My 1948 8N Engine Blew Up

[AM-Seb]

Sad situatiom. Have had the N for forty years. While mowing got in a bind, pulling--L. rear wheel digging into soft dirt. Had happened other times with no problem. This time, moving enough to get out of hole, engine rattle began. I did get out of the hole and ran just long enough to remove bush hog. This brief running was probably my mistake. Mechanic says he found pieces of sleeve metal in crankcase by feeling around inside drain plug. I would have guessed it might have been a hole in the piston, wrist pin, or something else besides a sleeve, but what do I know? Anyway, now appears I"ll be in the used parts business, though being in northern California may be a poor location for that.
I"m thinking of looking for another used tractor.
Any comments, ideas or suggestions welcomed. Thanks. Angelo

 

[John Smith8N]

Why not just rebuild the engine?

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Dropped a sleeve? BTDT. Usually no big deal unless the block got damaged in the process. Which sometimes happens.

If it were my tractor, I'd pull the engine & replace all the sleeves as part of a total rebuild. If that's more than you want to deal with, pull the engine & take it to a good machine shop. Complete rebuilds of N engines cost between $1100 & $1400 around here. No need to part out a tractor just because it needs an engine rebuilt.
50 Tips

 

[CJ in Michigan]

I agree.

 

[Brian Bell]

I bought my 51 8N with a sleeve in the sump just like you are describing. A few hundred bucks and some wrench time and it runs better than ever! All total I've spent less than 2000 on my tractor including buying it, the rebuild and new tires!

 

[souNdguy]

ditto what the others said.

best case is the sleave dropped and the bore and piston are good.

if you are cash strapped, get a single sleeve and set of rings.. it's not the correct way.. but it will make the engine run again.

if you have the cash.. do al the sleaves and rings, and put in new main and rod bearings, and at least hand lap the valves.

soundguy

 

[Dunk]

These tractors are fixable when they break, and it is not usually that expensive, as long as you are able to furnish the labor, and the knowledge.

The latter can be gained here, on this board, free of charge.

 

[Ultradog MN]

Hello Am Seb, glad to see you still on the board.
Sorry to hear of your troubles.
Around here Ns are selling pretty cheap.

I would suggest you look around for another one and go with that. To pay $1400 for a new engine would be a less than imaginative solution to your problem. You could buy a running N for not too much more than that.
Take whatever parts you need from this one to put on the new one. Then sell the carcass for whatever you can.

 

[KCM]

If you don't want to do a total rebuild, just replace the one sleeve, piston, and rings that are bad. You might be able to find a used piston somewhere. Loctite the sleeve to make sure it doesn't come loose again. Then put it back together with a new head and pan gasket. Shouldn't cost that much. I just did it to a tractor that had two sleeves come out and it is running fine now.

 

[AM-Seb]

Many thanks to all who responded. I gave a copy of the answers to the mechanic. The head is off; no damage to it. Can feel one loose piston. Oil pan will be off soon. I feel better about it after you folk's comments and talking to the mechanic. Assuming it's going to be fixed I asked the mechanic to look especially at the rear of the manifold because of "ticking" sound
and at the oil pump pick up tube--sometimes no pressure when started. Gave him Forum info on those problems. Hope it gets fixed as it's part of the family--grown daughter loves it. Will report later. Thanks again. Angelo