Please help, my tractor won't start!

[Scotty370]

zzvybb-Wonder if anyone else is getting fed-up with this Ethanol being shoved down our throats! 15%! WOW!

 

[Soundguy]

Thanks, Mike.

If the coil is bad, will it start with a jump? Will it continue to run poorly until I get a new coil? TIA

if the coil is bad.. it's bad.. a jump won't help.

you need to narrow this to a fuel or spark issue.

check spark after charging her up.. if it's got good spark, look at fuel, air, compression and timing.

post back.

soundguy

 

[PapaPerk]

Check points, condenser, coil, etc. Points may not be gapped.

 

[Soundguy]

zzvybb-Wonder if anyone else is getting fed-up with this Ethanol being shoved down our throats! 15%! WOW!

I just had to replace a 300$ carb due to that paint thinner stuff they sell as gas nowadays.. carbinards were green and so pitted that a rebuild kit couldn't seal all the seats and flanges...

soundguy

 

[Harley T]

Soundguy,

Thanks for the response. I went to the Tractor Supply store yesterday. Magically, they had an ignition coil on the shelf. While in line to pay for it, I was shocked that the guy behind me was the person that did ALL the work on my tractor for the guy I bought it from!

He said it sounded like the ignition coil (then I showed him it was in my hands) or the condenser and/or points.

I changed the coil when I got home, but the battery was dead. Charged it up, and it started just fine. I let it run for about 10 -15 minutes, then brought it out of the garage to start plowing. As soon as the engine gets under load, it starts spitting and popping again. It died again in the driveway, and there it sits with a battery charger on it again.

Gonna buy the kit at the tractor store that has all the parts I didn't buy....condenser, points, distributor cap and more plugs. If that doesn't do the trick, don't know what I'm gonna do.

Does it still sound like the points/condenser?

Harley

 

[Soundguy]

condensors usually fail in about a minute, then can 'heal' and then fail again.

a ignition switch could fail in 10 minutes from bad contacts that heat up... easy to check by bypassing with a wire.

fuel starvation will do the same.. and 10 minutes is a good number for one to starve that has a vacume on the tank, or has insuficient flow to meet demand once not idling.

need to check spark at stall to verify.. and or do a few things like jumper around switch and remove gas cap to rule those out.

it's strange that you have to keep charging it.. that's not right...

soundguy

 

[DJ54]

Hmmm..., You know... It may not be charging, and using up the charge in the battery...

 

[Soundguy]

them ignitions DO run on electrons.... when there aren't any electrons.. um..


soundguy

 

[Harley T]

Thanks again for the responses.

As far as the battery goes, I've had to charge it a couple of times because after I try cranking it several times, there isn't enough juice to turn much. Maybe it IS the battery?

The odd thing to me is that the power drop off is when the engine is under load. It idled ok both times before it "died" regardless of how much time it had run prior.

Don't think it's fuel starvation, I can smell gas while cranking, almost like it keeps flooding itself out. Would explain why it started right up after changing the plugs a few days ago, the new ones were dry?

Going home soon to see if she starts. If so, gonna nurse it back to the garage until the points/condenser/rotor/distributor cap get delivered to the tractor store tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

Harley

 

[Soundguy]

a standard battery should have more than a few revs of cranking in it.. if not.. it's a bad battery.

and yes.. it could certaintly be flooding out.

post back what ya find ont he bat.. rule out one system at a time.

soundguy