Ford 2000 fuel/carb

[ldammeyer]

It has been one thing after the other with my 3 cylinder gas burner this spring/summer after running like a top for years....so here goes.

Earlier this spring I went to start my tractor and it would not start - valves were stuck from not putting Stabil in gas over winter.

After fixing and reassembling it will start, run for 2 minutes at idle, and then just plain stop.

I went ahead and removed the fuel pump from the loop and still the same thing.

Today I replace the fuel shut off assembly and reintroduced the fuel pump to the loop - same result...runs 2 minutes, stops dead.

But, with the fuel pump back in loop it wont restart at all.

This time I hooked the fuel line straight into the carb - same result, starts, runs 2 minutes, stops dead.

All lines have been removed and blown out, most have been replaced with new lines - there is an inline filter right before it goes in the carb....on a few experimentation runs i removed it to see if it was culprit...same results with or without it in loop.

This is driving me crazy, I have worked on it 6 hours today.....

Does anyone know if the pump has to be purged or primed to work....could it have seized up from bad gas too? If so, I have a spare pump but it looks almost impossible to change without removing the radiator.

Could it be the old Holley carburetor? Seems most posts say dump the Holley and get a zenith...lot of $$$, but time/value is in play now...

I did notice on close inspection that the gas line from the shutoff valve has tight bend that looks to restrict gas flow, maybe under load that is an issue...will replace tomorrow.

Any suggestions, observations, etc would be great.....

Thanks everyone.....I

 

[Soundguy]

i bet ya the flaot is stuck, not letting much fuel into the bowl... thus letting it starve out faster than replenished.. then you let it set and it fills back up..

 

[Ultradog MN]

Just to remind you there are no less than Four (4) filters in that system.
One is the strainer/shutoff valve at the bottom of the tank which it sounds like you changed. Next is a screen in the top of the fuel pump. Next is inside the sediment bowl behind the carb and lastly in the brass fitting that screws into the carb itself.
A couple of thoughts here:
I have never had good luck resealing the the screen in the top of the pump.
Always leaked afterwards.
Nowadays for $35 I just replace the whole pump.
The sediment bowl also has a filter in it. There are about a gazillion little star shaped brass plates stacked on the center rod. The center rod can be unscrewed so the little plates are loose and then blow out with compressed air
The screen in the carb is scintered brass. You may have to soak it in carb soak to get it clean.
I would insure you have good fuel flow at all four places before messing with the carb.
Good lick.

 

[ldammeyer]

Just to remind you there are no less than Four (4) filters in that system.
One is the strainer/shutoff valve at the bottom of the tank which it sounds like you changed. Next is a screen in the top of the fuel pump. Next is inside the sediment bowl behind the carb and lastly in the brass fitting that screws into the carb itself.
A couple of thoughts here:
I have never had good luck resealing the the screen in the top of the pump.
Always leaked afterwards.
Nowadays for $35 I just replace the whole pump.
The sediment bowl also has a filter in it. There are about a gazillion little star shaped brass plates stacked on the center rod. The center rod can be unscrewed so the little plates are loose and then blow out with compressed air
The screen in the carb is scintered brass. You may have to soak it in carb soak to get it clean.
I would insure you have good fuel flow at all four places before messing with the carb.
Good lick.

Ok, I will check all of this....I have no plans of removing the pump if I can avoid it....I can't see any way to remove it without major front end disassembly...even with a crows foot the inboard bolt is just impossible to get to...I did buy a pump and it is on standby....I removed the sediment bowl as I had hired a 'tractor repair guy' on Craigslist who started cutting and bending and pretty much made everything around the carb unusable and was the one who removed the fuel pump originally) Right now I have the fuel flow from the shutoff/strainer to the pickup side of the pump (since the man mentioned above and cut out the fuel pump I think the schematics in my manual state the pickup line is the one that runs below the pump above the crankshaft pulley) and then through the fuel pump and across and in front and top of the valve cover back down through an inline filter (replaced the sediment bowl with this) And into the carb. I am not aware, nor have I ever seen a screen in the carb...but I have never looked at it myself as I had a mother person rebuild the carb.....

So yes, I have had no less than 3 sets of eyes and hands on different parts of this fuel system ....

I am thinking the flow of fuel through the carb must be my culprit as it runs, like clockwork, and then shuts down....then, as you mention and after about 5 minutes it starts again and runs wonderful..

I will now remove the carburetor and take it to a local carb shop and let them do their thing and in the meanwhile will replace the fuel line from the shutoff/strainer to what I 'think' is the fuel pump pickup.....if anyone needs to correct me, please let me know.

Thanks for all of the help and suggestions.

 

[barbqranch]

A silly question. Are you certain it is fuel and not electrical?

 

[ldammeyer]

A silly question. Are you certain it is fuel and not electrical?

Can't figure it's electrical as I have spark to all Cylniders and runs like top for 2 minutes, the cuts/sputters out .. Do you think there's a relay n the system that is popping out?

 

[Down South]

I would ask , When it quits- pull the plug on the bottom of the carb to see if you have fuel flow.

Also catch this to see how much crud is in the fuel to boot.

I recently fixed a tractor that must have been sabotaged, must have had 5 gal of dirt put in the tank.
Everything had crud in it.

If you do it could be the coil getting warm/hot and quitting,or condenser or points closing up or poor electrical connection etc.

DS

 

[Ultradog MN]

A couple of thoughts here.
First of all as barbqranch suggests do not assume it is fuel and not electrical. The next time you run it and it shuts down on you immediately pull a plug wire and VERIFY that you have a bright bluish white spark that will jump at least 3/8". See pic.
Secondly the fuel systems on these gassers are kind of doohicky with lines running from the tank to the front of the engine and then back round a bout to the carb. When they are in good order they are a good system but they can be a pia to service. A thought I've had before is to just put an electric fuel pump on it. Small pump and filter could be had at Napa, etc for under $40 and would sure shorten up all those fuel lines. Mind you I would Never use rubber hose to run the fuel lines on a tractor because of the potential for fire. Use steel brake lines.
Lastly It doesn't sound like you are doing too much of the work on this yourself. If I had to pay someone to rebuild a Holley carb I would Not do it.
I would simply bite the bullet and buy a new Zenith. The Holleys are fussy darned things and I wouldn't bank on someone who hasn't rebuilt a few of them to take one on cold and get it right the first time.

 

[Soundguy]

i agree.. if i had a holley that was being snobby.. i'd get a zenith...

more hungry.. but works.

soundguy

 

[Graemet]

Giday, Bit late but I had the same trouble had Holley carb rebuilt still no difference ran a bit then died. Worked out it was fuel pump to hard to get off so put a 4-5 psi electric one on and now it runs good as gold starts great and runs for hours.
Cheers