Messing around in the shop

[DavidBarkey]

@JSinMO A few things to check for . The gap between the relutor and the pickup in the distributor . Clean/tight connections of wiring in and out of distributor . Side to side movement (ware) in the distributor .

[Toolslinger]

If you haven't run across this before, give it a read. Lots of good stuff in there for the N's.
https://forums.yesterdaystractors.com/pages/artint268/

I wish I could tell you what plugs are in my N. They've been in there forever now, and keep going. I'll see if we noted it in the maintenance log. (I'm sure they did, but finding that detail might be a challenge)

Getting stating fluid to it is a challenge with the oil bath air filter. I guess you could pop the intake hose off the carb to give it a shot.

Keeping the battery topped is an excellent idea. Though they don't leak down badly, when you're only starting with 6v, even a little loss becomes an issue fast. Any wiring should really be solid copper, not the crappy new copper plated aluminum. I've started throwing a charger on mine the day, or night before a storm.

Plug wires can be an issue I've read. That tips article has some of that in there. Comes down to use copper core wires rather than the more modern options.

The carb is really pretty simple, so a good cleaning, and new seals, and hopefully you're in business. I've had the occasional dripping issue, and I kinda attribute that to a crappy float valve, and the ethanol. Could also be a spec of rust on the valve face or seat. All the screens (3 of them) do a pretty good job keeping crud out of the carb, but nothing is perfect. I've never looked for the info on setting the float level. Could be as simple as a little bend is needed in yours after all the years on it.

[JSinMO]

Good stuff guys, thank you!

@DavidBarkey luckily the previous owner gave me a binder full of information for the tractor including the instructions for the Pertronics ignition. I’ll be going over the things you mentioned.

@Toolslinger i have not seen the information in the link you posted before. I saved it to my bookmarks. I did make the correct guess on a couple of things that are in there. Good spark plug wires for one. The other is the plugs. The tractor has the Champion H10s in it now and I spent about a half hour at the O’Reillys trying to explain to the guy what plug I wanted. They had no guide for the different heat ranges. I guessed on a set of Autolight AL437. That’s what the guide suggested so I guess I’m headed in the right direction.

Thanks guys!

[JSinMO]

Well I guess it’s time to put the plan into action!
I didn’t even bother to try and start the 2N. I just put a chain to 446 and pulled it where I wanted it.

Speaking of the 446, heres a tractor that hasn’t been show much love in its previously live. Wrong paint, cobbled up steering, filthy dirty, and some times likes to smoke like a freight train under a full load! Yet it starts and runs just dandy in at any temperature from 100F+ ,to well below freezing. Why can’t they all be like that?

The heats on in the shop, we’ve got a thermos of coffee and the radio cranked up, so let’s get after it!
I started with the ignition and pulled the alternator off the tractor to make room. I was going to take the hood off but with a half tank of gas it a real pain to get off.

The plug wires are a mess. there dry and cracked, and number 2 wire dang near has a hole rubbed in it. No wonder it’s having spark issues!

Went to put the new plugs in and hears a tip, always check your spark gap. Four new plugs, four smashed down electrodes!

The new plugs do have a longer porcelain, hopefully they’ll work better!

On to the distributor. It’s all but impossible to get at it while on the tractor. I had to stick my phone in there and get a picture to see what’s going on.

I did find some of the mounting hardware loose so they got tightened and I cleaned it up but all in all it looks fine. Bushings feel tight. I looked at the paperwork for the electric ignition and searched online and I dont see any reference to a specific air gap between the magnetic ring and the pick up. All I found was that they shouldn’t touch.

Next I looked in the book for the procedure to change the timing and guess what? The early N series tractor have no timing marks!

I know it’s has to be close because I know it will run and there no way I’m sticking my hand in there next to fan to bump the adjustment. That’s a bridge to far for todays adventure. If I want to give it a little advance that will have to wait till I decide to pull the fan off.
With ignition system all buttoned up I checked for spark and it look great now, good solid spark!

Let’s move on the the carburetor. I pulled it off the tractor and disassembled it. As you can see the gaskets are shot.

I cleaned all the surfaces and made sure all the ports were clear. Then put it back on the tractor.

I looked over everything and the thought came to me to check the starter. If I have a poor connection there it would draw more voltage, which would be less voltage getting the ignition.

With that done I figured there’s nothing left to do but give it a try!

Gas on.
Throttle set.
Choke set.
Clutch depressed.
Switch on.
And here we go…..

The engine make 2 revolutions and came to life! YES!!!

But wait a minute, now I’m not building oil pressure

I shut it down quickly and started looking it over. I cracked the line to the gauge thinking maybe it went bad. And cranked again nope no pressure!
I tried to start the tractor one more time and now I’m back to no start!

