I just thought I would share an experience I had about a month ago with my 1950 8N (side mount).
It was cold one morning and before leaving for work I started my truck as I usually do, mainly to get the heater going. It was nosed up in the end of my driveway and handy. When I got in to leave, it would not go in reverse. So, here I am, stranded, the wife was already at her work and no close neighbors and nothing else to drive on the place. I tinkered with the truck and decided if I could get it backed out I could go forward OK. Enter my 8N, I got it started (it was 17 that morning) and jockeyed it around where I could pull my truck out. All went fine, except that the tractor seemed to be not quite right, if you know what I mean. I was having to mess with the choke a little and kept having to adjust the throttle to keep it running. Just as I got my truck out far enough to go forward, the tractor died, just like it had been turned off. It was out of the way and I didn't have time to get it going again, so off to work I went, with a detour to a friend at the transmission shop. That's another story but too much of it has been told already.
It's been cold and I have been busy, but today I finally got around to figuring what was going on with my Ford. Just to be sure, I pulled the choke out and gave it a little gas and hit the starter button---nothing. Plenty of battery for cranking, just no fire in the belly. I then did something one is not supposed to do. I fixed several things at one time instead of systematically doing one thing at a time. I had a new set of points that didn't do anything. I also had a new coil but didn't install it at first. That's what I really thought it might be. I bypassed the ignition switch, but, before that, I removed the plug from the carb and let it dribble a bit. At first it ran pretty good, then it slowed but never stopped. The color wasn't too pretty at first but cleared up rapidly. Mental note to self: Get a new carb kit soon, but not today if I can get it running. Replaced the plug and hit the button and it started, stumbling at first and clearing up and running like new in a few minutes.
I know I could have simply stated what I think it was, but I like to ramble some, sorry.
Bottom line: Not sure about the fuel situation. I think the carb is OK based on how it ran after getting going. The ignition switch is a toggle switch mounted out of the weather but still exposed with a pigtail going to a two way trailer type plug. I am thinking this plug was the original culprit. After undoing and putting back together several things at one time I evidently touched on the problem, but still unsure which one actually killed it.
Long story short, look at the simple things first, even if they don't seem to be a possible cause. There could have been some condensation somewhere causing the rusty looking fuel in the bowl, but that could have developed from sitting a month in freezing falling weather. I am going to re-do my electrical hookup with something more weather resistant. A general tuneup this summer will do wonders as well.
These tractors are so simple, yet complex when it comes to little hiccups like this one. I went out after a couple of hours and started it up again just to see if it would. All is back to normal now.
It was cold one morning and before leaving for work I started my truck as I usually do, mainly to get the heater going. It was nosed up in the end of my driveway and handy. When I got in to leave, it would not go in reverse. So, here I am, stranded, the wife was already at her work and no close neighbors and nothing else to drive on the place. I tinkered with the truck and decided if I could get it backed out I could go forward OK. Enter my 8N, I got it started (it was 17 that morning) and jockeyed it around where I could pull my truck out. All went fine, except that the tractor seemed to be not quite right, if you know what I mean. I was having to mess with the choke a little and kept having to adjust the throttle to keep it running. Just as I got my truck out far enough to go forward, the tractor died, just like it had been turned off. It was out of the way and I didn't have time to get it going again, so off to work I went, with a detour to a friend at the transmission shop. That's another story but too much of it has been told already.
It's been cold and I have been busy, but today I finally got around to figuring what was going on with my Ford. Just to be sure, I pulled the choke out and gave it a little gas and hit the starter button---nothing. Plenty of battery for cranking, just no fire in the belly. I then did something one is not supposed to do. I fixed several things at one time instead of systematically doing one thing at a time. I had a new set of points that didn't do anything. I also had a new coil but didn't install it at first. That's what I really thought it might be. I bypassed the ignition switch, but, before that, I removed the plug from the carb and let it dribble a bit. At first it ran pretty good, then it slowed but never stopped. The color wasn't too pretty at first but cleared up rapidly. Mental note to self: Get a new carb kit soon, but not today if I can get it running. Replaced the plug and hit the button and it started, stumbling at first and clearing up and running like new in a few minutes.
I know I could have simply stated what I think it was, but I like to ramble some, sorry.
Bottom line: Not sure about the fuel situation. I think the carb is OK based on how it ran after getting going. The ignition switch is a toggle switch mounted out of the weather but still exposed with a pigtail going to a two way trailer type plug. I am thinking this plug was the original culprit. After undoing and putting back together several things at one time I evidently touched on the problem, but still unsure which one actually killed it.
Long story short, look at the simple things first, even if they don't seem to be a possible cause. There could have been some condensation somewhere causing the rusty looking fuel in the bowl, but that could have developed from sitting a month in freezing falling weather. I am going to re-do my electrical hookup with something more weather resistant. A general tuneup this summer will do wonders as well.
These tractors are so simple, yet complex when it comes to little hiccups like this one. I went out after a couple of hours and started it up again just to see if it would. All is back to normal now.
