135 just quit while bushhogging

glock40

New User
Hello all, newbie to this forum and hoping some of you knowledgable folks can help.
I have a 135 Massey, 4 cyl. Continental gas engine, have had it for several years, always ran fine. The other day was bushhogging and motor started surging, kinda like I was running the throttle lever up and down. then it smoothed out for a while then started doing it again. then it just quit, like it had no spark. Attempt to start seemed like had no spark. I went in the house for couple of hours let it sit, then went back and it started up and ran fine. Today I was bushhogging again and did same thing, only it surged for several minutes (would smooth out at times then go back to it) and then it quit again.Seemed like it started when the tractor got up to operating temp. I have come in to let it cool back down and going to try to start it again in a bit. I removed the gas cap before trying to start it again but didn't make a difference. Anyway, hope you folks will help me trouble shoot, as I'm not much of a mechanic.
thanks
ol steve from west ky
 
Ok. I let the motor get cold and still won't start, cranks fine but that's all. Doesn't seem like it's getting spark. I know the battery cables are all clean and tight, but I will check them again tomorrow. Any suggestions be appreciated.
ol steve
 
my old Fergie did something like that once, it was the coil.
replaced the coil and it was running again,

normal for a coil is a broken wire inside the coil, when cold it will make contact and run, but as soon as the motor gets warm, the coil gets warm, the wire separates and the motor stops.

do you have fire to the plugs?????

may be a stopped up fuel filter, you have one in the elbow of the fuel line as it goes into the carb, one in the top of the fuel cut off valve (if original setup) and may have one on top of the fuel cutoff inlet pipes up in the tank.
have you bought gas at a different station lately. may have gotten trash in the fuel

do you use a fuel funnel with screen in the bottom as you pour fuel into the tank,
fuel must be kept clean,
might have gotten water in the fuel

so many things can cause this type problem,
but first determine if you have fire to plugs as it will not start,

if fire then most likey a fuel problem, if no fire then an electrical problem.
 

Next time it happens quickly pull out the choke , if it speeds up or recovers even for a moment then it is probably a fuel issue as Wellmax said .
 
Just a 2cents worth - If is was spark problems it would tend to 'splutter' and miss before quitting or just cut out. From your description of 'surging' (assume firing but revs up 'n down) it sounds like a fuel problem, possibly a blockage at the tank outlet or fuel filter between tank and carb.

Good luck with it !

Chas
 
Thanks to all for your responses. First thing this morning had to check it out and tractor started just fine and ran just fine, at least till I could get it back to the barn. Going to troubleshoot using the suggestions offered here. Might be a day or two, grandkids coming over. Priorities you know. Thanks again and I'll keep you posted.
 
One other thing to check that can be really hard to troubleshoot.
stopped up gas cap, must be vented, anything can cause it to get plugged up,

If you find no other problem, the next time it quits get off tractor and very gently open fuel tank cap with your ear next to the cap, if you hear the
rushing of air filling the tank then you know the cap is plugged, this causes a vacuum in the tank and stops fuel from flowing to the carburetor.

That and the bad coil are hard to trace,

Be sure to let us know what you find wrong,
Fred,
 

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