I pulled the plugs and there dry. So there still a fuel issue. And right now I have no idea why. I also rechecked spark and it still looks great. So at least I accomplished something.
That’s were I’m stopping for today

So my thought is the oil pump probably just lost prime from sitting so next time I’ll try to prime it and see if I get pressure.

I have no idea what’s going on with fuel delivery. I have flow to the carburetor, I can feel suction at the air intake with my hand over it. I can see gas in the throat of the carburetor, so why isn’t it making it the cylinders?
Anybody got some tips on an updraft carburetor for me to look at?

[Toolslinger]

Just as an idiot check, 'cause I've been there...
You did open the fuel valve out of the tank again right? Have enough fuel that it ins't in to the "reserve" portion of the tank that requires opening the valve all the way?

The N, and the MF 202 are the only things we shut off the fuel valves to. I've lost track of how many times I've managed to forget that tidbit... I have a tag with a magnet holding it on the hood that says "Fuel Off" on the 202. The N doesn't get that as it gets used more, so naturally I forget that one.

The oil pressure thing is more scary. Mine takes a second or two to come up. Worse when it's real cold, but it does come up.

[Toolslinger]

Also... You have fuel flow out the bottom of the carb? Not just at the end of the fuel line? I about lost it until I found the screen on that inlet elbow...

[Eugen]

Jeff, this reminds me of my old Massey. There was quite a lot of crud in the tank which often plugged the first screen going to the water separater, you know, the glass bowl. It too had a screen. But still I put a fuel filter in between it and the carburetor. I think you're close to a fix.

[JSinMO]

Just as an idiot check, 'cause I've been there...
You did open the fuel valve out of the tank again right? Have enough fuel that it ins't in to the "reserve" portion of the tank that requires opening the valve all the way?

The N, and the MF 202 are the only things we shut off the fuel valves to. I've lost track of how many times I've managed to forget that tidbit... I have a tag with a magnet holding it on the hood that says "Fuel Off" on the 202. The N doesn't get that as it gets used more, so naturally I forget that one.

The oil pressure thing is more scary. Mine takes a second or two to come up. Worse when it's real cold, but it does come up.

I’ve been there to. I’ve driven off before and then had a tractor die and then remember it won’t run if the gas is off! In this instance the fuel is on, with a half tank of gas and I have flow from the plug in the bottom of the carburetor. @Eugen the tank in this tractor is surprisingly clean no rust or gunk to be found.
That why this is kind of perplexing. A simple updraft fuel system from the 40s isn’t very complicated. I’m scratching my head trying to figure out what I’m missing? Before I even mess with that though I have to figure out the oil pressure issue. Another head scratcher, everything has been fine running good for months why loose pressure now?

[Eugen]

hm.. Plugged screen on the oil pump intake? Old ones are subject to sludge.

[JSinMO]

Well this Ford has been on my mind all last night. I just wasn’t able to wrap my mind around what was happening. So did some reading and thinking and tried again today.

First thing to figure out is the no oil pressure situation. I decided to prime the pump. I don’t know if you can see it but that 15/16” bolt has to come out to access the pump. It’s right next to the coil under the water pump.

Once you get that out you’ll find the pressure relief valve and spring.

I put about a cup of 90weight in and closed it up. Cranked the engine and I got good oil pressure back. So why did it lose prime? I can think of a few reasons and none of them make me happy. The most likely suspect is the pick up tube. I’ll bet it’s loose or cracked. I’ll have to keep an eye on it. I might be dropping the pan at some point.

With that out of the way I decided to see if it would start. Nope just crank and crank. I looked at everything I could think of. Had the carburetor off and apart, tried running the starter off a separate battery, heck I even pulled the side cover off the motor to watch the valves!

After about as much as I could take it finally hit! Once it started it sounded good. Good oil pressure and ran fine.
But is still is very hard to restart. A lot of cranking and it shouldn’t be especially with the engine warmed up.

I finally got it to start back up a few times but something still isn’t right. I think I have the carburetor tuned about as good as I can get it. But I did notice the linkage to the governor is pretty worn so if I can fix that it may be better.

After all this it seem to me that Bob @myerslawnandgarden is absolutely right. That ignition system is a big part of the problem. I noticed a few time that the engine would start a just as I was letting off the starter button. That’s indicating to me that the ignition is not getting enough voltage while the starter is engaged. Not sure what I do about that. I wish I could put points back in it and see what the difference is.

I will probably switch the battery to one that is less than a year old and I think it’s 650 CCA that should be enough to spin it over.
At least some progress is being made. I know you can’t tell but it’s running in the picture!