Engine stalling

bones774

Member
Hi,
I picked up a 1951 TO-20 over the winter. My first tractor. I think it was a pretty nice barn find, in good condition, stored inside. It has been sitting for probably 10 years. I put a new 6 volt battery in, cleaned the points and plugs and she started up great. I hhave been starting and idling it in my garage all winter, couldn't drive it because of snow piles. So i got it out today, pulled the choke and it started right up. When i started to drive it the engine started to pulse and then stall., Started right back up again and did same thing, stalled. I drove tractor holding choke out and it didn't drive great but got me back to garage. I suspect the carb is dirty/clogged but before tearing into it should i do any other checks first?
and if it is the carb are there any do's and don'ts to be aware of?
any tricks to removal and disasembly?
Thanks
 
Congrats on the find. Definitely want to inspect the sediment bowl... Sounds as though the fuel tank may be fouled.

Try the old filling a pint jar thing by way of the carb bowl drain. See how long that takes.

Good luck , let us know what ya find.
 
I do not know the tractor as such but it is likely to be like most and have a M/S carb.
That said I would do a bit of trouble shooting then parts etc.
#1 make sure you have a good blue/white spark at the center wire of the distributor cap and at all 4 plugs that jump a 1/4 inch gap or more.
#2 pull the carb drain plug and make sure you have a good steady flow of gas that will fill a pint jar in under 3 minutes.
#3 have you serviced the air cleaner and dumped the mud and water out of it and put in new oil?
If you have a local O'Reilly's auto part store they can get you a carb kit for around $20. They carry a Walker brand kit and I use them al the time Good chance it is a 778-505A kit
 
I've removed that drain plug before, it is very tight to remove and install. Is that normal for this carb? I'm scared to remove it again and either snap the nut or strip the threads. I'm beginning to think it's fuel too. thanks
 
Start cheap. Dump a can of Seafoam into the fuel tank and see if it will clear out the carburetor passages. If it does you win. If it doesn't you wasted a few bucks.
 
Re: sediment bowl, can i turn the valve off at the bulb and remove the glass bowl w/o the gas flowing?
I also have a glass inline filter, it appears to be about 1/3 filled with gas while operating, sound right?

PS-I already did air filter clean
Thanks
 
If the valve is good that is how you keep gas from flowing from the tank. Once closed you can take the glass bowl off and clean it out good and you can take the carburetor off without gas leaking too.
 
The glass bowl is a pita to get back on without it leaking. Unless its full of sediment in the bottom I'd leave it alone. The glass filter that is half full just has some air in the line. There is probably another filter where the line connects to carb undo that and clean also tap litely on the carb to dislodge any particles stuck under the needle jet. Pulling choke to get her to run is usually a gas problem. Drain carb bowl then turn on gas to check flow.
 
Everyone mentions a big flat bluish spark, is it any different that i would see in an automotive spark. I'm used to seeing sparks on cars and i would'nt say they were big and fat, more like tiny lightning bolts on cars.
 
Color an gap the spark will jump is what counts and that is why I say jumps a 1/4 inch gap or more
 
Newer cars have electronic ignition and the spark is hot but low in amperage so it is much harder to see. The old time ignitions with points put out way more amperage so you get the fat blue spark. That's also why the plug gap changes and plugs need replacing. The higher amperage spark erodes the contacts and that changes the gap.
 
In line fuel filters do not work well on gravity flow fuels systems and the sediment bowl and the screen it should have in it is all the filter you need. I almost bet it you remove the in line filter your problem will go with that filter
 
All the inline filters I have work well. I take off the sediment bowl along with the carb filter an install a ball valve, inline filter and then whenever there's a fuel problem then I don't have to wonder which one. Only draw back other than originality is no reserve but that can also be modified.
 
Remove the inline filter and replace with a piece of tubing. If you want to put an in-line filter back on make sure it is a gravity flow filter. The sediment bowl setup does a nice job by itself
 
I didn't measure it. I just visually saw a good spark jump and tractor started so fast i left points alone.
 
You have been lucky then. I have removed so many of them over the year it is not funny due to them causing odd problems. The sediment bowl and screen is as good as any in line filter and probably bettter
 
I agree with Tom and Old. I don't like the inline filters. The sediment bowl filter should be enough. However, your problem may be in the tank. If you have rust circulating, the tractor may start and run good one time and then not the next. To be sure, you will have to remove the entire sediment bowl, not just the glass. This is a pain and requires draining the gas, of course, but might be necessary.
 
Good news for now.
I removed the plug on bottom of float bowl. The gas dribbled out irregularly, i gave the bowl a couple of smacks with a tool and the flow increased enough to fill a pint in way less than 3 minutes. Started her up and ran around fine. I sprayed some Gumont down the throat of carb and when i get to town i'll pick up some seafoam or marvel mystery. At least now i know if it happens again it's definitely fuel related, maybe stuck float or dirt got into float bowl. Thanks
 
Save your self some $$ and instead of the MMO get some ATF. ATF will do the same thing but save you a few $$. I mix 1 quart of ATF to 5 gal of gas which helps free up sticking valves and rings and clean out carbon build up and also tends to clean carb parts etc.
 
I've heard that before and was willing to give it a go. Just shopped online with one of the auto parts store, MMO was $6.49 qt, ATF ranged from $6.49-7.99. So i'll go with MMO for now, may have some slight additional proprietary ingredients.
 

Adding ATF to fuel , never heard of it before , I have a few old gummed up engines I've been given that I will try it on .
 
On and engine that is real bad 1 quart of ATF to 3 gal of gas. For normal engines 1 quart to 5 gal of gas works well. Ya they will smoke a little bit but that if ok. Help lube up the upper area of the engine and also cleans carbon etc. out and frees up sticking rings
 

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