fire72
Bronze Member
I've been off of TBN and out of the tractor business for a few years. Tractors and all equipment were sold due to health issues and divorce. Previous tractors were MF 135, NH 1920, NH TC40A, and a '52 8N. Remarried, new job, and back on my feet. The wife and I are moving our horses to a family friend's farm, which needs some work. Trading my labor rebuilding the barn for a '50 8N they have. I've owned an 8N previously, but it had been restored before I got it and I never had to do much work on it.
This 8N is unrestored and non-running. I'm told it was running last fall, but "wouldn't start, probably electric". Don't know if that meant no crank, crank with no fire, or what. Limited time with it so far yields either nothing from pressing starter button, half hearted crank with no fire, or a click/buzz from the solenoid. It has been converted to 12 volt, but the hillbilly rat's nest of wiring and the now-deceased former owner's reputation for quality of work leave me wondering if it was done correctly. Parts and packaging found in the barn indicate that someone replaced the coil and distributor cap, plug wires (likely including plugs), and used a TSC tune up kit - have to look up what that included. Battery is 3 years old and shows as charged after a couple of hours on my charger. Obvious things to check so far are taking the battery in to be tested for cranking amps and possible dead cell as it's been sitting unused, and testing to see if the solenoid is functional. Obviously will need fluids checked and clean gas. I will probably rewire the whole thing eventually, and the sheet metal looks solid enough to warrant cleanup and restoration, but I'm in a major time crunch and need it functional as quickly as possible - farm owners want no manure pile on the property, so I need to pull a spreader.
Looking for ideas on the logical order to start checking and red flags to look for. Obvious problem of some kind in battery/switch/solenoid/starter or related wiring. Unknown at this time if there is a problem with spark or fuel.
This 8N is unrestored and non-running. I'm told it was running last fall, but "wouldn't start, probably electric". Don't know if that meant no crank, crank with no fire, or what. Limited time with it so far yields either nothing from pressing starter button, half hearted crank with no fire, or a click/buzz from the solenoid. It has been converted to 12 volt, but the hillbilly rat's nest of wiring and the now-deceased former owner's reputation for quality of work leave me wondering if it was done correctly. Parts and packaging found in the barn indicate that someone replaced the coil and distributor cap, plug wires (likely including plugs), and used a TSC tune up kit - have to look up what that included. Battery is 3 years old and shows as charged after a couple of hours on my charger. Obvious things to check so far are taking the battery in to be tested for cranking amps and possible dead cell as it's been sitting unused, and testing to see if the solenoid is functional. Obviously will need fluids checked and clean gas. I will probably rewire the whole thing eventually, and the sheet metal looks solid enough to warrant cleanup and restoration, but I'm in a major time crunch and need it functional as quickly as possible - farm owners want no manure pile on the property, so I need to pull a spreader.
Looking for ideas on the logical order to start checking and red flags to look for. Obvious problem of some kind in battery/switch/solenoid/starter or related wiring. Unknown at this time if there is a problem with spark or fuel.
