engine dies when mower engaged

i just got 51 super A when i engage mower it dies, also runs like crap up hills and dies.

i have changed plugs wires cap points also rebuilt carb. it will run fine when sitting and idiling.

Partially plugged up high speed jet, (if adjustable, open the load screw) low float level will also do it, as will a leaky intake manifold. JimN

i know very little about tractors. sorry.
so where is the high speed jet? where is load screw? where & what is intake on tractor?
my carb is a zenith B if that helps?

sounds like possibly governor not functioning

Does it run poorly uphill without the mower, as well? I think that's how I read it.

The high speed jet is simply a small channel for fuel in the carburetor that supplies fuel when the tractor is running above low idle. On most of the carbs on the smaller Farmalls, it is simply that, a hole of a specific diameter machined into the body of the carb, that can get clogged or choked with varnish from old gas that has been allowed to accumulate. On the smaller tractors, there is an adjustment screw (with a spring under the head of the screw) for the IDLE jet, but none for the high-speed jet. On a few, there will be, in addition to the idle jet, which is usually near the upright throat of the carb, a screw (again with a spring under the head) for adjusting the high speed fueling rate, which, if there at all, is usually nearer the bottom of the carb. Look it over and let us know what you have.

As far as intake, that's the entire system that starts at the top of your air cleaner, and runs through the side of the air cleaner to the carb (where the fuel is added to the air), then out the top of the carb into the manifold, through the "arms" of the manifold to the head, then through the valves where the air/fuel mixture is drawn into the cylinder on the intake stroke of the piston. The trouble spots are at the joint between the carb and manifold and the manifold and the head. The problem could be that the joints aren't bolted tightly down, or deterioration of the gaskets at each joint. An easy test for that is to spray something combusible like crb cleaner around the outside of those joints with the tractor running. Any leak will draw the spray in and increase your engine speed. If no difference, you can assume they are not the problem.

For all that, it could very well be a problem with the governor. It could be as simple as an adjustment in the linkage between the governor and the carb (easily fixed and should be checked first anyway) or a matter of wear or a broken spring (the latter a good possibility if the tractor had run okay in the past and this came up suddenly) in the governor.

I'd suggest you check the intake issue first and let us know how you make out. If that doesn't take care of it, we can get on to helping with governor issues.

Sounds to me like you might do well to get some help and I don't think you are far enough along to get it here. It should not take much to get it fixed, however you do need to have a little understanding of what is going on. That or you are just going to have to let a mechanic do it. If you wish to do it yourself, you need to get a repair manual so you will know the language. Then maybe the guys here can walk you through the steps to fix your problem. Check on eBay for a reprinted manual.

yes that is correct poorly up hill even without mower engaged.
i will try all of your tips will let you know once i have completed them..
I DID NOTICE THIS TODAY WHEN RUNNING THE TRACTOR!!! WHERE THE CARB BOLTS ON TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD IT APEARED TO BE SWEATING AND WAS COLD TO THE TOUCH?? NO SMELL OF GAS!!

thought i may wanna provide more info. this is my 1st tractor. however i am very mecanically inclined.
if it where a car or a problem with my house i could fix it.. so im not totally clue less!! just new to tractors!!!
thanks for the tips and info..

Had the same problem. I'd look first at gas flow. Maybe rust in tank, sediment bulb screen plugged, or screen at fitting going into carb plugged. Should be able to take line loose or pull plug at bottom of carb and run a steady strong stream of gas into a gas can for a few minutes. lots of posts on this in archives.

post back with what you find out that fixes it.

sweating and cold is typical for a while. Same for icing up.

You sort of put your foot in your mouth any carb that was ever built would have a sweat or frost problem due to temp and RH. By using heatrisers and shields lots of the problems were helped but its not uncommon for the carb to sweat or even frost at that area.

Make sure there's good flow from the gas tank to the carburetor. The carburetor probably needs a good soaking in carburetor cleaner and all jets blown out with air and a new kit installed. That carburetor doesn't have the main jet screv that's used on the H and M Farmalls. Make sure the float is set to the proper level. Hal

I'm guessing it could be the timing. Probably has the IH side mount distributor? Try turning it a little one way or the other and see where it runs best. You should be able to jerk the throttle open and it should accelerate smoothly. If you get it timed a little fast it will start hard. Slow timing will start good but have no power.

hello all! i tried all suggestions today with no luck..
No vacum leaks around carb or intake. installed new gaskets anyway.
opened carb up again re-did all internall parts again.
pulled all plugs re-gapped .025
points re-gapped .020
firing order 1-3-4-2
button does turn clock wise if that helps?
tank drained "clean no rust"
fuel bowl clean.
new screan.
gas line free and clear.
filter at end inside of carb free and clean.
when gas line off gas runs freely.
when on carb and bolt removed runs freely.
also tried to rotate distributor minimal change.
im at a lose!!!! Im sure it will be somthing very simple that i've missed.
All parts are new. cap/rotor button/plugs/wires/points

forgot to mention this...i pulled #1 plug cranked over slowly with thumb over hole until was up on compression stroke button was pointed at #1 on cap.
tractor is in cynthiana,ky if anyone is close???

It gets back to whether this problem popped up suddenly, either on its own or after some work being done on it. It's sounding more and more like the governor.

