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FORD 8N 12V UPGRADE

M

MEAN GENE1

New User
Have wore out Ford 8N that isn't worth putting a lot of $ into. Tractor needs rebuilding as the 6 volt or 8 volt battery turns the wore out engine so slow it will not winter start. I have been told you can place a resistor prior to points then insert a 12 volt battery. Then just charge the battery in between uses. Does this make sense?
 
I guess you could go that route...

Only if the tractor saw limited run time between charges would it be possible.

But a reconditioned alternator can be bought for $40-$60 with a core charge. It's not that difficult to
change one over.

The resistor, a 1.5 ohm range, goes ahead of the coil, between the ignition switch and the coil.
 
Oh, boy! Post this blasphemy down on the 9N,2N, 8N Ford board and STAND BACK!


A 12 volt conversion will spin your starter a lot faster and give you a charging system thatll actually charge at idle, but you'll never take top prize at the
tractor shows for the ''Most Original Tractor with a Completely Dead Battery''.

You may have a worn out starter, or bad connections along your starting circuit. Check your grounds and clean up the metal-to-metal contact points there first
before investing in a conversion that may only temporarily mask over some easily fixed issues with the wiring.

You can buy a 12 volt compatible coil, or knock down your voltage to a 6 volt coil with a resistor (get the 1970's Mopar type with dual resistors so you always
have a spare).

Sure, you can just do the starter system and manually charge your battery aFter each sortie, but an alternator is an easy job to do and cheap if you have a
junkyard and a welder nearby.

Others opinions may vary...
 
One of my Farmall cubs has a 12
volt battery, no charging system
all. It has a distributor with a
12 volt coil. I use this tractor
a good bit all year. I only have
to charge that battery over night
once every 6 months. On yours
good , clean wires, tune up and
valve adjustment may help.
 
Send me an email and I'll show you how my jubilee was converted
to 12v.
Charging the battery may work short term.
Not that hard to add a one wire alternator.
I think YT sells a 12v conversion kit.

I've found that bad valves make a hard starting engine in the
winter.
Check compression.
I was told flat head engines have a history of burnt valves.
 
I had a Super C with a dead 6v battery. I also had a new 12
V lawnmower battery settling there. When I sold it it was
still running on 12 V .
 
My Farmall C had a magneto.
I use an old mower battery to spin it over slowly so I don't spin off starter drives.
Easy to install a 12v alternator. Have to use pulley off 6v generator.
I also use 10g wire instead of battery cable.

cvphoto143858.jpg

I didn't want to over power the 6v starter.
I was able to buy a 12v starter for my Jubilee.
You need the full 12v to get a hot enough spark.

I made my own wiring harness for both tractors.
 
Other than bad connections you just night have a bad resistor to cut the 6
volts to 4.6 volts to the points. My 44 2N has been running for some time with
that resistor bypassed. We had starting trouble for years and used a 8 volt
battery to get more power to the points. So just try if you get it cranking at
correct spered and going to 12 volts will not help a worn or dirty starter
turn faster with12 volts over the 6 volt. My 442N and 41 9N are staying 6 volt
with no need to go to 12 volt battery Only reason I see to go to a 12 volt
battery is if you are wanting to use a 12 volt radio that I do not have or
want. Fix the rest of the system, probably take way more time than money and
then and only then consider a 12 volt system.
 
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