Ferguson TO-20 Issue

Hi Everyone,

I am new to mechanics and tractors, so bear with me please and any way you can help would be much appreciated.

I recently bought a Ferguson TO-20 tractor, and shortly after it began to experience and issue where it would stall out shortly after starting. I saw that it had a very weak spark so I did a complete tune up (plugs, wires, distributor) put in a new ignition coil (6v with a resistor) and though it really doesn't have anything to do with spark converted it from 6v to 12v (battery, alternator, wiring). When I tried to start it, it still wasn't running smooth so I pulled the carburetor, and dipped it in a parts cleaner for about 1/2 hour. It ran beautifully after that for about an hour moving dirt with the bucket. So I then put on my finishing mower to take care of my property. I went about 50 yards in fairly light grass, and it started sputtering and smoking. I put the mower in neutral and opened up the hood and the tractor started backfiring so I turned it off.

I though maybe one of the cables was bad, and a cylinder wasn't firing. I found a wire that a little spark was coming out of and replaced it. I stated up the tractor and it was still running very roughly with smoke coming out of the exhaust. Some smoke was also coming out of this smaller 1 inch pipe on the opposite side of the engine from the exhaust (I never noticed before, and I don't know what it does). The engine started backfiring, and then turned off by it's self. Now engine wont turn over at all.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on????

Welcome TdPoL!

A few questions...

What color was the smoke from the exhaust? Blue, lingering smoke? Black? White, gas smell, eye burning smoke? White steam?

The backfiring, was it backfiring from the intake or the exhaust?

And you say it won't turn over. As in the engine is locked up? Or it cranks with the starter but won't start?

The 1" pipe on the side of the engine is the crankcase vent. Some smoke/vapor is normal. But it should not seriously blow smoke or oil. The less it blows, the healthier the engine. Excess blowing is an indication of what's called "blow-by" or, combustion gasses entering the crankcase because of leaking rings, a hole in a piston, or an internally blown head gasket.

Not being there to see or hear what it was doing, it "almost" sounds like a dropped valve. Let's hope not, but we'll get to the bottom of it.

Or spun a bearing. Smoking out the blowby right before it locked up is a bad sign.