TO-30 problem

I have been working with this for a few months now and got it to the point that I was finally able to start it with the starter. I took apart my tsx458 carb, cleaned it well and replaced some parts. A week ago I used it and noticed it was running a little rough, popping and backfiring. Thinking it was the carb, I had this issue before, I took it apart because the float likes to stick. Didn't see any issues. Before trying to start it again, I looked over the electrical end. The points came loose and was not opening all the way. This explains the backfiring. Now everything is as it should be so I try to start it. Won't start. I get out the starting fluid and it fires right up, then dies right out. I played with it for about 30 seconds and it would only run with the starting fluid. Then it stopped running altogether. I have been able to get a cylinder to fire but that is it. I am just confused that this is not running at this point. I should also add that when it did run, it ran smooth. Could the use of starting fluid have done something not good to the engine? I couldn't help but notice that when cranking afterwards, it sounded almost like there was little resistance.

Pull the drain plug on the bottom of the carb, should get a full stream of fuel. If nothing, or slows to a
drip, there is not enough fuel getting to or through the float needle valve.

Also look at the throttle and choke linkage. If either is tightly closed the engine will spin with little
compression due to lack of air to compress.

Doubt that the starting fluid did any damage. If the choke is stuck shut it could be flooded to the point of
washing down the rings. Pull the plugs, see if they are wet with fuel, if so it's flooded.

Check the spark again, be sure you're getting fire all the way to the plugs.

The plugs are dry. Fuel is getting to carb OK. I am missing the spring on the choke butterfly but it is working the way it should, I am guessing since it does run and occasionally did start.

I am always looking for spark just to keep that concern down.

I will get back to you about the throttle plate and linkage.

I am baffled by the fact that it was running on starting fluid but was not able to run on it's own carburetion. Thank you Steve.

Any other thoughts or ideas are gladly accepted.

Wow, what a temperamental beast! After a few times of cranking, it started on it's own. It ran smooth and strong. hydraulics worked and loader worked with barely a flinch in the engine. Started to move it and went down a grade in the yard and it dies! There was only about three gallons of gas in it and it all went forward, no more gas to the sediment bowl. Put more gas in it and leveled it off. Now it won't start again. This time there is no spark. Now I am going to change the plugs and put in the autolite 3116.

Would a problem with the governor or related linkage cause the engine to shut down? The tractor runs fine, sometimes for ten minutes, sometimes for two minutes, then nothing. Just like when closing the choke. It reminds me of when the shut off didn't work on my H and I had to close the choke to shut it down.

A bad coil can run for awhile and then break down once it warms up. After it cools down, it will run again.....until it warms up again.

I had bypassed the key switch to see if my new switch was the culprit, same issue. I then installed the old coil to see if it would work and to eliminate my new coil, it didn't work at all. So I am still wondering if the issue is my new coil. I may just buy another to be sure. I was talking with someone and with the fact that it just stops running, it sounds like an electrical issue. There is no spitting or sputtering, just shuts down.

This sporadic stalling is working my nerves. I don't know if it will run for a minute or an hour. I was able to use it two days ago for almost 45 minutes. Then yesterday it was only giving me 5 minutes, give or take.