Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

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OGoldsmith
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Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

Ive used Champion W20's and Autolite 3077's, What are better plugs to get? Or is there some that can be recommended to me? Champion W20's gave up on me in a ploughing match yesterday.

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Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

Dandy Dave
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by Dandy Dave »

I have had better luck with Auto Lites in early equipment and vehicles that use the 7/8th -20 thread plugs. Yes, new Champs seem to foul quickly. With that said, I have had the very best luck with vintage take apart plugs no matter what make. The fine spindly electrodes and cleanable porcelins seem to burn off oil and carbon build up better. And when they foul, they are easier to clean. Dandy Dave!
Have a Fordsonful day Folks!

1960 Fordson Power Major

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

Dandy Dave wrote:I have had better luck with Auto Lites in early equipment and vehicles that use the 7/8th -20 thread plugs. Yes, new Champs seem to foul quickly. With that said, I have had the very best luck with vintage take apart plugs no matter what make. The fine spindly electrodes and cleanable porcelins seem to burn off oil and carbon build up better. And when they foul, they are easier to clean. Dandy Dave!

The older plugs are getting expensive now if you do find them. Last lot I looked at worked out about £80 for a set of 4.

cheers
Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

CalGG
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by CalGG »

I bet it's not the plugs

It's the bobbin in the Mag.

Lucas RF4?

Should OHM over 6000, . I bet it's weak.

A bobbin rewind will be the best $125 you will spend on your tractor.

(If not the Lucas Mag, then look to your plugs. Anything NEW will be easier to spark than old plugs)

I switched mags last year, just got tired of dealing with "the Prince of Darkness" And I thought I had it licked.


;-)

Dandy Dave
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by Dandy Dave »

Bobbin. I guess we call that a Coil over here. Yup. Tis true. Also, a bad condenser will ruin a good coil. If a coil (Bobbin) feels spungy in your fingers it means the windings have heated up and the insulation is melting out. A shorted condenser will also cause a coil to heat up. Often they will be OK when cold, but break down when hot. I agree that it will be the best money you can spend. A new Coil, condenser, and charging the magnets really wakes up an old mag. Some old mags have a very heavy set of high grade platinum points. These can last many years and thousands of hours unlike the thin and cheep replacments that are out there. Dandy Dave!
Have a Fordsonful day Folks!

1960 Fordson Power Major

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

The coil should be fine, It was checked over not too long a go when the gears were replaced. I was going to fit a GF4 to the tractor at one stage.

cheers
Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

CalGG
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by CalGG »

If the mag was disassembled and reassembled without regaussing the magnet
You are down 1/3 of the magnet's strength (and sparking power) right there.

That's just how magnets work.

Something taught to A&P mechanics regarding aircraft mags, but it applies to tractors and all magnets.

As soon as the "keeper" is removed, the magnet permanently looses about 1/3 it's strength. Unless regaussed while assembled.

Down 1/3 or "special" plugs...........hmm, something things are not so obvious.

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

Nothing wrong with the magneto, as I said I had a specialist sort it out. It is the plugs!

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Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

CalGG
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by CalGG »

Well then, Just buy lots of them, Either kind, It won't matter. Keep 'em in the wrappers in the tool box.

I've got a 2 pound coffee can filled with both brands. Most of them look perfectly good.

But since a put in the new coil, and now the WICO mag, there doesn't seem to be any call for new ones. And those old ones work fine. I suppose they just needed a rest ;-)

But I feel your pain. My own E27n let me down at the tractor pull at our town fair some years ago. And that was after she ran through the scales to get classified. I presumed she was just shy and didn't feel it was necessary to show off her pulling powers. She sat the night at the Fairgrounds all alone and in a sulk! But wouldn't you know it, the next morning, bright and early before work, I pulled her start handle just twice and she started up and drove the 6 miles home without a twitch.

Like I said, Shy gal....

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

Well, after a fiddle around today, I got the old Fordson N running on some old Champion's and on TVO. Then took her for a run around and run perfectly, didn't even need to increase the rev's. Only down side is she gets hot on these plugs.

