‘51 8N rebuild continued

[Jim in LA]

Finally got back to working on the ‘51. Had cataract surgery/lens replacement on August 12 and it did not go well. Fluid in the back of the eye has made things difficult but improving slowly. I was able to get the main bearings,crankshaft, cam, and lifters in this afternoon. I hope to get all the valves cleanened,lapped, and adjusted tomorrow. The piston assemblies came with the rings already installed. I will remove them, hopefully without breaking any and measure the ring end gaps in the sleeves. I really need to scoot on this as I was hoping to restart the engine by Oct 11, which was the date I restarted my ‘49 two years ago.

 

[Bruce(OR)]

I would be tempted to measure a top ring and if it passes, there should be no problem. Unless your bored and need adult supervision.
It's fun being blind in one eye and can't see out the other. I am not far behind you. Cataracts and Glaucoma.
At least it's coming along.

 

[Mad Farmer]

I would be tempted to measure a top ring and if it passes, there should be no problem. Unless your bored and need adult supervision.
It's fun being blind in one eye and can't see out the other. I am not far behind you. Cataracts and Glaucoma.
At least it's coming along.

I still have a hard time trusting someone else bothered to fit/measure parts.

Eyes, I'm just at the point of not seeing up close anymore without reading glasses. I think I have a dozen pairs: one I keep in the truck, one in the shop, beat up ones in a glasses case for general outdoor work, one by the computer, spares, one in the kitchen........

I can still hunt with opens, and see a tipup pop up across the pond.

 

[Jim in LA]

I still have a hard time trusting someone else bothered to fit/measure parts.

Eyes, I'm just at the point of not seeing up close anymore without reading glasses. I think I have a dozen pairs: one I keep in the truck, one in the shop, beat up ones in a glasses case for general outdoor work, one by the computer, spares, one in the kitchen........

I can still hunt with opens, and see a tipup pop up across the pond.

I try to keep at least two pair of reading glasses in the truck and three or four in the cupboard.

 

[Bruce(OR)]

~~And at what point do you risk the action over the reward?
If one got put together correctly, very good chance they all did.
Pulling it all apart to inspect it can be a good idea.
Then when you break a part, you can order another set and wait another 10 days.

 

[Btzj02]

I still have a hard time trusting someone else bothered to fit/measure parts.

Eyes, I'm just at the point of not seeing up close anymore without reading glasses. I think I have a dozen pairs: one I keep in the truck, one in the shop, beat up ones in a glasses case for general outdoor work, one by the computer, spares, one in the kitchen........

I can still hunt with opens, and see a tipup pop up across the pond.

If you count the glasses I keep in the shop I now have 5 pair of glasses. I keep a pair of computer glasses by the computer and one in the shop. I also keep a pair of reading glasses in the shop. I have a pair of distance glasses that are my everyday glasses for driving etc. A few years back I bought a leather case with two compartments that I always carry with me. In one compartment I have a second pair of reading glasses and in the other I have a second pair of computer glasses. Needless to say multi focal glasses drive me crazy and I can't wear them. For real fine work I don't wear glasses at all but what ever I am working on has to be held two inches from my nose. This last year I am noticing I can no longer see the instrument gages while driving with my distance glasses. Not sure what to do next. The Doc says I am not quite ready for cataracts removal but when that happens I won't need distance glasses and I could wear a pair of those half glasses while driving. Keep keeping on!

 

[Roger in Iowa]

Finally got back to working on the ‘51. Had cataract surgery/lens replacement on August 12 and it did not go well. Fluid in the back of the eye has made things difficult but improving slowly. I was able to get the main bearings,crankshaft, cam, and lifters in this afternoon. I hope to get all the valves cleanened,lapped, and adjusted tomorrow. The piston assemblies came with the rings already installed. I will remove them, hopefully without breaking any and measure the ring end gaps in the sleeves. I really need to scoot on this as I was hoping to restart the engine by Oct 11, which was the date I restarted my ‘49 two years ago.

When putting the oil pan back on, leave the drain plug and screen out until pan is installed. I didn't and bent oil pickup tube.

 

[Jim in LA]

Monday’s progress: got the valves cleaned,lapped, and installed.
Tuesday: removed top ring on all pistons and checked the ring end gap. All had .010-.012 gap so I can only ASSUME that the others all match. Engine turned over easy after installing all pistons and rods.

