The Fordson Tractor Pages Forum

Hi This is my first time on a forum so feeling a bit of a virgin!!

I have a 1938 Fordson N that I cannot get running off choke. It has the original type manifold and vaporiser on. I have checked the usual things and nothing seems to work. I have fitted a new mixture needle and choke flap. Everything seems free and unblocked. I have bought a new vaporiser jet to try that, but does anybody know the setting of how far it should be pressed into the vaporiser plate. I have 3 spare plates and the jet is different on them all?

Any info or suggestions will be gratefully received

Welcome to the forum. I am no expert on the model N but I do have Henrietta, an E1ADN Major. She has suffered from a similar problem at times and it has been leaking gaskets on the inlet manifold to cylinder head. (In your case block).

Hi,

Some things to check:

Are there valves in the manifold at the underside? These are prone for leakage.

Do you have sufficient fuel flow to the carb?

Otherwise, as Brian says, leaking gaskets is a good starting point. I've checked that with a little WD40 spraying on the system. If it affects the running, you have found a leakage.

Regards

Emiel

Hi,

I have already tried the valves on the bottom of the manifold and blocked them off with bolts.

There is also suffiecient fuel to the carb as I have fitted all new fuel lines.

I will recheck the inlet gaskets as they may have not seated correct

Thanks for the feedback I will keep you posted on the progress

You may also have an internal crack/ hole in the manifold between the exhaust and intake/ heat riser portion of the manifold. This can be found by taking the manifold off and blocking the lower ports on one chamber. (intake) Fill it with something like kero and see if it drips, or runs out of the other chamber. (exhaust.) Or fill the exhaust and watch for leaks in the intake if it is easier. This is not an uncommon problem on early tractors with a lot of hours. Also, as the manifold heats up it will expand the cracks and the engine will usually run worse than when it is cold. Dandy Dave!

The N/E27N manifold does seem prone to cracks, and does give the symptoms you describe - one of the better Fordson suppliers was explaining this to me the other week. There's not much you can do if it is cracked except replace the manifold, (they don't weld very well)but don'exchange it for one in a similar condition as theres a lot of rubbish around.
There are at least 2 companies offering remanufatcured manifolds for sale, which shows the demand at the moment. Problem is, they're not exactly cheap...

Tim

Hi,
Have you checked the outlet drilling through the bottom of the float chamber (this is blanked off on the outside by a small flat headed screw)

Good Luck


Matt

Hi all,

Latest update is that the manifold has had the inlet ports full of parafin for the last 4 days with no leaks present at all so it seems sound. I am going to have the vaporising plate and manifold resurfaced next to make sure they are sealing correct.

More updates to follow as they happen.

Hi,

Had the old girl running sweetly today.

The problem when we eventually found it was the seat at the bottom of the mixture needle. The seat was set very low in the float chamber that was on. When the chamber was changed for one of the spares I had, she was straight of choke.

Thanks for all the help

Glad to hear that you have it solved. Dandy Dave!