TO-35 sputters and dies under load

Jim Ross

New User
Hi All. I've been scouring the forum here looking for a possible solution for my tractor.

The tractor ran well when I last used it several years ago. I cleaned it up recently to do some tilling in the garden and it ran well for about 15 minutes.

After that it started popping and sputtering when I engaged the tiller (pto) and put it in gear. As soon as the tiller hits the dirt, the tractor dies unless you put the clutch in.

I have replaced the points, condenser, rotor, cap and coil. Same symptoms. I have drained the carburetor and fuel lines and put fresh fuel in it. At one point after I shut the tractor down, fuel dripped out of the air intake on the carb. I shut down the fuel, drained everything and hooked it back up. Had to tap on the carb to get it stopped and then the tractor started again.

I'm not sure what I am missing. Timing? Carb issue.
 
Sounds like a carburetor problem to me. Perhaps the coil. I had a similar problem with my TO35. I took apart the carb and found that the mount holding the needle valve was loose and was flooding the engine. I had to push the mount back into the frame (friction fit) and so far so good. I had the Carter carb. when you have to tap the carb,it sounds as though you may have a similar problem.
 
I have a 1957 TO-35, it will leak fuel sometimes, if you do not turn off the fuel, I have just trained my self to remember to do this, but it starts and runs great.

Note to file: you do not want to start tractor with carb overflowing, it will suck raw gas into cylinders an can wash oil off cylinder liners, which could cause the motor to score a piston, you must have a thin layer of oil on the liner.

The end result, when the motor tuneup and carb adjustment are right, your motor should idle at 400 rpm's and take the fuel when the plow hits the dirt with no hesitation. This is your goal, it will work when adjusted properly.

If carb appears to be stopped up, sometimes you can open throttle then pull choke until motor almost dies, do this a number of times, it may not work, but sometimes, the high vacuum pressure will suck the dirt on through the carb, no guarantee, but it cost you nothing to try.

Years ago I added a metal inline fuel filter to the fuel line on my tractor, much less carb problems after that.
 
Sounds like what happened to my 57 with the power. My distributor slipped loose and the timing retarded to the point it would not cut grass without popping. See if it is now loose.
 
http://www.external_link.com/M_S_TSX_Carburetor.html

this site might help on the carb adj if you have the M/S 605 carburetor.

let us know what fixes the tractor, ours may have the same problem next time.

you never stop learning about these old tractors.

much cheaper to fix a carb or distributor verse a diesel fuel injector rebuild.
 
I have two tractors with this engine, a TO35 and a 202. Any time I get those issuses, I always check to see if a quick tug on the choke will keep it running. Pretty much every time it will. The problem is insufficient fuel supply, whether it's in the carb or further up the line towards the tank, this has pretty much been my problem every time.

Edit: just re-read your original post. If it's sat for that long without use you will most certainly have to remove, disassemble, soak and throuroughly clean the carburetor. Modern fuels tend to gum things up pretty quickly which is also why your float valve stuck open.
 
one other thing to check:

if it starts and runs, but will not take the fuel, it could be the governor?????????

my old tractor has had two governors installed over the years.

http://fergusonenthusiasts.com/restoration%20helps/tech/Adjusting%20Throttle%20Linkage.pdf
 
You said you cleaned thre fuel ines. Did you unscrew the sediment bowl assembly from the fuel tank? You might be surprised what comes out.

I had an Industrial 20 with a similar problem and it was trash in the fuel tank cloggng the inlet to the sediment bowl assembly intermittently.
 
Wow! Thanks for all your help guys. I'm a mechanical midget so I appreciate it.

The sediment bowl has been emptied twice, once since I started running the tractor and yes, it was gross both times. This has me thinking carb cleaning and kit as some suggested. Can't be good to leave it sitting with old gas. I figured maybe it would flush through and I'll try the trick with the choke to see if I can help it along. I did order a full carb kit for it.

Wondering about the distributor moving too. Both the fuel/carb idea and the timing idea make sense. If the distributor was loose it would run fine for a bit and gradually get worse until it was only capable of idling and little more. It could also have taken a bit for the bad gas and gunk to make it to the carb and that would fit with the timing too.

I'm going to hold off on the governor for now. That looks like a pricier part so I'll save it till last.

Thanks again!
 
Note to file:
On my TO35 carb, at the gas line connection to the carburetor,

the elbow that is screwed into the carburetor also has another fuel screen.

If you are building up dirt or debris at the tank drain screen, then you may have dirt at the carburetor elbow screen.

You might want to check it out.

If you do have to clean the inside of your fuel tank, I have heard of a number of different ways of doing this.

One was, with tank off the tractor, place a number of packages of fish bowl gravel in the tank, suspend the tank so you can rotate the tank. There may be other ways to clean out the tank.

Good luck! A fuel line, inline metal fuel filter was my ticket, so far so good.
 
I think you are right about the carb. The carb kit showed up today. I found a youtube video showing the carb rebuild for this model but wondered if anyone had advice on the rebuild. I've done lots of chainsaw carbs but not tractor carbs.

Here is the video I found.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEa-PcyxY54
 
The carb is rebuilt and still the same symptoms except I need to get the carb tuned properly. Doesn't want to idle down as low as I'd like but starts great and runs well until a load is applied. Some sputtering and popping when applying throttle. Same as before.

So I guess that leaves the governor which I don't fully understand. I need to spend some time with the link posted above and see if I can figure that out. Any tips on this governor would be appreciated.

Amazed I managed to rebuild the carb and it fired right up! That was a shock. The carb was a mess of crap and crud so cleaning it was a good thing but it hasn't changed the way it runs.
 
The carb is rebuilt and still the same symptoms except I need to get the carb tuned properly. Doesn't want to idle down as low as I'd like but starts great and runs well until a load is applied. Some sputtering and popping when applying throttle. Same as before.
So I guess that leaves the governor which I don't fully understand. I need to spend some time with the link posted above and see if I can figure that out. Any tips on this governor would be appreciated.

Amazed I managed to rebuild the carb and it fired right up! That was a shock. The carb was a mess of crap and crud so cleaning it was a good thing but it hasn't changed the way it runs.
 
The governor will not make it sputter and cough but adjusting it properly will help you get the idle down where you want it. Do you mean it dies when you try to idle down or that it simply won't idle down enough when the throttle lever is all the way up? On one of my tractors I had to disassemble and clean the carburetor twice, maybe three times before I got all the crud out. I'm still not convinced it's all clear but it does run pretty well.
Another issue could be the flow of fuel from the tank to the carburetor. It needs to be a steady stream, not just a trickle.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top