Tractor Question

-
L

LJS30

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2007
Messages
1,053
Reaction score
5
Location
Hemet, California
Do any of you guys have experience with tractors? My patience is about to wear thin with my old Ford Powermaster 861. For the longest time I had to give it more choke in order to run well the longer I worked it. Well guys about two weeks ago it just stalled out and wouldn't fire up. So I replaced the coil and adjusted the carb. That didn't work. I found some points that looked okay in my parts shed and gapped and replaced them. I set the timing with the help of a friend and it ran great. Well today I start plowing and about ten minutes in the same thing happened. I had to give it more choke to run smoothly. Unfortunately after a brief time it began running very rough and finally stalled out. Could my distributor be the issue? Are my points bad? HELP!!!
 
Frankly, usually "what you do" points the way. The fact that you have to choke it would steer me AWAY from ignition, and TO the fuel system.

Those things are ridiculously simple. Rust in the tank, examine the fuel shutoff, it probably has a screen and sediment bowl. Buy a kit and clean out the carb.

My little toys:

My Uncle posing by my "homebuilt Cletrac", Toyota 20R and 4 speed, Massey Fergeson sheet metal. Governor is off a Cat pony motor (starting engine) off a D2.

14d1p9j.jpg


Getting rid of junkers this winter:

20adv8j.jpg


My little Farmall 100, is an "updated" Super A. Super handy for lifting engines, etc, here lifting the snowblower onto the roof!!

24xm4k7.jpg
 
67Dart273 said:
Frankly, usually "what you do" points the way. The fact that you have to choke it would steer me AWAY from ignition, and TO the fuel system.

Those things are ridiculously simple. Rust in the tank, examine the fuel shutoff, it probably has a screen and sediment bowl. Buy a kit and clean out the carb.

My little toys:

My Uncle posing by my "homebuilt Cletrac", Toyota 20R and 4 speed, Massey Fergeson sheet metal. Governor is off a Cat pony motor (starting engine) off a D2.

14d1p9j.jpg


Getting rid of junkers this winter:

20adv8j.jpg


My little Farmall 100, is an "updated" Super A. Super handy for lifting engines, etc, here lifting the snowblower onto the roof!!

24xm4k7.jpg
Click to expand...

I really like that Super A!!!!!!!!!!!! Well I installed a new fuel shut off valve that came with a new strainer. Cleaned out the carb yesterday and installed new fuel line. Now could it possibly be that a kink in the fuel line could be causing my issues? I have a small kink but my sediment bowl is full at all times.
 
If the sediment bowl stays full it doesn't sound like the small kink is your problem. I agree with 67Dart that it sounds like a fuel issue though. Check the screen to see if it is plugged up. What does the exhaust look like when you are running with the choke? How does your air filter look? I'm trying to remember if that has an oil bath filter. If it does, wash and reoil it.
C
 
I agree on what the boys are telling you, definitely a fuel problem.
Remove your carburetor and give it a good cleaning, check it to see see if you have water in your gas and also check your gas cap vent.
I just picked up a 1947 Gibson tractor, I found it sitting in an old barn, my wife said I was just as excited as if it had been a old Dodge.

Kenny
 
Heres a thought. Fuel/Air mixture? May have plenty of fuel but TOO much air if your having to choke it for more fuel? Could you have a broken pipe from the breather to the carb thus letting the wrong mixture? Take a look.
Small Block
 
My guess is carb. Updraft type? I`ve never owned or worked on old tractors, but maintain my old industrial L head engine on a welding machine. Remember the old farts beating on carbs with a hammer? well, their`s a method to the madness. 50 plus years later they still use the same style carb casting, although with a electrical fuel shutoff solinoid, nothings changed. I believe your float is hanging up. It can hang to kill fuel or flood also. This is very tricky to tweek float not to hang on its full swing. You cant see it, you have to assemble and listen carefully, tilting the carb back and forth to hear if float is hanging up. have fun, I did`nt, aprox. 20 r/r to finally figure what was going on.:banghead: Hopefully you`ll benifit from my agonizing effort.
 
