[AT] Ford 8n Under Dash Resistor?

[charliehill]

Will, I know very little about 8N's but the only place I've ever seen those 
resistors was in 12V systems to keep, as you said, from frying the points. 
I wouldn't think it was necessary for 8V.  Most of the time when you see 
them they are in the run side of a switch that has a momentary start line 
and then a run line.  You get 12V to the coil and points on start and it 
drops back to 6V on run.  Since yours has just a toggle power on/power off 
it must have been put in there to put 8V to the starter and just 6 to the 
coil/points.  Just a guess.  Someone will set us straight I'm sure.

Charlie

Charlie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <william.neff.powell at comcast.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2009 1:53 PM
Subject: [AT] Ford 8n Under Dash Resistor?


> Hello,
>
> My brother-in-law let his 8n sit for about two years. Before he let it sit 
> I had given it a tune up, carb rebuild, points, condenser, oil changes, 
> plugs, coil, and I had it set up for 8 volt, it was previously 6 volts. 
> Took generator to local auto-electric shop and he set the regulator for 8 
> volts.
>
> So, it had been sitting un-tarped for a while. I kept bugging him to get 
> it going. Last Sunday I helped him start it. Bought a new 8 volt battery, 
> opened the petcock and fuel started dripping out of the carb. Took the 
> carb apart, lots of oxidation, was starting to varnish. Cleaned that out.
>
> It would not start after cleaning the carb. Checked the spark, there was 
> none. Before bothering with take the distributor off (which is a pain as 
> most 8n owners know) I checked the coil line for voltage using his 
> headlight wire because he had no voltmeter. No light. Started tracing the 
> wire back from the switch, I had light at the switch. Then I noticed a 
> small block under the dash that had a wrapped wire resistor. The ignition 
> toggle switch (no key on tractor) sent a wire to the resistor and after 
> the current went through the resistor it was on to the coil.
>
> So, that little resistor was rusted out and useless... I bypassed the 
> resistor and the tractor started right up.
>
> Is the resistor necessary? I'm guessing it's there to stop the points from 
> frying up? Or it is in there to compensate for an 8 volt system, although 
> I put in the 8 volt system  I did not add the resistor. (Who knows if it 
> was 8 volt in the past?)  If the resistor is necessary where can I find 
> one?
>
> Regards,
>
> Will Powell
> Pottstown, PA
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