460 Flooding when trying tout start

I acquired a 460 gaso. The Robles is when trying to start tractor it floods. Carburetor had needle and float. Tractor did start after sitting in heated building for a number of days. Outside now and flooded when trying to start. Please help, at watts end, going to be my loader tractor this winter, just got lucky so far on minimal snow.

#1 check the air cleaner and make sure it is not clogged up and that the oil cup is full of oil not water and mud or if cold enough not full of ice.

#2 is the float level set correctly??

#3 is the float needle one of those rubber tipped ones?? If it is and you just replaced it you need to put a set in the tip. To put a set in the tip you drop the needle in the seat and tap on it a few times. Pull it back out and you should see a sort of ring i nthe rubber tip. That is what is called a set.

#4 are you holding the choke on to long or is it maybe stuck closed
#5 do you have a good blue/white spark at all the plug wired that will jump a 1/4 inch gap or more??

A trick I do with my 606, same engine, leave the fuel shut off at the tank until it pops, then turn the fuel on. that way if it does flood its only the amount of fuel that was in the carbs fuel bowl. the up draft carbs will flood easily if they do not fire right up, all the fuel that was sucked up will run right back down the manifold to the carb

Air cleaner good. Mechanic said he changed needle sets and float, not sure with what type. Spark good. Choke working fine. Cranked fine, popped once then flooded. How do I set the float? Not very mechanical, but have to try and do on own now.

Well, there is flooding and there is perceived flooding. Actual flooding is excessive fuel in the combustion chambers, wetting down the spark plugs so they won't fire. Gasoline running out of the inlet or drip port on carburetor is often the product of just trying to get it started. The gasoline that is not pulled up into the engine merely settles down in the bottom of carburetor and runs out. Improper choking procedure or low cranking speed is the usual cause of gasoline dripping. If it drips or runs out of carburetor when engine is standing before attempting to start , then you indeed have a carburetor problem. Pull a spark plug and if it is wet, it is actually flooded and will have to sit for a considerable length of time or plugs pulled and dried off.

So I guess at this point the first thing you need to do is go an get a repair manual for that tractor. An I-T IH-25 is a pretty good one to have and it will explain how to set the float. You also might try replacing the plugs. I would get a set of NGK spark plugs sorry do not know the number you would need but I have found the NGK plugs help on engines that do not start easy

That is the best advice you can get. I consistently do that on my M's. An M will run about 30 seconds with the fuel shut off. Also always tap lightly on the
carb. bowl if it has been sitting. This helps the float. Ellis

I will second the NGK plugs. They have fixed so many fussy engines from weed wackers, chainsaws, garden tractors and on up. My Ford Expedition has a set of NGK irridium plugs. Dont' forget a little dab of Copper never seize. Japanese and Chinese engines just Love them! We had a 460 many years ago and it always started. What I can remember is choke on ...and choke off. Only a Short time. Easy to flood. The other thing was the up draft would frost up when the humidity was high during cold weather. Couple of times spreading the daily poop you would need to carry a bucket of hot water and dribble it one the intake or the tractor would stall. Very seldom, but it would now and then.

Does it fire at all and try to run? If it does, next time you get it running spray some starting fluid around the intake and see if it surges. If it does, you need an intake gasket.

Let's see here a 460 gasser that will not start setting out ion the cold ?? Where do you want to start ?? (1) not enough battery to crank the engine fast enough, (2) starter that is in need of a rebuild and not turning the engine fast enough and drawing to many amps,(3) engine needs a good tune up , (4) Carb needs to be set correctly , (5) May need to check the manifold gskt and manifold for for being tight as it maybe sucking air . (6) learn the porper use of the choke , (7) Have a good grade of gas and making sure that it is FRESH gas not last springs gas. (8) check all wiring and make sure that some yahoo did not do a barnyard rewire and that you are getting full voltage to the coil on startup . When i have a 460 gasser back in 77 it was setting outside during the blizzard in -35 below in a sixty MPH wind covered in a snow drift and it started with 30 weight oil in the crankcase , no it did not spin over vary well but it did start and the next year it was five degrees colder and my 706 gasser started after setting four months with out being started with the same oil . So you have a lot of other problems as to WHY your 460 will not start and i am not able to see what your working with , but a good day working on it and some green backs will solve your problem . Start with a Major tune up and that is valve adjustment done correctly and what i mean here is paying attention to your rocker arms for the ware pattern and setting the valves so that your feeler gauge is not bridging the ware on the rocker arm to the stem as this will give a false setting , next check the manifold bolts for tightness , the correct plugs (use 386or3116 Autolites. Soild core spark plug wires , a new cap and rotor , good quality points and cond. set ignition timing at rated engine RPM make sure that the starter is working properly and not dragging and the brushes are good . A good high cranking amp battery , and good quality gas that is less then 30 days old . And last but not least and engine that has good compression because if it is a plum wore out engine your spitting in the wind .