[Non-farmer]

An air vacuum is pretty handy around a fuel tank... no sparks...

Amen. I won't pull spark plugs without my shop vac.