I just purchased a 1948 8N tractor, it starts and runs just fine when it is cold. Though once I start pulling some dirt around for a bit and starts to warm up if I shut it off it is very hard to get running again. It is still the positive ground 6volt setup. It does have a rubber fuel line from the sediment bowl to the carb instead of the steel one. Being that the rubber one looks to be larger than the steel one would that affect the fuel flow to be more than intended, causing it to get too much fuel to fire? I am lost here and do not know where to start.
8N hard starting when warm
- Thread starter Clelle
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elad
Silver Member
Change the condenser. Had the same problem,
but with a negative ground system.
Worth a shot for a couple of bucks. elad
but with a negative ground system.
Worth a shot for a couple of bucks. elad
Hooked_on_HP
Veteran Member
We need a little more info. When you say it is hard to start, do you mean it wont crank fast or it cranks over fine and wont start.
Bill
Bill
It does not sound to me like it is cranking any slower at all, it just does not fire. I do not give much throttle because it smells very rich, and if i turn the gas off at the sediment bowl then after a few more cranks it usually fires. But as far as the cranking,the 6 volt system seems to work just fine.
deereguy
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Vapor Lock? It sounds like the fuel gets warm between the tank to the gravity feed carb- the engine is warmer and the fuel thins or evaporates in the line. 30 Years ago we had the same problem with a same era (late 40's) 8N Ford.
ToadHill
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You might also look at the coil. I had an old 6 volt ford that did the same thing and we found that as the engine heated up the coil did as well and would'nt give off enough spark to start the engine until it cooled down.
xlr82v2
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Put on a new coil and condensor... When you shut off your tractor, they are heat soaking, and then must cool off to get working again.
What you have is a common problem with the front distributor N tractors. Easy fix.
***Edit***
Just saw your other post...
This sounds like the float in your carburetor is either sticking, or just not stopping the flow of fuel when you shut the tractor off. You might want to get a carb rebuild kit, and rebuild the carb. Mine had this exact same issue when I bought it. Another fairly easy project, these tractors are very simple to work on.
What you have is a common problem with the front distributor N tractors. Easy fix.
***Edit***
Just saw your other post...
Clelle said:
This sounds like the float in your carburetor is either sticking, or just not stopping the flow of fuel when you shut the tractor off. You might want to get a carb rebuild kit, and rebuild the carb. Mine had this exact same issue when I bought it. Another fairly easy project, these tractors are very simple to work on.
Patches
Veteran Member
Could be as simple as an ignition fix; or could be valves, and or compression issues. Engines that are well worn do not like to start warm.If you have, or have access to a compression gauge, check it on all cylinders. You don't need a ton of compression, but it needs to be fairly consistant among all cylinders(+/- 10%), and somewhere around 90 to 100 lbs. If you find one or more cylinders low, squirt a teaspoonful of oil into the cylinder and check again; if compression improves significantly, you have piston ring issues/If it doesn't improve, valves are at fault. Hope you find an ignition problem 
Farmwithjunk
Super Member
Weak Coil
banjodunn
Veteran Member
G'day it sounds to me that you have got a fuel prob especially if you can smell fuel when you go to start it hot give it full throttle the same as if you had a car that had flooded it sounds like you might want to give it a carb rebuild as mentioned earlier as said not a hard job just remember to check float level so the needle and seat work correctly that is where i would be starting anyway. Best of luck and keep us informed
Jon
Jon
Soundguy
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When she dies.. or won't start hot, pull a plug wire.. check for spark.. if ya got spark, then pull plug in bottom of carb and check for fuel.
large fuel line won't 'over-fuel' her.. that's what the float / needle is for.
soundguy
large fuel line won't 'over-fuel' her.. that's what the float / needle is for.
soundguy
I will fire her up when I get home from work today and make sure it heats up, then I will pull the wires and check her out, also when I go to restart I shouldnt have to choke at all right?? because it is warm and the choke makes the mixture more rich right? Carbs are slightly new to me because everything I have ever worked on have an ECU and just need a lil diff tune on them to make them really run. Also this distributor stuff is a bit new as well. I like the old stuff I am just not used to the old tech.
carpenter383
Platinum Member
No don't choke when hot. Besides the things mentioned before. (which were all likely causes) if it is flooding try opening the throttle all the way up while cranking the engine. (until it starts then back it off) If it starts easier then it probably is flooding. Also you could advance the ignition timing a little. The can do wonders for an engine. It will kind of cover up low compression issues. Just be carefull, you don't want to advance it too much or it will detonate (spark knock) which is BAD. Also if it's hard to crank when hot after you advance the timing then you prolly went a little too far.
Soundguy
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To the OP.. these old fords sometimes like choke no matter what.. depends on the specific machine.
I have some that never use choke.. and some that will spin over all day and never pop till you hit choke..give it a taste and then they run like a r@ped ape.
soundguy
I have some that never use choke.. and some that will spin over all day and never pop till you hit choke..give it a taste and then they run like a r@ped ape.
soundguy
Well it did take a little bit for me to get her to fire this evening, but she finally did. So I ran her a bit to get her warmed up, then I pulled her back into the shop and shut her down. Right as I did that I noticed a gurgle noise from the fuel tank ( do not know if that is significant information or not.) It again was very hard to start, in fact I could not get it to light. It would turn over a few turns and the exhaust would burp like it was gonna fire but never did. So i pulled the boots on the spark plugs and put a screw driver in the boot and saw that it had spark on all 4 cylinders. So I would think that spark is not the issue. It also smelled very rich as it was trying to start so I think that it is just dumping fuel in to the motor and flooding it. What do you boys think am I on the right track??
carpenter383
Platinum Member
Did you try holding the throttle wide open while cranking as I mentioned before? If it is flooding from the needle and seat not holding the fuel back you could put a shut off valve in the line for a temporary fix. What color was the spark? It should be blue not orange. When it is running and warm does it miss out or anything? Does it idle good?
banjodunn
Veteran Member
G'day it definately sounds like it is flooding to me when you get it hot turn the fuel tap off and let it run til it starts to stumble then shut it off then turn the fuel tap on and try to start if it starts up alot easier there is your prob either bad needle and seat or wrong float level. Dont think of it as old tech the principles are still the same!! Good luck
Jon
Jon
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That's funny!..and wrong...
A shutoff inline to keep it from flooding when running is a pretty BAD piece of advice. You'd constantly have to reach down there and open the valve to let the carb bowl refill every minute or so.. !DOH! ( slapping head sound )
The needle / seat simply need to be cleaned or R&R if they are not sealing and allowing her to run over... that or adjust the floa height.. or make sure it is not heavy.. etc.
besides there is ALREADY a cutoff valve inline with the carb up at the tank.. don't help much for the flooding does it?
soundguy
Patches
Veteran Member
You guys' are all giving sound advise, but I still think, were it me and a 60 year old engine I knew very little about, with a hot start problem, I'd have to convince myself the engine is in sound enough condition to start when hot.I've played with old stuff that had as little as 40psi compression that would start cold, but you couldn't get them started hot unless you towed them. A compression check is order, I believe,before you start chasing ghosts
