International 350 utility uses way too much gas

EM Iowa

Member
The tractor was restored this year after sitting in a shed for about 20 years. Once we had it running ( we made a temporary fuel tank out of a 4" pvc pipe) it would use a half-gallon in 10 minutes of running. Is it just me or is this normal fuel usage? Can I tune up the carburetor to fix this?
 
For it to use that much fuel just puttering around, either it's pi$$ing on the ground, or the tractor is blowing black smoke.

If it's leaking, fix the leak.

If it's blowing smoke, the float is set too high and/or the load screw can be adjusted.
 
I would also check your ignition timing.
If the timing is set correctly you will have plenty of power if not you'll have less power and use a lot of fuel for the amount of distance traveled.
 
Restored or repainted. Big difference in the two.
If a true restore then yes since in a true restore the engine would have been rebuilt and yes will use more gas till broke in.
But I will almost bet you did not do a true restore just a fix up paint job and if so then since it sat that long engine compression will be low because of sticking rings etc and that will cause part of the problem as will the carb running to rich and or the air cleaner being clogged up. Is it blowing black smoke??
 
It has to be sending it somewhere besides the intake because I doubt it would even run with that much fuel flooding the spark plugs.
 
I am not too surprised, been a long time ago but we had a MTA that used about 60 gal. a day. gas was .25 but who had .25 back then.
 
"1/2 gallon in 10 minutes" = 1 gallon in 20 minutes or, 3 gallons per hour. Not surprising since that tractor has been sitting a long time. Under full load, expect it to burn 4 gallons per hour or more and that's only if you can ever get it running close to new. Doubtful. Depends on how well you can get things cleaned and tuned. I doubt you'll ever be able to get it to burn less than 2 gallons per hour no matter how you run it.
(that would be 1/3 gallon in 10 min)
 
I'm with Bill here. That is why we quickly gave up on a W6TA when we got an AC WD45. The thing hooked to a clear jug like you have now, and yes, watch the gas disappear. The Allis would use a quarter the gas the W6 did. Like 2 gallons an hour to bit over 2 quarts an hour? It didn't need to do any more tricks to convince us poor folks to go orange.
And this was back in the 70's or 80's- gas was? $1.50? When these things were new, tax free farm gas was barely a dime.
 
If the engine is just idling, then yes, 1/2 gallon in 10 minutes is WAY too much. I would imagine the exhaust was black and sooty also? If so, You definitely need to rebuild, not just adjust, the carburetor.
 
I have a 300 with a 350 piston kit and it will burn between one and two gallons per hour at a guess while pulling a baler or haybine. Something has got to be wrong to be getting through as much gas as that.
Zach
 
Yes too much gas but that tractor is a guzzler. Dad bought one new and it lasted a year. Could only plow three or so hours and you better be head to the shed to fill the tank. Also had problems with recurring hydraulic leaks.
 

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