Help, anyone?

[AP Powell]

I was given an old N that has been sitting for some while. It's in rough shape, but I'm eager to get her working again. I cleaned the fuel tank/lines etc. New fuel and new battery.

First mishap: negatively grounded the battery and tried to start. I got nothing so I researched and learned about the positive ground......go figure ) Did I damage anything? Even though I've reversed the battery, I still get nothing at the starter. I bypassed straight from battery to starter and got humming but no motion.

I have a hand-crank and can roll the motor over with no trouble....but no fire.

In addition: I've cleaned all of the paint off of the serial number and I still can't read it. It's almost completely gone. Are there other clues to determine the age? I know it's either 9n or 2n. (3 spoke steering wheel, foot pegs with boards hung over them, 3 speed tranny, front distributor,2 pedals on left, one on right.) Other oddities: It has a High/Low lever on left side above starter. Is this a Sherman Tranny? It is also painted grey/red. When cleaning the serial number off to bare metal, I never encountered grey paint. Were there ever 2n's painted this grey/red like an 8n?

Any other guidance you can give me to get the old girl running, I would appreciate.

Thanks in advance.
AP in SC

 

[Lumpy]

People paint 9n's and 2n's like 8n's all the time. I personally don't like it but its your tractor paint it whatever color you like. By the sound of it you got a 9n or 2n.

And the only thing damaged was the voltage regulator. Now you have to polarize it. Ooops! I forgot that a 9 or 2n doesn't have a VR... if it's original.

 

[souNdguy]

if it was 12v and had an alt and you reversed the polarity, it killed the alt. past that it won't hurt the tractor, again.. unless it had an EI in the distribuitor.

if bat is for sure good, then check cables, ends anincluding grund strap to frame, and starter conenction to chassie.

tap on starter with hammer too.. while trying to engage it.

soundguy

 

[AP Powell]

As far as I can tell, it's all original. When I picked it up, the farmer said it was 6V. Looking at it, it has no EI has original starter and generator.

I tried tapping the starter with a hammer and it won't fully engage.

 

[HCooke]

AP 3 speed means 9 or 2N. I beam radius rods means 9N or very early 2N. Oval radius rods means 2N. If going straight to the starter lug does not turn it over, then it's time to remove the starter. 2 long bolts hold it in. Don't remove them from the body of the starter. I take mine starter motors to a local auto electric shop for inspection and repair. Operators manuals and the I&T FO4 service manual are available on this site.

 

[AP Powell]

Thanks for the advice, Mr Cooke.
I've contacted my rebuilder about the starter.

I do have the oval radius rods so it looks like I have a 2n. That helps out.....too bad I can't read the serial number.

 

[Dell (WA)]

AP Powell.......well surprizingly enuff, 6V-electronic ignition is VERY uncommon, so I would NOT worry about it. 2nd, installing the 6V-battery bassackwards did NOT kill the starter motor. They always turn the correct direction positive (+) or negative (-) ground. And even more amazing 12V does NOT kill starter motors either.

3rd, yer 3-speed 2N has a 1-terminal 3rd-brush 11-amp genny (and YOU are the voltage regulator by adjusting the 3rd-brush) You have a 2-terminal roundcan cut-out relay on the steering column under yer rusty battery tray. They are NOT the most robust electrical item in the world. ...BUT... you need to re-polarize BOTH the cut-out relay and the 6V-genny, engine OFF. Just "arc-spark" the 2-terminal cut-off terminals together. I use a pair of pliers handles, but you can use bailin'warr iff'n you want. You can re-polarize as many times as it takes to feel warm'n'fuzzy ...er... charged. (read yer amp-meter with engine running 1/3-throttle and adjust yer 3rd-brush to about 5-amps) Unlike 12V alternators, gennys don't charge at idle.

Sounds like yer starter motor Bendix drive has taken a dump. Remove yer starter motor for looky-look. Do NOT remove yer 8"-long starter screws or yer starter motor will fall apart and you will be askin' how to replace yer starter brushes. Yer starter Bendix is a "suck'em-up" from behind the flywheel style. Your task is to lift the LONG starter drive UP'n'OVER the flywheel ring gear by aiming yer starter motor in'n'down toward the radiator block drain. Iff'n yer missing Bendix drive spring (and I'm bettin' you are) Ford designed plenty of storage space in the tranny housing, so don't worry. Recommend the NEW IMPROVED "clutch" style Bendix drive.

Squander $25 (cheap) for the 156pg I&T FO-4 manual. It even has pictures for the reading challenged. I got my last one from the (byte my tongue) local John Deere dealer .......HTH, Dell

 

[ZANE]

TRY THIS TRICK BEFORE YOU PULL THE STARTER.

When jump starting a 6 volt tractor with 12 volts it not necessary to hook the 12 volts to the 6 volts battery at all. As a matter of fact I strongly recommend against it.
Instead hook the 12 volts directly to the frame of the tractor for the ground and with the transmission in neutral and out of the way of the wheels of the tractor so you don't get run over touch the other cable from the 12 volt source to the post on the starter.
By doing it this way you don't even have to worry about the polarity of the batteries or which cable you have to ground or positive to the frame or the starter as the 6 volt system is not interred into at all with the 12 volts. Just turn on the switch and touch the hot cable to the starter post and it will go.

ZANE
ZANES LIFT STUFF

 

[scott-SC]

"First mishap: negatively grounded the battery and tried to start"

Dell, Thanks for the clarification/confirmation as I was scratching my head and almost made myself believe that.

 

[Jim.UT]

Way back in 1999 when I was a newbie, I asked the same question about 9N/2N painted red & gray. I got the reply linked below. I think it's time to remind the world of universal historical significance of that paint scheme.
The