Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound

   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #11  
Is it 12 volts or 6? On my 1951-6, I had a very similar issue this year. Luckily, it turned out to be nothing more than dirty terminals. I took them off, wire brushed, applied a little di-electric grease, re-tightened, and it has started great ever since. My tractor has almost 2000 hours on it now and the factory/starter, alternator, and wiring harness are all original.
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #12  
original alt? :)
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #13  
Whatever that little round thing is that the fan belt goes around and keeps the battery charged. Generator maybe? Whatever it is, it still keeps that 6 volt battery charged good after more than 60 years. I have been getting 8 years on average out of the TSC 6-volt batteries. 26 years and counting on points, dist. cap, and plugs. I put about 3 hours on that tractor today with my 8 ft JD, drag-disk. It was a beautiful sunny day here in upstate NY and things are finally starting to dry up nice. I didn't even need the 4wd (as is usually the case at this time), on the disk. I did use the 4wd on the plow today, but I wish I had used the Ford. Conditions were just right, with near perfect soil moisture and no mud holes. The "draft" control on that old Ford, which my 4wd lacks, makes plowing much more relaxing. Without "draft" I have to provide my own "draft" by almost constant depth lever adjustment by the "feel" of the load in order to maintain somewhat uniform plow depth. With the old Ford and it's "draft" doing that automatically, the plow depth always comes out very uniform.
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #14  
The generator on those old Fords give very few problems. Might put a set of brushes in, but that's about it. The starters are the same, very few problems. Once in a while the voltage regulators will give fits and need the contacts cleaned. Most common electrical problem is solenoid and fortunately that is the cheapest part to replace!!!
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #15  
probably easiest too!
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #16  
Yeah, definitely.

Easy to test the solenoid. Take a voltage test on the battery wire that runs to the solenoid to make sure you are getting battery power there. Turn on key, hold down starter button. The small wire terminal on the side of the solenoid should now have power. Let off the starter button and that small wire should go dead. If that tests out okay then your starter button and key wiring system is okay. Then jump the solenoid across the two large terminals. If the starter turns, the solenoid is bad. If starter doesn't turn then that's where the problem is.
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #17  
sorry, that's incorrect.

1, key makes no difference. key only turns power on tot he coil.

2, 8n solenoid are wired internally hot. There are 2 big studs and 1 little stud. Internally there is also a field coil to pull the relay in. The original solenoids were wired so that the little stud needed to face in, then the big stud closest tot he battery was the battery stud, the other stud got the transfer bar to the starter. The field coil was wired between the little stud and the bat stud. Thus if you took your volt meter, put 1 terminal on chassis, an dhte other terminal on the small stud... it will show power all the time.. same as the big bat stud. The thumb starter switch on the trans top is nothing mor ethan a source of chassis ground for the relay. when you press the button, it grounds the relay, allowing current to flow and hte relay to pull in. 2 common problems. 1, people reorient the solenoid so the little stud is easier to get to. but that puts the bat side of the solenoid onthe wrong side, nearest starter! 2, stupid counter wannabee jockies sell you the wrong relay and give you one for a car thsat has a grounded case and the lil stud needs bat hot to pull in.
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #18  
You are right!!! Sorry for the confusion. Our old 8N had been converted to use the newer style solenoid. Forgot about that!!!

Can you explain a simple test method for those using the original type solenoid??

Thanks for the clarity. Sorry for my error.
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #19  
i just did.

small terminal needs ground. the bat lug needs power. that make sthe relay actuate.

can take the solenoid off and poke the small terminal to chassis and brush hot on either of the big terminals. if one makes it clunk.. that's the bat term. if neither operate it.. it's bad.
 
   / Ford 8N won't start. just a single click sound #20  
My reliable ford 8N won't start! It works 50% of the time now. I tightened the very loose positive and replaced the negative wires on the battery.

When I turn the key, make sure it is neutral and then push the button, I get a click that sounds like an electrical arch. Then, nothing. If I push the button again, nothing.... Not even that click.

I left it for a few days and repeated.this time, it turned over but didn't start. I went to push the button again and got the click.... Then nothing!

What can thus be? Bad/stuck starter? I tried banging on the starter and that didn't seem to change anything.
I had this. Changed solenoid and battery and it still persisted. Found out Ford uses the starter as a ground and there was rust between the starter face and the frame. Took starter off and tested (watch that the brushes do not fall out) and it was fine. Sanded frame and starter face, remounted starter and everything is fine.
 

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