Ford NAA runs BAD!. The fuel .. the cure

[tmajor]

Hi Gang,
For the last couple of years, while brush hogging the fields, the tractor has NOT run good at all! I thought maybe, it was a "fur ball" or something from ethanol, but have never been able to pin anything down. It did seem like every time I dropped the fuel bowl and screen, it would run better ... for a while.

Yesterday, same thing ... so I got in touch with "SoundGuy", while he had suggestions, he didn't jump on anything in particular. Because of his background and knowledge, I doubted, that it was an inherent Ford problem.

What the tractor was doing: after it warmed up, it would start to act like it was running out of gas .... kind of on/off. If I pulled the choke out, it would smooth the engine, but never seemed like it was getting "too much gas". It seemed to get worse, as it got warmer. It also, seemed to run smoother with more load (higher/denser hay/weeds) and more throttle.

Last night, when I quit mowing, I felt the carb and the full length of the fuel line, I found, one area of the fuel line particularly HOT, where it was closest to the exhaust manifold.

This morning, I visited a couple of the auto parts stores for some heat tape or whatever. The first place, had just sold all they had to the boat dealer, as he had an engine with the fuel line boiling. "BOILING" ... that's what I have !! So, I felt I was on the right track. Ethanol fuel boils at a lower temperature than regular gas.

I couldn't easily find any wrap, so came home and made my own. I wrapped the fuel line with 3/8" fiberglass flat stove seal rope, and then wrapped that with aluminum duct tape.

The tractor purred like a Ford, today. While I've always felt, that the problem was due to ethanol fuel, I wasn't looking at this aspect of things. If your gas tractor isn't running "right", ... maybe.

 

[w12kpm0w40]

Sherlock Holmes would be proud
my problem is EXACTLY what yours "was"
I will try it you can be sure it makes sense!
You sold me with what you had tried w/ choke
a friend has suggested I add lead to my tank every 3rd tankful what do you say

Hi Gang,
For the last couple of years, while brush hogging the fields, the tractor has NOT run good at all! I thought maybe, it was a "fur ball" or something from ethanol, but have never been able to pin anything down. It did seem like every time I dropped the fuel bowl and screen, it would run better ... for a while.

Yesterday, same thing ... so I got in touch with "SoundGuy", while he had suggestions, he didn't jump on anything in particular. Because of his background and knowledge, I doubted, that it was an inherent Ford problem.

What the tractor was doing: after it warmed up, it would start to act like it was running out of gas .... kind of on/off. If I pulled the choke out, it would smooth the engine, but never seemed like it was getting "too much gas". It seemed to get worse, as it got warmer. It also, seemed to run smoother with more load (higher/denser hay/weeds) and more throttle.

Last night, when I quit mowing, I felt the carb and the full length of the fuel line, I found, one area of the fuel line particularly HOT, where it was closest to the exhaust manifold.

This morning, I visited a couple of the auto parts stores for some heat tape or whatever. The first place, had just sold all they had to the boat dealer, as he had an engine with the fuel line boiling. "BOILING" ... that's what I have !! So, I felt I was on the right track. Ethanol fuel boils at a lower temperature than regular gas.

I couldn't easily find any wrap, so came home and made my own. I wrapped the fuel line with 3/8" fiberglass flat stove seal rope, and then wrapped that with aluminum duct tape.

The tractor purred like a Ford, today. While I've always felt, that the problem was due to ethanol fuel, I wasn't looking at this aspect of things. If your gas tractor isn't running "right", ... maybe.

View attachment 274769

 

[murphy1244]

Sherlock Holmes would be proud
my problem is EXACTLY what yours "was"
I will try it you can be sure it makes sense!
You sold me with what you had tried w/ choke
a friend has suggested I add lead to my tank every 3rd tankful what do you say

Lead would help, Next top end rebuild put in hardened exhaust seats and stainless valves.

 

[tmajor]

Sherlock Holmes would be proud
my problem is EXACTLY what yours "was"
I will try it you can be sure it makes sense!
You sold me with what you had tried w/ choke
a friend has suggested I add lead to my tank every 3rd tankful what do you say

The biggest problem for me, trying to figure this out, was that you expect a "new" problem .. water in the gas, dirty filter, dirt in the carb, something worn out, etc.. You don't expect a gas line, which has been there forever, with no problem, all of a sudden being too close and over heating. If I had repositioned the gas line or cut a new one, the problem might have come to mind earlier.

 

[RickB]

Lead would help, Next top end rebuild put in hardened exhaust seats and stainless valves.

Not sure how new valves & seats will keep ethanol from boiling in the supply tubing. Please explain.
The only consistent advantage to the use of lead additives goes to those who make and sell it.

 

[murphy1244]

I talking about your no lead problem.

 

[RickB]

I talking about your no lead problem.

Unleaded gas is only a problem for those who become convinced that it is by those who profit from that belief.
Most of these engines have been run on unleaded fuel for more hours than they ever were run on leaded gas.

 

[murphy1244]

Unleaded gas is only a problem for those who become convinced that it is by those who profit from that belief.
Most of these engines have been run on unleaded fuel for more hours than they ever were run on leaded gas.

Whatever

 

[fxrnaa]

Just for interest sake........ I had a 54 Allis WD45, it would run fine and then sputter and quit, I would tow it back to the yard,
try to start it and would run fine, take it out again and the same thing, finally decided it may be a fuel supply issue so pulled
the tank and found a plastic gas cap lid in the tank, the thing would settle to the bottom of the tank and was just the
right size to cover the tank depression where the gas line enters the tank, so when the thing rattled to the bottom
it would cut off the fuel.
Also had a NAA that had years of crud built up in the tank, cleaned out the tank, it ran fine until more crud broke loose, finally
replaced the tank and never had a problem.
Now I've got a Ford 3000 to restore and the first thing I'll do is replace the tank. I think its good insurance.

 

[Soundguy]

clean it anyway....