The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 02:25:09 PM

Title: Making do.
Post by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 02:25:09 PM
I've been trying to hammer out some electrical issues with one of my ford 8n's.  It quit running this fall, and I just got around to messing with it yesterday. I got to the point where I knew it wasn't getting spark. Chased it to the distributer side of the coil to the points. I found a broken "conductor" in the destributer. A miniscule piece of copper connecting the stud through the destributer to the points. 5 bucks on line, and 11 bucks shipping.  NOPE!.
I also found the insulation around that stud was falling apart allowing it to ground out. To replace that, because of the length, you have to take the guts out of the destributer. The stud kit was another 7 bucks. NOPE!  So I got out a hacksaw blade and cut the stud off on the outside. This made it short enough now to pull out from the inside.   To fix both issues, I simply made up a new wire to hook to the coil, passing the other end through the hole in the side of the distributer created by taking out the stud, put a connector on it and hooked up the points.
VROOM!  Free fix.


So now I'm figuring out why the lights don't work. Chased that to a worn out in line fuse holder. I could have ran up town and found one, but I don't have any cash on hand, and didn't want to use my debit for what ever it cost. So NOPE!  I found I had some new plugin type fuses in my tool box, so now my 1951 tractor has a modern fuse for the lights. I made myself a down and dirty in line holder with a couple spade connectors and a couple wraps of tape. I love fixing stuff this way! Much more satisfying than throwing money at something.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_135155.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487791448) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_135504.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487791472)
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Magicman on February 22, 2017, 02:52:18 PM
Congrats on the points fix.  smiley_idea

Yup, the golf car that we rode in at the Cabin has the exact same type of fuse holder.   smiley_thumbsup

Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Rural on February 22, 2017, 02:55:12 PM
A man after my own heart, a good junk box and an inventive man can fix almost anything with nothing!!
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 03:25:46 PM
I love the patina of this old tractor!


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_150903.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487795023) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_150926.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487795044) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_150941.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487795067) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_151128.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487795090)
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: 47sawdust on February 22, 2017, 04:33:21 PM
The tin looks nice and straight and there is no duplicating that patina.Great looking tractor and nice job on the homegrown fix.
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Kbeitz on February 22, 2017, 05:01:29 PM
A great looking old chunk of iron...
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Peter Drouin on February 22, 2017, 07:01:22 PM
Good job, But the cap won't last long and don't run in the rain.
So what are you going to do with all the money you saved?
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: barbender on February 22, 2017, 07:15:40 PM
Just like a real farmer ;D 🖒
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 07:22:27 PM
Quote from: Peter Drouin on February 22, 2017, 07:01:22 PM
Good job, But the cap won't last long and don't run in the rain.
So what are you going to do with all the money you saved?
I don't understand. What would the cap have to do with it? Or rain?
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 07:30:14 PM
Before and after.


 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170221_160209.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487809749) 

 (https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20170222_192536.jpg?easyrotate_cache=1487809777)
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Peter Drouin on February 22, 2017, 07:56:39 PM
Thought you were going through the top not the side.
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 08:13:36 PM
That wouldn't be a good idea at all.
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: GAB on February 22, 2017, 08:38:11 PM
I think I would have used a 2" longer wire and put a drip loop in it so any water would not follow the wire into the distributer.
But that is just me.

The number of horses and mules that were replaced with those little tractors is probably in the millions.
Gerald
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 09:24:55 PM
The hole is siliconed shut and it is under the hood.
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Peter Drouin on February 23, 2017, 06:15:28 AM
Quote from: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 08:13:36 PM
That wouldn't be a good idea at all.


No, it would not. Just misunderstood what you were doing.
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: sandsawmill14 on February 23, 2017, 07:28:29 AM
Quote from: Jeff on February 22, 2017, 09:24:55 PM
The hole is siliconed shut and it is under the hood.

the silicone fixed the rain problem  smiley_thumbsup i fixed several with that patch while i was working at the ford dealer several years ago you can even convert the coil to a modern coil on the older front mount distributors in a similar fashion but it is a little more difficult ;D
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: sandhills on February 23, 2017, 08:06:23 AM
Love it!  So now......$300??? :D
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: Ox on February 23, 2017, 01:28:46 PM
You're doing it just like most of us do around here - use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.  This is a way of life that I've always embraced but never had a saying to go with it until I heard Eustace Conway way it on that one mountain man program on TV and I committed it to memory.  And you're right - it's more satisfying to fix things rather than being a parts replacer.  It's a good fix worthy of any poor farmer.  The only suggestion I would have is to make sure your new wire isn't moving around too much with the fan blowing on it and from the tractor bouncing.  Eventually this will cause your new wire to work harden and break/fail.  I learned this little lesson the hard way after converting a few old 6 volt machines to 12 volt.  They lasted a few months but always failed and needed to be fixed up better and to make sure the new wires aren't moving around.  :)
Title: Re: Making do.
Post by: kensfarm on February 23, 2017, 11:40:57 PM
Quote from: barbender on February 22, 2017, 07:15:40 PM
Just like a real farmer ;D 🖒

Your going to need way more dirt on your floor to be a real farmer..  your shop is cleaner then my kitchen.   ;D