1949 8N Won't Start

[My Gym]

It has been 30 years since I have dealt with points. One of the problems was dirty , oxidized points. Try cleaning the points with fine sand paper. A film of oxidation on the contacts can create enough resistance to cause a weak or no spark. Also the arcing on the gap can create a point on the gap that will cause an incorrect gap setting. Also clean rotor and distributor cap. Oxidation on them can also cause problems. The wiping motion of the engine running keeps them clean when running

 

[Bartman1959]

I pulled the coil off and stretched the spring a little, then extended the bent contact a little, put it all back together and it fired right up. It idled for about 4 or 5 minutes and died. I haven't been able to get it restarted. Yes, I turned the fuel ON.

 

[bigdeano]

Like someone said, the points can get corroded. Use fine sandpaper on both points, then run a clean rag between them to remove any junk. I have to do it on my MM every spring after it sits all winter.

 

[Phillip w]

I pulled the coil off and stretched the spring a little, then extended the bent contact a little, put it all back together and it fired right up. It idled for about 4 or 5 minutes and died. I haven't been able to get it restarted. Yes, I turned the fuel ON.

I believe I would start getting suspicious of that coil and condenser. I'd run an ohm meter on that coil. I can't remember the readings, 7500 seems to ring a bell. I had an old 390 Ford that gave me a merry fit. It would run good for 5 minutes or so and quit. No start. Come back later it might start or it might not. Then it would start and you think you had it and it might run an hour or two and then quit. No start. An old timer told me to "throw that condenser and coil as far as I could through them and get new. If that didn't work call him back." I called him back wanting to know why it worked. He said that the condenser was probably "off a few micro-farrads thus creating problems for the coil. Thus the coil would get hot and open up. When it cooled off it might work or it might not depending on the charge and discharge or the condenser. Like I say, i tossed both and problem solved. I just can't remember the ohm readings on a good coil.

 

[Bartman1959]

I've had the battery charger on it on slow charge for a couple of days, just in case. I just went out to remove the charger and decided to "give it a try." It fired right up, ran for less than a minute and died. I tried a few more times but it didn't even attempt a restart. I didn't have time to really do anything with it today, so I turned off the key and the fuel and left it for now. I'm at a total loss here.

 

[TimberHole]

Are you sure it is getting fuel? Will it fire on starting fluid after it stalls? If not, see post 14.

 

[Tractorable]

.024 -.026 is what the manual calls for.

The points gap on a front mount distributor 8N should be 0.015.

The points gap on a side mount distributor 8N should be 0.025.

I own a '52 side mount distributor 8N.

 

[pmsmechanic]

So it started and ran. Things are looking up. How did it die? Like turning a switch off or did the engine start to sound labored and then die? Turning a switch off is fuel as a rule and laboring and then dieing is fuel.

 

[Tractorable]

Turning a switch off is fuel as a rule and laboring and then dieing is fuel.

Did you mean that if it dies like turning a switch off it's ignition and if it labors and dies it's fuel?

 

[Tractorable]

OP, did you turn on the fuel and remove the plug from the bottom of the carb? It should flow plenty of gas, enough to fill a coffee can if you wanted to.

I've had issues on my 8N with the float valve either not flowing enough gas and also with it flowing too much gas.