Farmall super A wont start

maybe c

Member
Hello,
I'm new to tractors, but know some mechanics. My super A has was restored and ran like a dream but after sitting for to 2 cold months it won't start. The distributor cap was very corroded, I cleaned it up. I was thinking next of starting on the carb. Does anyone know what the screw on the bottom is or should I drop the 4 screws and bowl to see if the float is stuck? My property is remote so I don't have access to much or anyone to help. Any advice is much appreciated. ( haven't been able to find a 6 volt battery, I've been starting it lately with the hand crank)
 
Any good auto parts store can get you a 6 volt battery in 24 hours or less and if it has a distributor you have to have a battery that has a good charge for it to run at all. Trouble shooting 101 come it play before you start buy parts.
#1 you need to have a good blue/white spark at all the plugs and out of the center wire in the distributor cap. Weak or no spark means NO run.
#2 on the bottom of the carb is a drain plug it is likely to look like a small pipe plug. Pull it out and make sure you have a good steady flow of gas for 3 minutes and in that time it should fill a pint jar.
By the way for just a short time you can use a 12 volt battery to try to start it with as long as you do not run it a long time. If you where to run it a long time you can burn the points and maybe burn the coil out but for say 5 minutes or so just to see if it is a battery problem your ok
 
Remember the charging system will not like 12v good way to fry the gen and reg. If you do use 12v to start take the wire off the starting post or remove the batt wire on the reg that way 12v doesent get to the gen.
 
I was shocked when i called around & the only batt that will fit is 3 hrs away. I started it easily with the hand crank last time it ran. Do you think I can use the battery from my pick up truck. I have a new cap and rotor coming in the mail but cleaned the old one enough for a start I think. I would like to start and let it run with my truck battery to determine if its the carb or not. Thanks
 
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nice looking tractor.

if you have a helper, pull the tractor to start it. if there is any run in it it will start..
 
I didn't think of that, great idea! Unfortunately if it doesn't work I can't get it back up my driveway as the pulling truck couldn't get back out so ill keep trying other ways for now. Thanks
 
Well if the Y-R is working as it should be your charging system will never know it has a 12 volt battery since the V-R will turn it off
 
Where I am in Maryland they said they didn't know or not if it would fit in the box, but they should.
 
I have started and ran 100s of tractors with 12 volt batteries even with them being 6 volts and have yet to ever have a problem
 
Im getting no whete with the hand crank. Tomorrow ill hook my truck battery to it will leads since it wont fit in the box. I switch the red and black on the 12v terminals since its a 6v system?
I think I can test for spark etc better while turning it over. If not ill move on to the carb, which has always leaked nut I was told it was "normal" meaning they all seem to do it
 
I was told if I jump start a tractor from my truck to go from red to black, black to red do you think that would be the same if I put a 12 volt battery in the tractor?
Thanks
 
First check if you're getting spark. If not - I'd have to assume your points need cleaning.

It could be as simple as that - and it often is.

Pull the fuel line at the carb, make sure you've got gas flowing TO the carb.

I also read further down that you were hand cranking it. Is it a distributor - or magneto? If it's not magneto, you can forget hand cranking.

If it is magneto, and it's a new-to-you tractor, I'd still forget hand cranking. If it's not set up right, it can kick the crank backwards, and it's not worth the risk. Once you get more familiar with the tractor and its workings, then think about hand cranking as an option.

If you are going to to continue hand cranking anyways - those engines are VERY susceptible to flooding. And once flooded, you'll hand crank yourself into a stroke before you ever get it started.

Here's what works for me - my super A went for years with no starter, so I did this constantly.

Make sure you're in neutral.

While kill switch is "killed" - crank engine once or twice to be sure you're not in gear, while there's no chance of starting it.

Get into this habit every time you hand start - you'd be amazed how many people have run themselves over by not doing this.

To properly - and safely - crank: insert crank in the 6:00 position. Lift it loosely till it "catches" - then sharply to about the 10:00 position. If no start - pull it out and return to the 6:00 position and keep repeating. Do NOT crank it all the way around like you're winding a clock - no matter how many people you've seen do this, or how tell you it's ok - it is not.

Also note you don't have to pull with enough momentum to spin the engine over 10 revolutions - that's not how it works. One simple quick lift is all it needs. If it's going to fire it will. If this is your first time hand starting, it'll seem like it's not enough - but it is. You really only need about half to one full revolution. It's not a strength contest.

Now - before you start cranking. Open the throttle about 2/3 full. DON'T choke it - don't even LOOK at the choke. The choke was put there as a cruel joke. If you looked at it, you flooded it. Just pretend it's not there.

Try a couple cranks to see if there's gas in the carb, you might get lucky and it'll start - if it does, move quickly to the gas shutoff and turn it on - and you're good to go.

If it didn't, then open the gas, and immediately try cranking it.

If at any point you see gas dripping from the carb, you're flooded.


When you flood: Shut off the gas. If your gas line can pop right off the carb - do that to drain the remaining gas in the line. The idea here is to run the carb dry. Go full choke. Go full Throttle. Crank it 100 times till it finally sputters, then a few more times. It may start, or maybe not. Either way - once you're at the point of sputtering you have hope. Your carb is now "empty" to try again. Un-choke it, put the throttle down a bit - and go back to normal starting sequence.

If that doesn't work - then you can start wondering if your carb is clogged.

At that point I'd have somebody spray a little starter fluid in and try that a few times. It'll either just work - or only run on the fluid - or not work at all.

Each scenario points to a different problem which will then be easier to diagnose.





Pull kill switch so it CAN start.
 
Color of cables mane little or nothing you need to hook up a battery when you jump start something + to = and - to - and NEVER hook a 12 volt battery to a 6 volt battery or you can have a 6 volt battery blow up in your face and the acid can and will cause you to go blind if you get it in your eyes
 
Thank you all for the good info. I pulled the carb, it was fine. Drained a little gas with the line off the carb & cleaned the sediment bowl. I replaced the old distributor cap that was a mess as well as new wires. The crank worked in warm weather but is worthless right now. Im sure ill catch hell for this but heres what I did after reading some of the conflicting posts. The tractor is positive ground. I put my negative on the starter and positive on the frame and got one little spark.( the battery was on Its way out the night I brought it home a year ago, the seller told me to use my truck & do + to - and - to + and it fired right up, I do not know why, Im clearly no expert). When nothing happened I switched the two on the tractor and again one little spark. I imagine had I wiggled the ground around for better connection it may have started or caused damage so i stopped there.. I just need it to turn over to trouble shoot if it starts ill shut it off & wait to get a new battery. So, can someone chime in again, what if I put my 12v - on the tractor batterys + ground & 12v + to the starter post?
 
For anyone who's interested here's what I figured out. You do cross the wires. It only makes sense your negative from your truck which is ground goes to your positive to your tractor which is ground, hence sending the power to the starter from your trucks positive. the first time I did this it worked like a charm. That's not to say that couldn't cause damage. I tried it again today and nothing, I don't know yet.
 

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