Keeping the carb from freezing when plowing snow.

Well, doesn't look like a new tractor is in the cards this year so the 53 super H will be pulling driveway clearing duty this winter again. Last winter I had issues with the carb freezing up. She runs like a champ in spring, summer and fall but when there is snow on the ground it will run good for about 15 minutes under load then stall out. I let is sit for about 15 minutes and she is good to go for another round. I could see ice and frost on the carb. I have seen some old pictures of farmall in winter with some type of shroud on the engine compartment, I guess this was to combat the freezing? Anyone else having or had this problem? How did you solve it? Could I wrap a heavy canvas tarp around the engine compartment to solve it?
thanks
Jim

The best solution to that freezing problem in the winter is to make a shroud that encases the outside of the muffler. Run a hose from that directly into the intake of the air cleaner. All later model cars with carburetors used a heat stove off the manifold and directed the warmed dried air into the air cleaner. They of course used a thermostatic shutter control valve so when air was warmer it took in cooler air. This does not mean to draw exhaust into engine, just the heated dried air from around the exterior of the muffler. Some one even sells this unit but I have no idea who it is as most are just locally fabricated.

Fashion a heat shield around the exhaust manifold and the carb. Doesn't take much heat to prevent carburetor icing.

Keep heat on it and make sure the tractor has a hot thermostat. The heat from the engine will tend to help keep the manifold warm.

May sound odd but open up the main jet a half turn of so. When cold you need a richer mixture to run well and carb icing is normal and part of the way atomizing of the gas works. Even in the summer you can have carb icing. That is also why the heater cab that are a tarp over the engine work so well. It keep the engine area warm and the driver warmer

I like Pete23's answer for a best solution. Putting cardboard side panels on both sides of the enging directing radiator heat and manifold heat into the (now closed) compartment will make a difference. Jim

Problem is with cardboard and the hot exhaust can cause a fire due to the fact cardboard will catch fire at 425 degrees. That is why I said the heater cab which is a canvas trap and bows out from the radiator fan

Have you drained the carb. to make sure there is not water inside it that is freezing and blocking the fuel flow till the engine heat thaws it again?

boys, I think part of the problem here is, the fact of running of low octane 97 gasoline. [these fuels now days are being blended with at least 10 sometimes 15% ethanol in some areas in the summer months, and these types of fuel have a lot of water in them]
a couple other things not mentioned here is the facts

1] if this is a tractor that is not used all the time and the fuel was purchased in the summer months, fuel that is refined in the summer months have higher amounts of ethanol which contains a lot of water, fuel that is refined for winter use has additives to offset the effects of ethanol due to freezing.
2] plus the fact that these tractors were designed to run on ethyl[premium] leaded gasoline, not this "cheap" (lol) 97 octane no lead or unleaded gasoline's available today, if my memory serves me correctly, the octane of ethyl[premium blend] gasoline was around 104 to 106 octane maybe more. I think that some co-ops still offer 100% gasoline, with no alcohol added, and if you cant find 100% gasoline, then I would recommend that you run premium winter blend fuel and even add a container or two of "heat" or some other brand of gas line antifreeze and even add some octane booster.
one other thing that I have ran into and I would check is, that the screens that you buy at case IH now days, that goes into the sediment bulbs at the bottom of the tank now is made of plastic, I would make sure that the ethanol has not deteriorated, or plugged this screen. the original were made of brass,

I would also check the screen [if it has one], at the end of the fuel line, just before going into the carbonator to see if it is clean and not plugged as well.

hope these tips might help you solve your problem.

Thanks for the responses. When I started having the issues last winter the first thing I did was drop the carb and check the float and readjusted. I removed the fuel line and cleaned the screens. I also drained the gas and added new gas. This all made it run a little better but did not fix the problem. I use it every 2 weeks to finish mow about 5 acres.

1- Id like to know where you get low octane 97, hopefully just a typo on your part. The octane issue has been beat to death over the years, and has nothing to do with his problem.

2 - Again, octane level has been beat to death on this board, and again, is not his issue.

3 - "Originally" they were designed to run on kerosene, so that point is irrelevant. Even Supers were available in a kerosene model.

This problem is common to Farmalls, supposedly. Ive never had one freeze up before. Got condensation on it, yes, but never freeze up, or ice over.

The shiels you seen was for the dual fuel systems and would work just fine for you providing the manifold has a boss for it to attach to as those manifolds were made for them. You can make a simple shield to warm the carb . That problem has been around since time your car even did that before fuel injection you just didnt see it. All carbs can get frost due to the weather its not the fuelas it is IN the carb. You mite be better if you used some cardboard in front of the radiator to make the engine run a little warmer so quit worrying about the fuel as airplanes with piston engine have the same problem.

We used to just wedge about a 2x2 foot piece of sheet metal between the frame and the engine block to hold heat from the engine around the carb. I guess it did something similar to what Pete was suggesting just simpler.

Yes, anything you can do to keep it warmer will
help. If you ever see my tractors in their winter
clothes you will find them well wrapped up.
Cardboard, tarpaulins, salt sacks, etc.

I have a 67 Ford truck that will do that for the same reason--it is drawing cold air into the carburetor. The truck has an oil bath air cleaner as well which means that it too does not get heated like a modern vehicle. The carburetor would ice up on the inside when I was rolling down the highway causing the accelerator pedal to stick. I had to either reach down and pull it up by hand or shut the truck off and coast to a stop.

The simplest solution was to add a few ounces of methyl hydrate (gas line antifreeze) to the gas tank each time I filled up in cold weather. No more problems. In your case, I am not sure if it is caused by the moisture in the gas, moisture in the cool air, or both.

I had same trouble on Farmall B and I made a device to suck air from around muffler and down air intake stack of air cleaner and it works great. If you look close in picture you can see it.

It appears he is somebody repeating something they heard without having a clue what they are talking about. Low octane at 97? LOL.

I've had the carb freeze up in cold temperatures - the cure was to add Iso Heat, a alcohol product - at about double the recommended rate.

Have you looked at a HeatHouser or similar housings? They are still available new and used. They are canvas enclosures with engine side panels that funnel warm air off the radiator back to the operator. They really help keep the operator warmer in winter and would do the same for the carburetor. You may have to restrict the grill openings to speed warmups.

Is the small hole in the bottom of your manifold open and blowing out exhaust?
My H's had that hole plugged up with rust so no air would come out.

Randy