Trouble starting the Ford 8N. Pushing oil back through the air filter

macecase · Jun 20, 2014

See video....

I am having trouble starting the Ford 8N. It has been very reliable and then stopped working....

While trying to start it, the starter made a weird noise and as it started to turn over, it blew oil out of the oil-bath air intake. It actually popped the oil reservoir off of the air cleaner and spewed oil through the vents in the hood.

Any thoughts? The starter sound isn't normal and it is puttering while trying to start. The oil thing has me baffled.

I did get it started earlier than this video. But, it was shaky. When I put it in gear, it died.

I have installed new spark plugs and also installed an ignition maintenance kit (points, rotor and new distributor cap). I replaced the coil and also the coil wire. There were two spark plug wires I replaced as well.

Best I can tell, I did the order of the plugs and cylinders correctly. The distributor goes counterclockwise, right?

52 8n · Jun 21, 2014

It sounds like it is turnibg over backwards. Had this happen to a 8n myself.

DJ54 · Jun 21, 2014

Possibly, one of your intake valves is hanging open for some reason.

macecase · Jun 21, 2014

52 8n said:
It sounds like it is turnibg over backwards. Had this happen to a 8n myself.

What would cause it to turn over backwards? How did you remedy this when it happened to you?

Soundguy · Jun 21, 2014

DJ54 said:
Possibly, one of your intake valves is hanging open for some reason.

that's exactly what I would think it would be.

Soundguy · Jun 21, 2014

52 8n said:
It sounds like it is turnibg over backwards. Had this happen to a 8n myself.

i'd really like to see that on a stock 8n starter and drive gear...

macecase · Jun 25, 2014

Soundguy said:
that's exactly what I would think it would be.

If this is the case, how would I fix that? Would I need to take the valve plates off and try to get it "un-stuck" or would it be more involved? I am guessing take the head off?

Soundguy · Jun 25, 2014

i'd take the valve covers off firest and strat with some solvent / penetrating oil and scrub the exposed stems and try to get solvent sprayed down. carb cleaner.. acetone and atf mix.. etc. spring pressure should close them and cam lifts them.. many times if you can get htem moving a hair.. and keep the loosen juice poured to them they will move more and more on each stroke till they free up.. then you keep cleaning them.. then you change the oil.

Personally.. any time i have an engine with stuck valves.. once it get the valve train repaired I change the oil with walmart or other store brand cheap full synthetic oil, then run that thru to help finish getting some crud out... Many times you find it is the intakes that stuck.. and of the ones I've worked on.. it's my opinion that it is deposits left from the crap they pass off on us as gasoline these days. it doesn't burn off the intakes, and they stick. I've had valves i had to drive out of heads with a hammer before they were so stuck.