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Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

CalGG
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by CalGG »

I would be interested to know the mechanism by which spark plugs contribute to an engine temperature issue?

That little spark doesn't add much heat.

Perhaps the timing of the spark is off somewhat.

Dandy Dave
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by Dandy Dave »

Yes. Late timing will make an engine run hot. Also TVO, or Kerosene as we call it here, will make an engine run hotter than petrol. Dandy Dave!
Have a Fordsonful day Folks!

1960 Fordson Power Major

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

CalGG wrote:I would be interested to know the mechanism by which spark plugs contribute to an engine temperature issue?

That little spark doesn't add much heat.

Perhaps the timing of the spark is off somewhat.

Type of plug will, they have slightly longer tips which get hot, better for burning TVO.

Cheers
Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

super6954
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by super6954 »

Hi
Unless all the old school guys I've talked to in the last 25 years, of messing with old iron are idiots, I was always told the only thing a longer plug does is put the electrode nearer the hottest part of the flame in Combustion :!: .
For example if an engine oils plugs put the longest one in possible, that won't hit the piston. It will burn the oil off , Not foul the plug.
This would then be better for TVO if the tractors not working hard, the extra heat from the plug being nearer cleans the plug as it's running . To run properly a TVO needs to practically have the Manifold glowing red hot to get the vapor right.

Running round the show ring with the rad blind right up probably is not enough. It would really need to be plowing from what my dad used to say, when I tried running it in a Fergy.
so with this assumption being correct it won't actually affect operating temp of the motor cooling system. It is only the plug nearer the hottest part of the flame :idea: .
Regards Robert
A Fordson is for life not just for Christmas !.

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

Well, since I placed these plugs in, it seems to get hotter quicker. Only other thing I can think of is its normall. It was only firing on 3 just before it gave up and was trying to fire on 1.

cheers
Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

CalGG
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by CalGG »

1 or 3 , It sounds like the troubles are more than plug selection.

I might have someone else take a look at that magneto ;-)

super6954
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by super6954 »

Hi Ollie
These old petrol Fordsons can be miserable and cantankerous just like old ladies :lol: . When I got my E27N, it would start and run fine, the next time it would start drop cylinders at random. the next time it would fire one cylinder and no more :cry: .
I would take the plugs out dry them and check spark, perfect spark everytime from all 4 :!: .
Then I remembered one of the petrol engine lessons, I was semi awake in at college, The lecturer said just because a plug fires in open air, doesn't mean it will under compression :idea: .

Well 4 new plugs later it ran 90% better :) I changed the wires to now it runs perfect, and will start with 4 up pulls on the handle from cold, if everything's right. Just like my dad said the one he farmed with did :clap: . I thought he was joking at first :eyes: .
As for the temp you could be right on dead cylinders :| , I'm not sure if an N has the same advance/ retard lever that the E27n does.

Maybe the sparks a bit out of time now it's got good plugs in, if it was altered to get it to run better with old plugs fitted/ or is the mag timed right with the new gears fitted. I seen to remember it has to be set a particular way with the white dots on the gears and rotor position :idea: . I did the gears in my one and can't remember quite how it had to be set to get the internal timing right.
Well what ever the outcome you got it to run good and that's all that matters now :clap:
Regards Robert
A Fordson is for life not just for Christmas !.

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

CalGG wrote:1 or 3 , It sounds like the troubles are more than plug selection.

I might have someone else take a look at that magneto ;-)

That was on the Champion W20's in a ploughing match the other week. On the C5's it runs on all four and has become easier to start.

cheers
Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

OGoldsmith
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Re: Fordson N or E27N Spark Plugs.

Post by OGoldsmith »

I have now solved the problem by fitting Autolite 3077's and having a set of Champion C-5's as spares. A fellow ploughman was saying that the Champion's (W14 or W20) are too good for a Lucas mag, whereas they will run well in say a Case C.

Cheers
Ollie
1940 Fordson Standard N 1948 Fordson Major E27N

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