Ford 600 won't start

I have a Ford 600 6 volt system that won't start. New battery, plugs, cap, rotor, etc. Carb just rebuilt. Recently it would take a lot of cranking to get it to start but it usually would. Now it's done. It is getting spark to the plugs. When I crank it with hose off air inlet to carb fuel will come out of it. Is this normal? When I pull the plugs they are dry, not fouled out. Almost like fuel isn't getting to them. I would really appreciate it if anyone has any ideas to help me get this running, it is sitting in the middle of the front yard and my wife says it is not her type of yard ornament. Thanks in advance. Joe

First of make sure the spark you have is a good blue white and will jump a 1/4 inch gap or more.
Next while spinning it over hold your hand over the air intake of the carb. You should both feel a good suction and also get gas on your hand. Shoot it may even try to start for you. If it does try to start or if your fast enough with your hand and it starts good chance the carb still needs some TLC
Lack of a good suction says you have a gasket problem or a compression problem

Welcome, Joe!

Is the spark at the plugs fat, blue and able to jump a ½ inch gap?

Did you put something other than Champion plugs in that engine?

Are the plug wires installed in correct order and direction of rotation?

Did you put a clip back under the rotor?

Is there a vacuum leak in the intake manifold system?

Have you tried placing your hand over the carburetor air intake during cranking? This will provide better seal and fuel suction than a choke alone.

Is your battery stout enough to handle the starter load and still provide sufficient power to your electrical system?

What kind of shape is your starter in? Is it worn enough to cause heavy demand on your battery during cranking?

There are a few ideas. Blessings!

(quoted from post at 22:11:50 07/22/17) I have a Ford 600 6 volt system that won't start. New battery, plugs, cap, rotor, etc. Carb just rebuilt. Recently it would take a lot of cranking to get it to start but it usually would. Now it's done. It is getting spark to the plugs. When I crank it with hose off air inlet to carb fuel will come out of it. Is this normal? [b:596c0b2175]When I pull the plugs they are dry, not fouled out. Almost like fuel isn't getting to them. [/b:596c0b2175]I would really appreciate it if anyone has any ideas to help me get this running, it is sitting in the middle of the front yard and my wife says it is not her type of yard ornament. Thanks in advance. Joe

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Quick and dirty test, put some gas in some kind of bottle. You don't need a quart, quarter cup is enough. Open the throttle wide open, get the choke open and put a couple of table spoons of gas into the carb.

Starting fluid is another option, but that will explode just on compression, doesn't need a spark. Gas will only ignite with a spark, so it tells you if you have a decent spark. Blue spark is required, yellow won't do it.

Probably a good idea to put the air cleaner back on and connect the hoses. You don't want it to cough back thru the intake and set the truck on fire or have you looking down the carb while it's cranking.

If you have it timed correctly, firing order correct, compression, distributor is actually turning, timing chain intact, and all the other stuff that will prevent an engine from running is OK; it should start and run on the little bit of fuel you put there.

If it does, you got fuel issues. I found it best to only do one thing at a time; don't rebuild the carb at the same time you're doing a complete ignition over haul. Do the one you think is causing the most trouble first, like a carb that won't pass fuel or is leaking into the bore; gotta fix that....Then if it won't run, you only have to trouble shoot the carb; your ignition will still be untouched and running.

Get wifey involved, your choice as to whether she cranks the key or is looking down the carb while YOU crank it...LOL

(quoted from post at 18:39:44 07/22/17)
Probably a good idea to put the air cleaner back on and connect the hoses. You don't want it to cough back thru the intake and set the truck on fire or have you looking down the carb while it's cranking.

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Uh . . . in case you missed it, this is a tractor forum. I think OP is talking about a 600 series Ford tractor . . . and not a truck.

I don't believe your advice is pertinent to a tractor.

(quoted from post at 19:58:38 07/22/17)

(quoted from post at 18:39:44 07/22/17)
Probably a good idea to put the air cleaner back on and connect the hoses. You don't want it to cough back thru the intake and set the truck on fire or have you looking down the carb while it's cranking.

Click to expand...

Uh . . . in case you missed it, this is a tractor forum. I think OP is talking about a 600 series Ford tractor . . . and not a truck.

I don't believe your advice is pertinent to a tractor.

Click to expand...

Ford 600 tractor has an updraft carb also, so if you're looking "down the carb" then it's probably sitting on the bench.

