Tractor Stories

This morning I finished tracing wiring. I have been doing this sort of thing since I was fifteen so it is not a new adventure entirely. I will draw a schematic and send it to you. Meantime….. the alternator is connected to the ammeter by two wires, one from the primary (I guess) and one from a position numbered 1. When the ignition switch is off, I read 12 volts going to the coil. That seems to me a mistake. When the ignition switch is on, the big resistor wired in series with the coil begins to warm up and the voltage rises from 4.something to 6.24 volts. It seemed as though it took about 30 seconds, maybe a bit less, for the voltage to get to six volts. That would be consistent with the resistor heating up and allowing more current to pass through. At this point it tells me to wait 20-30 seconds before actually pushing the starter button so I get enough voltage to the coil to put out a decent spark. I am pretty sure the alternator should be going to the battery by itself and not to ...

I bought a six volt ignition coil at NAPA . The guy at the store said he sells very few although he used to live in a farming community in Wisconsin and sold many of those six volt coils. Before I put it on I am going to check the wiring – actually make a drawing of the wiring on the 8N . Also, I will check the voltage going to the coil to make sure it is okay. I have already cleaned the wire ends which go onto the coil as well as others and removed the switch someone put on the tractor years ago to cut off electricity to the coil which I am sure was to stop the engine and one solution to poor wiring design. I am half tempted to take the tractor back to six volts, but that would mean getting larger battery cables such as one or two gauge wire that is thicker than twelve volt cables are. For now I will take the time to trace the wires and draw what is there. I will be amazed if the tractor is properly wired now, but it will be by the time I am done with it. Later I can and will renew...

I was absolutely right! It was the starter solenoid which died. AND the 6 volt solenoid is a replacement for the one which was on the 8N. After mounting it – easier said than done, I got the key and tried it. It cranked right over just like new. J J J Tractor Boy

Today I tried an experiment. I removed the cable from the starter. It goes to the starter solenoid. Then I ran a 12 volt battery cable from the positive post of the battery and touched that post on the starter. The starter turned over just like it is supposed to. So now I know the starter is good. I took an ohm meter and checked the starter switch, starter button, and small wires from the solenoid to the ammeter. All were sound. The starter button made a connection when I pressed it down which is just what it is supposed to do. So I now know for certain the problem is the starter solenoid itself. What I do not know for sure is whether a six volt solenoid will work with a 12 volt system? That is the question. I will go out to the net and see if there is a 12 volt starter solenoid with three posts. If there is not, then I will replace the dead solenoid with the six volt new one that is in the box in picture 413. Picture 412 is the solenoid. Picture 411 is the starter showing the post I p...

Today I got out at 0630 and removed the governor from the 8N tractor. After church I got after it and carried 7 three gallong buckets of water, using six to fill my new parts washer. Then the governor took a bath and got mostly cleaned up. I dried it and began to disassemble, replace a few worn parts, and reassemble the governor. Then I replaced it on the tractor, hooked up the battery, and got about one second of attempt to start. Maybe 1.5 seconds, but I doubt two whole seconds, then…. Nothing. There is electricity going somewhere as I learned when I went to tighten a few loose nuts without disconnecting the battery, but not starting action. I am baffled. The tractor does not run, but it sure looks good! Tractor Boy

Here is the governor link(s) which need to be disconnected before I can remove the governor. It looks as though it has a spring retainer and just pushes and lifts off. I squirted it will PB today and will give it a try later. Also, here is the original oil filter plug showing how rounded and tapered it had become. It was an engineering challenge to remove it. The new replacement plug is square. It is on the bottom of the oil pan and not in good focus, but is viewable. I tried to grease the tractor using my dandy air powered grease gun; however, it does not seem to want to squirt the grease out although it is definitely in the reservoir. I do have an old fashioned pump type which does seem to work. Actually I have two of those, having been given one with the tractors. Tractor Boy