2n Not starting

[Toby McPeek]

I just replace the distributor, coil, plugs, wires, rebuilt carb and still can not get it to start. Was told it ran 2 years ago when parked. Compression is low around 70 per cylinder and I have spark on all cylinders. What so I do next? I also drained all old gas and change fuel filter and put new gas in it.

 

[Dell (WA)]

Toby.......would it surprize you to learn Ford compression specs is 90psi min??? and you report 70psi????

We find alotta low compression readings on long parked tractors is really sticky piston rings. While I like MMO (Marvel Mystery Oil), others like enny brand of automatic tranny fluid. Just squirt about 1-oz of fluid down every sparkie hole and letter set fer day, then dooer again fer 'nutter day. The fluid will leak past the rings and kinda free them up.

On the 3rd day, the lord Ford said "gimme alite". And yer engine will start with NEW DRY SPARKIES. AutoLite 437's gapped 0.025.

Ennytime you have startin' problems, always change yer FLOODED sparkies with new clean dry sparkies. Trust me, modern no-lead gasoline FOULS yer sparkies with invisible contaminates when you flood while trying to start. Don't throw yer flooded sparkies away, just clean'em one-atta-time in HOT running engine.......Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

 

[souNdguy]

Ditto what Dell said.. soak the cyls down with oil a few days. then run the engine over a couple revs with the plugs out to clean any excess oil.. stick in new sparkies and go.

Sometimes a pull start will help an older low compression engine kick.. once the rings start to loosen up you may find your compression go up to useable levels..

soundguy

 

[Toby McPeek]

I tried the mystery oil for 4 days, cranked the motor over to clear extra oil. Gapped new plugs at .025 and installed. Still same results. I am stuck now and do not know what to try next. Also rechecked compression and it did not change. Any more suggestions?

 

[Joe in MI]

Have you checked to make sure you have spark? Gap out a spark plug and ground it on the tractor somewhere - you should get a big, fat, blue spark. Make sure all your electrical connections are clean, bright and tight.

Did you check to make sure you are getting gas to the carb? Pull the drain plug on the carb and make sure you are getting a good stream - if it slows to a trickle there's an obstruction somewhere.

You say you changed the fuel filter. There is no stock "fuel filter" for these tractors. Some guys use in-line fuel filters like what you'd put on your lawn mower. Some guys swear by 'em, others say they interfere with the flow of a gravity feed fuel system. There are three screens in the fuel system - one in the tank above the fuel shutoff, one in the sediment bulb assembly itself, and one in the elbow where the fuel line goes into the carb. All three should be there, and all three should be clean.

Additionally, if you have the original type fuel shutoff, you only want the valve open two turns. All the way open is for "reserve" and will suck the sludge off the bottom of the tank.

I learned all this information from other people on this board. I don't know if an N will even run with 70 psi compression, though. Someone else will have to answer that.

Joe, who hasn't checked the compression on his 8n yet because he's scared of what it might be.