Lets talk tractors

[rusty ol ranger]

This is the way.

V-8 Conversion Kit - Awesome Henry

So basically a funk conversion?

I didnt know such style kits were still being made....

Now you've clouded my thinking.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

So basically a funk conversion?

I didnt know such style kits were still being made....

Now you've clouded my thinking.

All you gotta do is find a good flathead V8, those things are just laying around everywhere...

Too bad they don't use the SBF bellhousing. 300, 3.8, 302, 351C/W... a tad easier to come by.

 

[Jim Oaks]

Who has a photo of all those 8N tractors sitting in a yard in Attica, Indiana just outside of the Badlands Offroad Park?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

All you gotta do is find a good flathead V8, those things are just laying around everywhere...

Too bad they don't use the SBF bellhousing. 300, 3.8, 302, 351C/W... a tad easier to come by.

A 300 would be bad ass in a N.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Who has a photo of all those 8N tractors sitting in a yard in Attica, Indiana just outside of the Badlands Offroad Park?

@Uncle Gump

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

A 300 would be bad ass in a N.

I was thinking about that the other day, wondering if any tractor series used the 300

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I was thinking about that the other day, wondering if any tractor series used the 300

Nada.

Some used model T or A engines though.

By the time the 300 came out gas tractors had pretty much died out. There is a difference in duty cycle between a pickup and tractor engine. They might not have stayed together well.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Nada.

Some used model T or A engines though.

By the time the 300 came out gas tractors had pretty much died out. There is a difference in duty cycle between a pickup and tractor engine. They might not have stayed together well.

Bummer, would have been interesting

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

BTW, does anyone happen to know what to ask for to get the GM one wire alternator for on a tractor for a 12v conversion? I don’t know what alternator was used on my 12v conversion, but there’s some really screwy wiring and apparently the alternator isn’t doing it’s job. I need the tractor so I need to replace it and get things working. The one wire alternator sounds like the answer to me. @85_Ranger4x4

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Pic of alternator?

We used the ones with switched power over the self exciting one wire. A slow turning tractor engine doesn't always spin fast enough to kick in the single wire ones.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Pic of alternator?

We used the ones with switched power over the self exciting one wire. A slow turning tractor engine doesn't always spin fast enough to kick in the single wire ones.

I’ll have to get a pic. Looks like someone tried to half rig an external voltage regulator on it and I’m pretty sure none of it is right or works.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Who has a photo of all those 8N tractors sitting in a yard in Attica, Indiana just outside of the Badlands Offroad Park?

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Nada.

Some used model T or A engines though.

By the time the 300 came out gas tractors had pretty much died out. There is a difference in duty cycle between a pickup and tractor engine. They might not have stayed together well.

I bet they would stay glued togther.

They used them in irrigation pumps and shit, as well as forklifts. The HD ones used in the big medium duty trucks and UPS trucks with the high flow manifolds and forged crank were built to run wide open for miles on end. Probably needed with the gearing you'd need for a 120hp motor in a 20,000GVW truck

 

[franklin2]

BTW, does anyone happen to know what to ask for to get the GM one wire alternator for on a tractor for a 12v conversion? I don’t know what alternator was used on my 12v conversion, but there’s some really screwy wiring and apparently the alternator isn’t doing it’s job. I need the tractor so I need to replace it and get things working. The one wire alternator sounds like the answer to me. @85_Ranger4x4

GM never made a true 1 wire alternator, those are aftermarket GM alternators with special regulators built in. What I did on my conversions was use a alternator for a 1979 monte carlo or anything GM in that era. GM was using their first internally regulated alternator at that time. You just have the large stud that goes to the battery, and a plug with two smaller wires. You can get the plug pigtail aftermarket or at the parts store.

On the plug the alternator is labelled 1 and 2. Terminal 2 just takes a very short wire and is jumped to the large output terminal that goes to the battery. The internal regulator uses this for voltage feedback/monitor

Terminal 1 is what brings the alternator online. This wire is run all the way back to the dash. Go to the store and get a small dash indicator light, one that has a plastic socket with two wires. Do not get one that is metal and grounded. Punch a hole in the dash and mount this light. One of the light wires will go to the wire to terminal 1 on the alternator. The other light wire will go to ignition on hot.

When you first turn the key but do not start the tractor, the new dash light will light up. When you start the tractor and the alternator starts producing power, the dash light will go out.

Just remember you do need to change the ignition coil. And of course use a 12v battery and put the negative on the frame of the tractor, not the positive. The alternator is setup for negative ground. The 6v starter works great on 12v. You can also change the headlights to 12v bulbs, or one of the tractors I converted the guy was cheap, so I re-wired the old 6v headlights in series so they would work on 12v.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

GM never made a true 1 wire alternator, those are aftermarket GM alternators with special regulators built in. What I did on my conversions was use a alternator for a 1979 monte carlo or anything GM in that era. GM was using their first internally regulated alternator at that time. You just have the large stud that goes to the battery, and a plug with two smaller wires. You can get the plug pigtail aftermarket or at the parts store.

On the plug the alternator is labelled 1 and 2. Terminal 2 just takes a very short wire and is jumped to the large output terminal that goes to the battery. The internal regulator uses this for voltage feedback/monitor

Terminal 1 is what brings the alternator online. This wire is run all the way back to the dash. Go to the store and get a small dash indicator light, one that has a plastic socket with two wires. Do not get one that is metal and grounded. Punch a hole in the dash and mount this light. One of the light wires will go to the wire to terminal 1 on the alternator. The other light wire will go to ignition on hot.

When you first turn the key but do not start the tractor, the new dash light will light up. When you start the tractor and the alternator starts producing power, the dash light will go out.

Just remember you do need to change the ignition coil. And of course use a 12v battery and put the negative on the frame of the tractor, not the positive. The alternator is setup for negative ground. The 6v starter works great on 12v. You can also change the headlights to 12v bulbs, or one of the tractors I converted the guy was cheap, so I re-wired the old 6v headlights in series so they would work on 12v.

That's the alternator we use.

6v starters do work great and I never have switched any of mine. They are wound different though and engage with more gusto. It isn't unheard of for them to occasionally blow the end off the starter.