SA 200 starting help...

   / SA 200 starting help... #1  

Arc weld

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Mar 23, 2013
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1,872
Location
Edmonton, Alberta
Tractor
MF 135
I have a 1961 SA 200 with a rebuilt Fairbanks Morse magneto and a new Zenith carb. Its been under a tarp since last fall when it ran great. I wanted to use it today and it wouldn't fire. It has spark but it seemed pretty weak. Wouldn't even fire with a small shot of starting fluid directly into the carb. There was gas at the carb but the plugs were dry when I took cyl. 3 and 4 out. Can the distributor cap and/or points get a film causing a weak spark on them from sitting for a while? I know the timing and everything is good. Is it a simple job to just check the distributor cap and points?
 
   / SA 200 starting help... #2  
Take your pocket knife to the electrodes inside the distributor cap and scrape off the crud. Rub a small piece of sand paper between the points. Same thing to the metal part of the rotor button. If you have to crank on it long, open a propane torch into the carb, (no flame).
 
   / SA 200 starting help... #3  
could be low compression from dry rings. Try a little squirt of light oil in each cylinder.
 
   / SA 200 starting help... #4  
Dry plugs usually mean no gas. Make sure the carb isn't clogged. Was the air filter on tight even if it is dirt dobbers are sneaky. Make sure they haven't plugged intake manifold. They love my weedeater and chainsaw mufflers.
 
   / SA 200 starting help...
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks for the quick responses. Shield Arc, have you ever had trouble getting any of yours going after sitting for several month's? The plugs looked perfect but had no signs of gas. There was some gas in the carb. when I took the air cleaner off. I took the plug/bolt out of the end of carb., above the distributor cap, but no gas came out of there. I thought it was the carb. drain? Should gas have poured out of there? Maybe the carb. has some crud in it too?

I saw spark but it was really small. I thought it might have at least fired on starting fluid but nothing. I was thinking maybe a little condensation in the mag. Is there anything to careful of taking the cover off to get at the points? I'll mark the plug wires and get them out of the way first.

I need the welder for a real small job. My skid steer has intermittent starting problems even with a rebuilt starter and I want to weld some new bolts on for the ground cables. The factory in their wisdom welded them on the bottom of the battery tray (behind the seat) and also the bottom in the engine bay where all the water and crud sits. They're both really rusty and I'm hoping that's what's causing the clicking when trying to start it. I'll weld them up on the side where they won't be sitting in the water and dirt.
 
   / SA 200 starting help... #6  
Yes I've had this happen several times to me, now I make it a point to start and weld with each machine at least once a month. Condensation in the mag is quite common, like you say mark the plug wires, and distributer cap. Remove the cap take a heat gun or hair dryer and warm the mag up.
 

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   / SA 200 starting help... #7  
My valves tend to stick sometimes. If it seems to crank with little compression check that out. The valves are visible through the spark plug holes and I just oil them with a little MMO and tap them down using a soft punch through the plug hole. Some day I need to take off that side cover and clean up the stems.
I like to start a reluctant engine on carb cleaner. It seems easier on the engine than Ether.
 
   / SA 200 starting help... #8  
I've froze diesel engines in welders up before by using too much ether:eek:. Then switch to WD-40. Years ago some one told me about using the propane torch, never had a problem doing that.
 
   / SA 200 starting help... #9  
If you don't get it to fire, put some oil in each cylinder and crank it over a few times to replace the oil film that the starting fluid washed away. I saw someone sieze up a car engine using starting fluid.
 
   / SA 200 starting help...
  • Thread Starter
#10  
I just used a little starting fluid to see if it fire and it didn't do anything. I'll clean the mag up and see what happens. Thanks again!
 
 
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