8n hard 2 start

[chilly]

I picked up a '52 8n for what I thought was a deal. It has a side mount distributor. I thought it had a fuel problem so I rebuilt the zenith carb on it, replaced the plugs,wires,rotor,cap,condenser,coil. Still hard 2 start and once running after a while would die and then not start at all. It seemed as though fuel was still the problem. I replaced the zenith with a brand new carb and put intake gaskets on it. Still hard to start. Once running for a few minutes it dies. So I pulled and cleaned the plugs which were wet, so good I have fuel. So I checked the spark. It doesn't have consistant spark. Spark,spark,none,none,spark, and it seems to be weak spark. Sometimes none at all. Could th electrical resistor be my problem? HELP!!

 

[Bruce (VA)]

What resistor? It shouldn't have a resistor if it's a sidemount. Is it a 6v or 12v?

If the plugs are wet, that means you have flooded it. Replace them. (and use a propane touch to heat up the old ones & re-use them)

Verify the gap on the points at .025. Then, run a new clean dollar bill through them. New points sometimes have a residue & old points can corrode, or get grease from the distributor cam on them. Or, you could have used a dirty feeler gauge. (I always spray mine off w/ contact cleaner.) Make sure you have voltage across the points, as in past the insulator on the side of the distributor. The number one failure point on a sidemount distributor is the insulator. Check it carefully; wiggle it, check it & wiggle it again. If you just replaced the rotor & lost spark, put the old one back in. Check continuity on the secondary coil wire. Make sure it is firmly seated in both the cap & the coil. In fact, replace it temporarily w/ a plug wire. Post back w/ results; I'll be interested in what the problem was.
50 Tips

 

[chilly]

Its a 6v, the resistor is by the ignition. Ive pulled the plugs cleaned them gapped them, checked the points., got it running checked them again and again, switched the rotor, cap, blah, blah. Its getting frustrating. What ever it is its got to be simple. Also when choking it for long periods of time it spewes gas out the carb.

 

[Dell (WA)]

Chilly........welp, first-off, the OEM 6-volt 5-nipple sidemount distributor roundcan ignition coil uses NO resistor, ever. The "infamous ballast resistor" for the squarecan 4-nipple frontmount distributor is on dash panel under ammeter and is NOT THERE. So yer question about the electrical resistor is answered and it is NOT yer problem.

There are 5-common runtime issues to address.
1) runs for about 1-min, BAD condenser, restarts in about 5-mins
could be yer problem, condensers are known to be BAD outta the box.
2) runs for about 5-mins and quits, restarts in about 5-mins CLOGGED in fuel tank filter
could be yer problem, there are 3-fuel filters in N-Fuel system
3) runs for about 15-mins and quits, with weak sparkies, restarts in about 30-mins
Sound like yer problem? Its yer weaksister ignition switch. $10 (cheap)
4) roundcan ignition coil is generally bulletproof but the THRU-the-SIDE feedthru insulator can be BAD and provide intermittent sparkies.
5) the SHORT #8-32 x 3/16 points screw is known to slip closed and guess what??? NO SPARKIES!!!
Check yer points gap 0.025"; new SHORT screw $.50c (cheap)

Iff'n you replaced yer sparkie wires, DON'T USE MODERN carbon anti-radio static wires, use real COPPER core sparkie wires and be certain yer 5-nipple cap firing order is 1,2,4,3 CCW.

These tips should gitt enny sidemount 8N runnin' whether OEM 6-volt positive ground ...or... 12-volt negative ground conversion. Unless the engine is worn-out. (tip: dreaded compression specs is 90psi minimum).......Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-miester

 

[DON TX]

Could be worn bushings in the distributor. Had same symptoms on mine, wiggled the shaft, too much play. R & Rd bushings and starts fine. HTH
DON TX

 

[Dell (WA)]

Chilly.........here is picture of "infamous ballast resistor" (burnie-burnie) that the 5-nipple 6-volt roundcan ignition coil DOES NOT USE. understand??? .......respectfully, Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

 

[chilly]

Yeah thats the resistor. If round coils dont use them then why do I have one??

 

[Dell (WA)]

Chilly.........DO NOT USE enny resistor with the 6-volt roundcan coil with a 6-volt battery. It will make for HARD STARTING, intermittent SPARKIES, and FLOODING yer carb from excessive cranking. ALL things you have reported.

Why do you have the "infamous ballast resistor" in your 1952 engined 4-speed 8N? 'cuz somewhere sometime the original 4-nipple frontmount engine was swapped out (they are all interchangeable) for a later slightly more powerfull 5-nipple sidemount 8N engine. The 5-nipple sidemount engine will also fit the earlier 3-speed 9N/2N's which also used the "infamous ballast resistor".

Bottom line, DO NOT USE enny resistor with the original 6-volt roundcan ignition coil......HTH, Dell

 

[old]

I had that happen not long ago on an engine I have and found it to be the condenser. Changed that and it has run well ever since. Could also be the ignition switch or a loose wire some place, or the insulator going into the side of the distributor

 

[Anonymous-0]

chilly, I had exact problem with my 52, after finally using voltmeter showing resistor "deleting" volts through circuit I pulled out resistor (exact one you pictured) and had immediate fire. I didn't know why it was there either, but sounds like Dell the Spark King has explained that. Good luck.

 

[chilly]

Ok, im new in the antique tractor world. If I pull the resistor what is done with all the wires that connect to it?

 

[chilly]

ook, im new in the antique tractor world. What do i do with all the wires that connect to the resistor

 

[Dell (WA)]

Chilly.........normally, iff'n you'd visualize the "infamous ballast resistor" as the "T"-bar crossing the top of the tee, the bottom leg of the tee is battery volts and 1-wire goes to yer weaksister ignition switch. The OTHER wire of yer weaksister ignition switch "ON" goes to 1-side of the infamous ballast resistor. Then the infamous ballast resistor drops the 6v battery ON to 3v to run the 3v squarecan ignition coil top terminal. This is why you are having weak sparkie issues with yer 6v roundcan ignition coil.

Me? I'd move the 3v ballast resistor OUT wire to the 6v ignition switch ON side of the ballast resistor. (and vola', no extra wires or ballast resistor droppin' yer volts to 3v) Then I'd make certain the same color wire that I moved is connected to the roundcan (-) terminal and the roundcan (+) terminal is connected to the 5-nipple side-of-body distributor feed-thru.........Dell, yer self-appointed sparkie-meister

 

[Anonymous-0]

Never could afford to replace all the ignition parts.Much better to find the bum part and replace it.You stand a good chance of getting a bad condenser or junk points.The side mount ignition will produce a spark that can jump a 1/2 inch gap.No resistor in the side mount unless you have a goofed up 12v conversion .