If it starts doing this as it gets hot I am wondering what your compression is, or is it boiling the gas and vapor locking maybe.
 
I have a 49 8N. Mine got like that and I went through the carburetor and that fixed it right up. BUt before I put it back on, I removed the fuel tank, flushed it out and put in a new sediment bowl....cause mine was really nasty and I also added an electric fuel cut off solenoid. Those down drafts are bad about letting fuel just drip through them even in good shape. What I found with mine was, those really small holes in the main jet can get clogged. You need to clean them out with something like a welding tip cleaner. That's what I ues. It works good.
 
By the way, "generally speaking", many tractors don't generate enough fuel pressure from gravity feed to get fuel through an inline filter, especially if there's some debri /dirt involved.
 
67Dart273 said:
By the way, "generally speaking", many tractors don't generate enough fuel pressure from gravity feed to get fuel through an inline filter, especially if there's some debri /dirt involved.
Click to expand...

Puzackly spot on. So sometimes, if you prefer runnin a filter, settin the choke at half mast or a little less might end up bein normal. It won't hurt a thing anyway.
 
I,d throw a gauge on the fuel line between the fuel pump and carb . Assuming this model does have a fuel pump. if the pressure drops as it runs I would think its picking up trash in the tank. I,m glad my 60 Fordson has a perkins diesel. I can check for fuel by loosening an injector line.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I really need to get this tractor going so I can disc my land and keep the city off my back. Right now I changed the points, condenser, and am in the process of setting the timing. I have a lame question though so don't make fun of me.
While changing the cap I kind of messed up the order of the wires so now I'm using a little diagram to get them back where they should. Since I changed the points how do I set the distributor/rotor in the right place so I get the order correct? Do you guys get what I mean?
 
Did you take the distributor out?
 
I'm gonna assume you took the distributor out. First, determine which way the distributor turns. You may need to just stab it in anywhere and bump the engine with the starter to tell. Then, remove the distributor. Next, remove number one plug. Have someone bump the engine until you just begin to feel compression blow your finger out of the spark plug hole. Then find the timing mark on the balancer and bring it and line it up with zero on the timing tab. That's TDC. Now just pick a hole on the distributor and call it number one. It don't make a rat's *** which one it is. If there's a "1" marked on the cap, use it. Line the rotor up with that hole on the cap and stab the distributor in. Put number one plug wire in the hole the rotor's lined up with. The firing order is 1-2-4-3. Whichever way you determined the distributor was turning, just follow on around in that direction with 2, 4 and 3. Done. fire it off and time it with your light. Even if you didn't remove the distributor, you can still follow these deestruckshuns.
 
StrokerScamp said:
Did you take the distributor out?
Click to expand...

Nope I changed the points and condenser with the distributor still in. However dummy here, (me), was in a hurry out in the field and didn't keep all the plug wires in order while changing all these things. :angry7:
 
StrokerScamp said:
I'm gonna assume you took the distributor out. First, determine which way the distributor turns. You may need to just stab it in anywhere and bump the engine with the starter to tell. Then, remove the distributor. Next, remove number one plug. Have someone bump the engine until you just begin to feel compression blow your finger out of the spark plug hole. Then find the timing mark on the balancer and bring it and line it up with zero on the timing tab. That's TDC. Now just pick a hole on the distributor and call it number one. It don't make a rat's *** which one it is. If there's a "1" marked on the cap, use it. Line the rotor up with that hole on the cap and stab the distributor in. Put number one plug wire in the hole the rotor's lined up with. The firing order is 1-2-4-3. Whichever way you determined the distributor was turning, just follow on around in that direction with 2, 4 and 3. Done. fire it off and time it with your light. Even if you didn't remove the distributor, you can still follow these deestruckshuns.
Click to expand...

Cool thanks StrokerScamp.
 
Then just follow what I told you and you'll get her goin in no time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top