Super C Intermittent Sputtering

DanMD · Jul 5, 2015

Hello,

I have a fairly new to me Super C. It runs really good except for on two occasions now it will start sputtering and stumbling for a minute or two and then clear up. The first time it only did it once after running a few hours and I didn't worry much about it. Now yesterday it gave me fits for the first hour of trying to mow. It died on me a few times and then finally cleared up and mowed good for the last few hours.

When this happens I see no smoke coming out of the muffler. If I pull the choke out at all, it doesn't help. When I looked in the gas tank it looked pretty clean, but maybe I got something floating around in there. The tractor has new plugs, wires, points, and condensor. I also replaced the springs in the distributor. Does this sound like a fuel delivery problem or a random electrical problem?

Thanks for any ideas,
Dan

DeltaRed · Jul 5, 2015

Could be several things.Gas,an intermittent interuption in gas flow (unlikely). Or electrical. My guess is the new condencer is
bad,pretty common these days.If you still have the old condenser,put it back on.See if that helps. Or could be plug wires. If the
new 'wires' are the silicon suppressor type.Those silicone wires are junk on an old tractor.Take them off and throw them away.
Get some 'real' wire plug wires.

CharlieNJ · Jul 5, 2015

Often times its hard to tell right away whether you have a spark or fuel problem. So you have to solve that first. When the tractor acts up, you should do two tests. For spark, with the tractor in neutral, ignition switch on, crank the engine while holding the coil wire about a quarter inch from the block. Should be a nice blue regular spark. For fuel, use a container to catch the fuel as you drain the carburetor bowl, you should get a good thick stream of fuel for several minutes.
That said, your problem sounds to me like you might have something floating in the tank. Look real well with a small led flashlight. Only take a little piece of leaf or debris to clog the top of the fuel filter.

Gary Mitchell · Jul 5, 2015

A bottle of "Heat" or some other water absorber wouldn't cost much.

agauthier · Jul 6, 2015

Hi Dan,

I had the same issue yesterday mowing with a Super C, and I tried two things (1. I bent the spring in the distributor ever so slightly towards the
post, 2. I dumped a bottle of Sea Foam into the gas tank). Unfortunately, I tried them at the same time, so I don't know which one was the fix,
but I mowed for two or three hours after that with no issues. Pretty easy fixes though if they work.

Good luck,
Aaron in NH

AKwelder · Jul 8, 2015

mine was totally erratic, and sounded much like yours, turned out after new ignition parts, carb, every type of adjustment, re tune up, new head gaskets and on and on it was the governor buffer spring.

if nothing else just pull it out and flush out the socket of the spring with Brake Kleen.

Good luck

DanMD · Jul 9, 2015

(quoted from post at 03:31:54 07/09/15) mine was totally erratic, and sounded much like yours, turned out after new ignition parts, carb, every type of adjustment, re tune up, new head gaskets and on and on it was the governor buffer spring.

if nothing else just pull it out and flush out the socket of the spring with Brake Kleen.

Good luck

Is there anything to watch out for pulling this spring out? Or is it as simple as unscrewing it and keeping track of the number of turns?

Thanks,
Dan

Super C Intermittent Sputtering

DanMD

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DeltaRed

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CharlieNJ

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Gary Mitchell

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agauthier

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AKwelder

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DanMD

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