# Ford 9N timing mystery



## haypoint (Oct 4, 2006)

My son has been working on a 9N. He's good with repairs. 
Has it all back together. New timing gears on the crankshaft and camshaft. Original cam. The gears on the cam and the gears on the distributor look good. 

When we get the engine right on the mark, install the distributor so the rotor is pointing to the number one plug wire, install the cap, crank it over and it doesn't start. Then get it back to the correct mark, again. When we pop the cap off, it is way off timing. 

It isn't 180 degrees out, but quite a bit.

It sounds to me that there are slipping gears somewhere. But they all look good.

Is there something unique to the Ford 9N that we're missing?


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## davel745 (Feb 2, 2009)

I remember when I was younger we used to time 6 cylinder fords on the number 2 cylinder. Don&#8217;t know why. They were a funky motor. 

Dave


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## tamsam (May 12, 2006)

maybe the gear on the dist is slipping. Sam


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## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

I remember something about 1 long bolt and 1 short bolt in the gov. swap them and you screw up the cam gear.

Go to the forums on YTMAG.com ther are tips for N owners and I thing that's one.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

If the distributor was off the tractor and then reattached it is possible to get the the distributor mounted but not seated correctly. The "ears" of the distributor housing will still have a small gap at the point where the distributor mounts to th engine. I would suggest that the distributor be removed and the slot and the drive "key" observed closely. You will observe that the slot and the key are not centered, they are offset. Orient the two to where they mate properly allowing the distributor to sit flat against the engine. Repeating, have son to observe that the two mating areas of the offset key of the distributor and slot are properly aligned before securing the distributor to the engine.

Referencing Beeman's post....the short bolt goes to the top.


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

#1 Piston needs to be at TDC when rotor points to #1 cap wire. Remove #1 spark plug and put finger over hole...bump it with remote starter control and coil wire/distributor removed...your finger will pop off the hole from the compression when it's near the top...line up damper timing marks and pointer for 0...keep dropping distributor in until the rotor will line up with #1 on the cap


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Make sure the top dead center and timing mark are for the compression cycle and not the exhaust cycle. As the piston comes up to push the exhaust gas out it can sometimes give the impression of being the compression cycle instead.


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## Windy in Kansas (Jun 16, 2002)

Sorry, double post.


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## Beeman (Dec 29, 2002)

Should have a small metal plate with a screw on the bellhousing. Loosen the screw and pivot the plate and the timing marks are on the flywheel.


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## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

what Rocky Fields said


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

Stranger
what you and Rocky Fields stated regarding the 
distributor will not apply to a 9N ford tractor.


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## raymilosh (Jan 12, 2005)

The 9N i work on has a distributor that only seats one way. The timing cannot be adjusted by turning the distributor, because the distributor just can't be turned. If the timing is right, then after turning the engine, it is wrong, then there is definately a situation of 2 gears not meshing or of a gear spining on its shaft. Sounds like Agman has been there. I haven't been that far int a 9n. Basically, what I'm saying is do what Agman says. 
First, though, take off the dist cap. then turn the engine and observe the rotation of the rotor, You'll probably see that it is not turning steadily, but rather stops and starts. Then you can be sure that there is definately a problem with gears meshing or spinning on their shafts and you definitely know where to go next


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

Agmantoo et Raymilosh,

I don't remember saying anything about timing a FORD 9N or turning the distributor in my post. I just mentioned basic distributor installation procedure. 

Here is timing a FORD 9N with front mount:

http://www.ytmag.com/nboard/messages/451074.html

RF


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

The link above http://www.ytmag.com/nboard/messages/451074.html is for a running tractor and what is posted is how to set the advance or retarding of the timing when the rotor is set to the correct cylinder. There is no mechanical advance similar to a more more distributor and instead there is a very poor 60 + year old vacuum design that does not work very well.


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