I've recently purchased my 1st 8N. The previous owner said the tractor had a 12v conversion with a new alt, new solenoid, new battery, and new amp gauge. It started and ran well, so I bought it. I used it a few times just putting around and it was fine. I used it last week to bush hog about an acre of tall grass. It operated fine with no noticeable issues. The next day I hooked it back up to mow more, but it ran really rough, missing and backfiring. I started checking plug wires, air cleaner, carb, etc, and found the alternator was not wired. That was just the beginning of the discoveries. The tractor was still wired using positive ground. So I have decided to pull all of the old wiring and start fresh with a new 12v conversion kit. My questions to you all, can the alternator still be used if it was ever used with a positive ground? Can the solenoid be used? What about the coil? Can I get by with just a new wire harness, or will I need some or maybe all new parts? Thank you for any help you can offer me.
- Thread starter JLRogers
- Start date
old
Well-known Member
- Location
- Camdenton Missouri
99% of alternators are negative ground and if hooked up wrong they smoke the moment there hooked up. But you say it's not hooked up so maybe he never wire it up. I'd pull it and take it to an auto parts store and have it checked
HarryVanderpool
Member
I have another solution for you to consider. Since you are starting over, how about putting it back to stock 6V as produced?
Your tractor properly maintained, will not and cannot start or run better than stock configuration.
That's what I would do.
Suit yourself; it's your tractor!
Bruce (VA)
Well-known Member
RogerinIowa
Member
Backfiring is running lean or moisture in
the distributor.
Is it front or side mount distributor?
the distributor.
Is it front or side mount distributor?
The harness on an N tractor is so few wires it's not hard to wire it yourself. On this site Jmor has all of the diagrams a person could need to wire your tractor any way you desire.
Does the tractor have an ammeter or voltmeter? That if wired up should show you if the system was charging. Since the alternator wasn't wired up it obviously wasn't charging and you were running off of the battery. You can take the alternator off and have it tested or you can just wire up the tractor and see if it charges. If it doesn't you can rebuild it yourself or purchase a used or reman one they are cheap enough.
Does the tractor have an ammeter or voltmeter? That if wired up should show you if the system was charging. Since the alternator wasn't wired up it obviously wasn't charging and you were running off of the battery. You can take the alternator off and have it tested or you can just wire up the tractor and see if it charges. If it doesn't you can rebuild it yourself or purchase a used or reman one they are cheap enough.
I'm thinking the P.O. smoked the alternator due to reverse polarity and then just disconnected it. But like the others said try it, you've got nothing to loose. I'm guessing the wiring has been farmerised too many times and you want to clean it up.
However, like Old said, there is a slight chance that the alternator is positive ground. My 2N has a 6 volt positive ground alternator.
However, like Old said, there is a slight chance that the alternator is positive ground. My 2N has a 6 volt positive ground alternator.
tractorguy2
Well-known Member
They do make positive ground alternators.
Thank you all for your responses and advice. I will take the alternator to my local NAPA for a check. There were other wires that had been clipped, amp gauge, headlights, work light. The old plugs were carbon fouled, but not inoperable. The plug wires had a few questionable nicks and tears. So I have replaced the harness, plug wires, & plugs. I'm pulling the alt today and putting the battery on a charger. We will see how things go tomorrow. Again, thank you all for your input!
This post was edited by JLRogers on 05/09/2022 at 07:41 am.
This post was edited by JLRogers on 05/09/2022 at 07:41 am.
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