W-4 Won't go uphill

My W-4 runs fine in the garage once it warms up. It'll run up the highway a half mile and back just fine in road geat. But if I try to climb the steep hill out back it will only go 2 or 300 yards before dieing out. I can start it right up, but not go any further. When I turn it around it runs fine back to the barn.

It sat outside for a couple of years before I bought it. The seller got it running and drove it home for me, about 3 miles, last fall.

I do have enough fuel in the tank - probably 6 gallons or more. I am thinking fuel filter? The guy installed an in-line filter at some point. Any ideas?

Thanks,
Tim
 
Not enough fuel in the tank. when going up the hill the gas runs to the back of the tank and the level is low to enter the stand pipe on the sediment bowl.
 
The hill is steep - maybe 10% grade. How full does the tank need to be - i have 6 gallons in it at least - which would be 1/3 of a tank.

Tim
 
if you have 6 gallons in tank then no way are you getting gas deficiency climbing a hill ... just not going to happen. dip the tank your self and you will see that is totally nonsense. you would have to be climbing a wall at 90 degree's and there is still enough in tank to do that also if it was a spider man tractor.
throw that inline filter in the garbage.why do you need it when there is a sediment bowl and should be a filter at the top of it but most got taken out. there is another filter at carburator inlet also. inline filters are for a fuel pump to push gas threw them, not for gravity flow.
you have gas restriction. check the flow with sediment bowl of and continue to carb. then remove plug at bottom of carb and look for steady stream coming after bowl empties.
you basically need a complete tune up.
 
Level is NOT your problem, unless theres some funky kind of sediment bowl assembly. HAd one with a short piece of pipe installed, about an inch higher than it was suppose to be. Problem is your carb is running out of fuel First off, the filter should be for a gravity feed system, other wise it could cause the problems your having. Ill assume its OK, so Id start by check fuel supply by check flow from the tank to the carb, should be a good steady stream from the tank to the carb, Check the filter in the carb, clean as needed. With the drain on the carb open and fuel line connected, should flow a good steady stream.
 
Try the adding more gas as said and if that isn't it I would say the hill is steep enough to upset the float in carb.
 
Remove the gas line at the carburetor and see if there's a full stream of gas from the tank. If there's just a trickle there's crud in your tank blocking the gas flow. If there's full stream of gas remove the tube fitting where your gas line connects and look for a plugged screen. Also open that main jet adjusting screw near the bottom of your carburetor. Hal
 
It's real easy to tell if it's fuel level. Run the tractor up the hill until it quits, open the fuel tank and shine a flashlight into the tank.

You can see the fuel pickup hole and the fuel level in the tank.

If the tractor isn't threatening to roll over on top of you, the grade is not too steep for the tractor to stay running. The LAST thing you want a tractor to do is die on a steep hill.

You've got a fuel flow problem.
 
Does it do this anytime a sustained load is applied?Or just hill climbing?It is a fuel problem,for sure.Maybe the float is ste wrong,not letting gas into the carb.Doesnt take much to idle about the yard.Put any 'load' on it,then the defincencys will show up....
 

Unless it is acting like it is just running out of gas, I doubt if the problem is fuel related at all.

I think the problem is that the ignition timing is too slow. Check that the points are properly gapped, and then advance the distributor ever so slightly. (might take even more).

A W4 should pull a 10% grade in 4th gear without even breaking a sweat.
 
Good point rustyfarmall...

HOW is the tractor "dieing out?"

Does it spit and sputter?

Does it just slowly lose power until it stalls?

Does it suddenly stop running as if you turned it off?
 
Thank you all for the ideas.

The last owner removed the sediment bowl and put in the in-line filter. I think I will change that out first, rather than remove it as the tractor was sitting for a long time and there may be junk in the tank. I don"t know if the old guy actually used the tractor like it is now, or if the son did the fuel change after his father passed away.

When it dies, it sputters like it is fuel starved. If I push in the clutch fast enough, some times I can keep it from stalling out. It does seem to be load-related.

Tim
 
Ok. In-line fuel filter changes the game dramatically.

Unless you get the correct type of fuel filter, it can dramatically choke off fuel flow. Most inline filters are NOT meant for gravity flow systems.

If you replace the filter replace it with one meant for gravity flow systems. Biggest you can find.

I prefer sediment bowls as long as the tank is clean to begin with. Clean tank, clean gas, there's nothing to filter.

Besides, nothing that can get through the sediment bowl screen poses any threat to these old tractor engines unless there's a LOT of it. If there's a LOT of grit that fine, you really should think about getting a new gas can or finding a different fuel supplier.
 
(quoted from post at 10:39:02 03/28/14) Ok. In-line fuel filter changes the game dramatically.

Unless you get the correct type of fuel filter, it can dramatically choke off fuel flow. Most inline filters are NOT meant for gravity flow systems.

If you replace the filter replace it with one meant for gravity flow systems. Biggest you can find.

I prefer sediment bowls as long as the tank is clean to begin with. Clean tank, clean gas, there's nothing to filter.

Besides, nothing that can get through the sediment bowl screen poses any threat to these old tractor engines unless there's a LOT of it. If there's a LOT of grit that fine, you really should think about getting a new gas can or finding a different fuel supplier.

I agree 100%. If you have ever examined a sediment bowl assembly, you will notice the SCREEN that sets on top of the glass bowl is a VEY FINE mesh screen. It is every bit as fine as the filter in one of those in-line filters. Also, the sediment bowl has the ability to TRAP water BEFORE it even gets to the filter screen, and you can SEE the water and crud that has become trapped and clean it out. My advice is to get rid of that in-line filter and install a new sediment bowl. Your tractor will thank you.
 
As the tractor goes up hill, the load increases, and fuel demand increases. You are apparently getting enough gas for flat land driving only.

Fuel flow, probably due to an obstruction, is at fault.
 
never mind the clutch... pull the choke and that will tell the story. if tractor speed picks up you have starvation., adjust carb or overhaul.
 

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