I'm not much of a mechanic but i was wondering if someone could tell me how to find top dead center on a flat head ford. It is in my 1947 8n.

If you want just approximate put a screwdriver or a wire in the sparkplug hole and rotate by hand till it gets to the highest point. If you need exact you will have to have a degree wheel and a piston stop that can be made from a bolt with the same thread as the plug. Install the stop in the cylinder you wish to find tdc. Rotate motor by hand till piston touches stop. Note the degree on the degree wheel pointer. Reverse rotation and rotate till it hits the stop again from the other direction. TDC will be half way between the two degree marks.

I have some newer fords (901's, 4000, & 5000) and I believe that they have an inspection plate that you can remove and see marks on the flywheel. These marks should tell you where top dead center is. If you are trying to time it, it may not even be at top dead center. I recommend going and getting a shop manual on it at a local farm store. It will tell you how to do it and where to look. If I remember correctly the 5000 gets timed 8 degrees before top dead center. So unless someone else has an 8n just get a shop manual.