TO-20 Not starting

kyTO20

New User
The tractor had not been run in 5 months and during the start attempt it fired up for 3 seconds and quit. After that it only turns over. Replaced the points, condensor and plugs, later the coil. Spark tester shows fire at each plug. Static timed the engine to 7BTC. Each cylinder appears to have compression when turned over with the plug removed port covered with my hand, I have not put gauge on them. The plugs I removed where wet, I drained the carb bowl and flushed with fresh fuel.Tried some starter fluid in the intake, even some WD40 in each cylinder. The only result has been an occasional popping from the carb intake. Oil pressure while cranking is about 15PSI. At this point I'm out of good ideas, this machine has been very dependable for the past 20 years.
 
(quoted from post at 00:06:48 12/27/14) The tractor had not been run in 5 months and during the start attempt it fired up for 3 seconds and quit. After that it only turns over. Replaced the points, condensor and plugs, later the coil. Spark tester shows fire at each plug. Static timed the engine to 7BTC. Each cylinder appears to have compression when turned over with the plug removed port covered with my hand, I have not put gauge on them. The plugs I removed where wet, I drained the carb bowl and flushed with fresh fuel.Tried some starter fluid in the intake, even some WD40 in each cylinder. The only result has been an occasional popping from the carb intake. Oil pressure while cranking is about 15PSI. At this point I'm out of good ideas, this machine has been very dependable for the past 20 years.

If it is popping out the intake then it is either out of time or a valve is stuck.
 
Look the cap and rotor over for carbon tracking.

How do the distributor bushings look? If they're loose the points won't stay set, they'll do strange things. Also look at the centrifugal weights, they won't keep it from starting, but they need to be free to work properly.

Have you had the distributor out? When you put it back and static timed it, did you bring #1 up on compression? Might recheck the plug wire order in the cap also.
 
The cap and rotor were also changed out and fuel is reaching the carb. I've checked the firing order and plug wiring. The distributor has not been removed. How much play is acceptable with the distributor bushings? I also wondered if the centrifugal weights were stuck and the timing is advanced. I guess with a stuck valve in the right position I could still have compression. My son-in-law thought an exhaust restriction was possible. Thank you very much for the responses.
 
My father had a 1950 TO20 and had the hardest time getting it to start. He would cuss up a storm at the darn thing and sometimes would run the battery down trying to get it to fire. I have two To20s now (my dads and another) and here is the technique I use on both. Works nearly every time...first time. (wish I had worked this technique when he was alive). This is for a cold engine or first start of the day.

Let me preface this by saying that when I park the tractor for storage, over night or for more than a few hours I turn the gas off and run the engine until the carb is dry to avoid flooding. So this technique is for a dry carb.

This for a 6V system, I have not tried it for 12V but it may also work on 12V. This also assuming that the carb and timing is set correctorly.


For warm weather.
1. turn gas on.
2. open throttle about 2 inches.
3. engage starter with the ignition switch off. While engaging the starter pull the choke out and hold it out until the oil pressure starts to register.
4. when oil pressure starts to register let go of the choke and keep the starter going. Turn on the ignition. It should start right up.

Cold weather.

With cold weather the oil is thicker and the pressure takes longer to register.

The 6V starter has a distinct rhythm to it, about once a second it repeats. Hold the choke out for sixteen of these or count to sixteen seconds while pulling the choke. After the sixteen count let go of the choke and engage the ignition. It Should start.

I hope this works for you.

Let me know if anyone else uses this technique and it works.. I am very curious about it.
 

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