 

[Jim in LA]

Well, I finally got the tappet clearances adjusted no problem. Installed the oil pan and timing cover. I got the clutch installed and the engine hung on the tractor Sunday afternoon with brother’s help and was able to attach the front axle assembly. Today(Monday) had dentist appointment and visited brother. I got home in time to install new manifold and the head and the distributor. Tomorrow morning torque head and manifold and add water pump,alternator, and oil filter. Hope to have her running Friday. Pics later.

 

[Jim in LA]

Some pics: workbench is my grandmother’s old cook table I saved from her house.

 

[Jim in LA]

Oct 31 progress: got the oil lines and filter cup installed, drain peacock in the block, front axle support bolts all tight. Muffler and pipe assembly ordered, will be here Tuesday. To do: spark plugs battery ground cable, tool box,install radiator and hosed fill with fluids check ignition timing, install fully charged battery, install test gas tank and fill, pray,turn on ignition, press starter button and……………….

 

[Joe in MI]

Any progress?

 

[Jim in LA]

Any progress?

All I have left to do is confirm spark at the plugs. I put fully charged battery in Thursday just before dark and spun engine over with trouble light probe on the coil terminals and the light would go on and off. I haven't set the distibutor timing to the flywheel yet. Air cleaner hose needs connected and temporary gas tank installed and see if it will start. I need to install the new tach cable. The last tach ran backwards for some unknown reason. I bought a new one from Steiner plus cable. Hope it works properly. It has been uncomfortably warm and humid the lastthree weeks and the gnats have been almost unbearable. We had a nice slow Friday and Saturday rain and cooler temps forcast for tomorrow. HopefullyI can get the engine running tomorrow morning and then I need to pull the steering box and replace seals and God knows what else inside. I should have been doing that while the motor was off but too many interuptions. I am still experiencing problems with my left eye due to screw up in cataract sugery so that has prevented a lot of progress.

 

[Jim in LA]

UPDATE: got distributor timed,hot spark. Tried to crank yesterday and one ear shattering kapowww and then the smell of very rotten gasoline. The 92 octane gas I mistakenly bought two weeks ago supposedly soured. Hope to get her running later this week. Will get 82 octane tomorrow and try again.

 

[Dan]

Pretty sure old gas won't do that - I have had 8Ns start and run on the nastiest gas imaginable LOL. Before trying again I would double check the distributor spark plug firing order and placement on the distributor cap. 1, 2, 4, 3 clockwise is the order. Make sure cylinder one is on the cylinder one spot on the distributor cap.

 

[HCooke]

UPDATE: got distributor timed,hot spark. Tried to crank yesterday and one ear shattering kapowww and then the smell of very rotten gasoline. The 92 octane gas I mistakenly bought two weeks ago supposedly soured. Hope to get her running later this week. Will get 82 octane tomorrow and try again.

Gas won't "sour" in two weeks. Also 89 octane gas is just fine for these old machines.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

Number one cylinder is closest to the radiator.

 

[Mad Farmer]

UPDATE: got distributor timed,hot spark. Tried to crank yesterday and one ear shattering kapowww and then the smell of very rotten gasoline. The 92 octane gas I mistakenly bought two weeks ago supposedly soured. Hope to get her running later this week. Will get 82 octane tomorrow and try again.

Good progress and looks nice.

I agree with others recheck your distributor firing order and wires go to correct cylinders. You can confirm timing by static timing using an ohm meter.

92 gas won't go bad for a few months at least. The Ns don't need 92 but here I use 91 E Zero (can't regular E Zero), as that corn fuel E10 does all kinds of nasty stuff to fuel systems E Zero.

I bought some E10 a while back for my lawn tractor as I was out of E Zero and had to finished the lawn. When I got some E Zero and topped the tank off the next week, the "fresh" E10 left in the tank had so much water in it, the water separated when I added the E Zero. Remember using dry gas!!!

 

[Jim in LA]

Got’er running! See post IT’S ALIIIIVE!!!

 

[Jim in LA]

The saga continues! It's been a while since Ive been able to work on my '51 due to health issues and stuff. I took the steering box off recently, it did have some oil in it. The OE packings were shot and the seals,and bearings too. I ordered everything to rebuild it and Just 8Ns has a nice little animation video on YouTube that explains how to rebuild it. The parts should be in mid week if the world doesn't blow up. I recently traded my little JD3005 that I used to pull the finishing mower with for a new 33 hp Kubota with a loader. It is much heavier than the JD and the Ag tires track up the ground more notably than the 3005 but once I get the '51 back in sevice, I can use it to run the finishing mower or use the ZT. I may put turf tires on the 8N. It has oversized truck tires on it and I need to put 6:00-16 or 5:00-16 on it anyway.