Joe,You said it started hard before so you may have a compression problem,(not enough),if you have checked all the items the guys listed before,timing etc.I would have someone try pulling the tractor to start
it,it usually turns the engine at a higher RPM and if it starts then I would say you have compression problems,(a 12 volt system covers up the low compression)you also could jump just to the stater lug,not
through the battery with 12 volts to turn it over faster put a ground on the engine and direct to starter.

Thanks everyone, unfortunately I won't be able to get to it until next weekend but I will check with
all the advice I have been given and get back with an update. Thanks again, Joe

(quoted from post at 00:58:38 07/23/17)

(quoted from post at 18:39:44 07/22/17)
Probably a good idea to put the air cleaner back on and connect the hoses. You don't want it to cough back thru the intake and set the truck on fire or have you looking down the carb while it's cranking.

Click to expand...

Uh . . . in case you missed it, this is a tractor forum. I think OP is talking about a 600 series Ford tractor . . . and not a truck.

I don't believe your advice is pertinent to a tractor.

Click to expand...

I have a Ford 600, truck. I see lots of threads where they're asking about trucks...so hard to be sure exactly what vehicle it's about.

So the advice still applies, spray some fuel into the carb while it's cranking and see what happens.. if the plugs are dry, that's a good indication...

I have one that wont start until i let off the push button. theres a post on here somewhere about that.

That is caused by either having a bad or broken wire in the system since some have what is called a ballast resister by pass circuit so it give it more amps to the coil on start up and if that is bad it will act that way. If you have a 4 wire solenoid and you have 2 small wires on it one should have an S and the other an I the I is the by pass circuit and if you where to hook it up so it was going to the ignition switch I bet it will start like it should but that is not a true fix to it

(quoted from post at 11:21:32 07/23/17)

I have a Ford 600, truck. I see lots of threads where they're asking about trucks...so hard to be sure exactly what vehicle it's about.

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C'mon now! You really think that on a Ford tractor forum where they're asking about a 600 that it's likely to be a truck?

Furthermore, if he's got gasoline coming out the carburetor air intake why does he need to add more? What good will that do?

If the carb bowl is dosed with water all the symptoms would fit. Are you certain it is fuel coming out the air intake?

Yep it is fuel

spray some start fluid in while cranking.. if it has spark, timing is good, it should pop.

post back.

(quoted from post at 01:31:15 07/24/17)

(quoted from post at 11:21:32 07/23/17)

I have a Ford 600, truck. I see lots of threads where they're asking about trucks...so hard to be sure exactly what vehicle it's about.

Click to expand...

C'mon now! You really think that on a Ford tractor forum where they're asking about a 600 that it's likely to be a truck?

Furthermore, if he's got gasoline coming out the carburetor air intake why does he need to add more? What good will that do?

Click to expand...

They ask about Ford industrial engines in just about everything; pumps, generators, air compressors, you name something with an engine, they'll ask about it here.

Then, I don't have a lot of contact with 60+ year old tractors and know all the model numbers; my Ford is only 44 years old.

He has gas running out of the carb; didn't mention it was coming out of the bore. If it was, cranking the engine would suck that back into the engine and he would have some popping from the engine trying to start, or the plugs would be wet; he stated the plugs were dry. So it's not getting fuel.

Update: Tractor started but I am still not convinced things are right. I tried starting it a few
times this past week with no luck. I'm not a mechanic and even worse when it comes to electrical
systems. So yesterday I figured I would try to diagnose it the best I could. Putting my hand over
the carb it was sucking pretty good so I figured I would put off a compression test for the moment.
Now I'm thinking electrical, yehaw. I put a tester to the distributor and the points were working
fine. Last time I checked for spark to the plugs I pulled the plug and could see the spark. This
time I used an inline spark tester and could not see anything. Hmm So I pulled the plug again and
still could not see any spark. I figured I was done. So I charged the battery again hoping I could
crank it enough to lift the back blade and raise the bucket so I could drag this thing out of the
front yard. I started cranking, pulled the lever and the bucket started to raise just then she
started. Left it running for quite a while as I finished the work I needed to do with her for fear
it would not start again. This morning I went to the barn to fire her up and she did start. I will
try to start her again next week but I fear something still is just not quite right. I guess we will
find out next week. Has anybody any thoughts on some kind of intermittent electrical problem that
may be happening. Thanks to all for you're help so far. Joe