Do you have manuals for it? If it's not a suddenly new problem (after having run just fine), it would be worth checking out the synchronization of the governor to the carb as a first step.

when i got it it seamed too run ok. had small miss. plug wires where old and cracked so i changed plugs/cap/points/rotor button/and wires.
after that it just wasnt the same???????

In that case I wouldn't worry about the governor yet and look at the spark some. Is there by chance a magneto on your tractor instead of battery/coil ignition? If so, your point gap should be .013 instead of .020. Are your new wires copper core?

it has battery/coil settup. new coil just replaced it. i'll go with probly not on the plug wires. im not too sure about the lady who works at the tractor parts store i went too..
i know i had too cut them to fit then put the metal ends on at the distributor cap..

Did it die before you replaced the spark plug wires?

Those cut-n-assemble spark plug wires are tough to work with. I was never able to insert the ends to my satisfaction. The spike never wanted to penetrate the wire; all it did was bend over and break off. You'll need to work with your local auto parts guy, but you can find spark plug wire sets premade that came off older 4-cylinder cars or trucks that will fit and do the job without those stupid ends.

Okay, things to check --

1) Make sure your coil is matched to your battery voltage (6- or 12-volt). Distributor voltage is always 6-volt. If your tractor is 12-volt, you need a coil for a 12-volt system that has either an internal resitor to pull it down to 6, or uses an inline, external resistor to do that. If your tractor is 6-volt, and you have a 12-volt coil with a resistor (internal or external) you'll be choking your input voltage down considerably.
2) Make sure the small lead going to the points in your distributor is coming from the terminal on the coil that is marked with the same polarity as your ground.
3) Double check your point gap. It should be .020 when the points are resting on a high spot on the distributor cam.
4) Maybe you just left it out, but you didn't mention changing the condensor. Do that while you've got it open to check the points. Save the old one for a backup. It may not be bad and, unfortunately, a lot of new ones are no good right out of the box.
5) Check those wires out, either on the box or if you have the scrap ends you cut off, to see if they're copper wires. Mags are downright mulish about resistor wires, and battery ignitions on the old girls aren't real happy with them a lot of times. Copper is the way to go. My NAPA guy keeps one set each of 4-,6- and 8-wire copper sets on the shelf just for guys like us.
6) Double-check your made-up ends for continuity over the length of the wires, as well as the connections to the cap and coil.

(quoted from post at 06:20:27 04/06/09) Did it die before you replaced the spark plug wires?

Those cut-n-assemble spark plug wires are tough to work with. I was never able to insert the ends to my satisfaction. The spike never wanted to penetrate the wire; all it did was bend over and break off. You'll need to work with your local auto parts guy, but you can find spark plug wire sets premade that came off older 4-cylinder cars or trucks that will fit and do the job without those stupid ends.

Click to expand...

Strip back about 3/4" of insulation, fold the wire over, and then crimp the end on, so that the wire is captured under the terminal end.

no it seamed too run ok had miss though. old wires where falling apart/boots where split etc...
so i figured why not do tune up? now i know y-not
i uywill try to correct problem. and will let you guys know.. i've only had tractor 2wks.

sorry changed condesor also.
I know my lil tractor has a genorator on it. the old coil went bad. i took it to tractor store to get new one cause i had no idea 6 or 12volt system... how do i find out?? battery doesn't say. it does have 3little white caps for water/acid.
the guy at store wasn't able to find any numbers on old coil. so he went with 6volt due to it having genorator..guessing that may be wrong?
i know the new wire's where not solid. they apeared to me strands of wires.

I belive i'll go buy new set of wires! NAPA!!! The way too go!!!

(quoted from post at 07:04:09 04/06/09)

(quoted from post at 06:20:27 04/06/09) Did it die before you replaced the spark plug wires?

Those cut-n-assemble spark plug wires are tough to work with. I was never able to insert the ends to my satisfaction. The spike never wanted to penetrate the wire; all it did was bend over and break off. You'll need to work with your local auto parts guy, but you can find spark plug wire sets premade that came off older 4-cylinder cars or trucks that will fit and do the job without those stupid ends.

Click to expand...

Strip back about 3/4" of insulation, fold the wire over, and then crimp the end on, so that the wire is captured under the terminal end.

Click to expand...

There's nothing to crimp, as the end is too flimsy and will not hold its shape. It just falls off. The only thing holding the end on the wire is the spike.

If you've got a generator and three caps on the battery, that IS 6-volt. A 12-volt woold have six caps on the battery and COULD have a generator, but more likely an alternator.

So . . . double check that you have a) a 6v coil--part number check with the parts house if it isn't stamped or printed right on it -- and b) that you have the same pole running on the small wire from the coil to the distributor as what you have grounded on the battery. Positive for both would be the standard setup.

And just for giggles, you might try popping your old condensor back in when you go in to double-check the points.

Check all that out before you go getting another set of wires. Also, if you didn't do it that way in the first place, the tip above about stripping the wire back and turning the stripped wire back over the end and onto the insulation to make contact with the terminal is a good one.

i discoverd earlier that the wires say cooper core.
however it appears that the cap/rotor/point"s. that the lady at tractor store- sold me a kit for a tractor with Magneto!! my money says that"s wrong!!

Give it a try, don't forget the condensor, and let us know how you make out.

still dies!!
new plug wires"coppercore"plugs/cap/points/
condensor/rotor button/coil/battery/
carb rebuilt! gas tank cleaned.. plenty of gas to carb.. runs great at ideal just dies out when under load or mower engaged....no vacum leaks!!!