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Gravely L Model walk behind tractor

A

Airmanrich85

New User
Hi All, Im new to the forum and apologive if im in the wrong place. But I have a Gravely L model tractor that my Grandpa gave to me. But..it doesnt run and wont start. I have changed the spark plug, spark plug wire, cleaned the points and have a spark. Have cleaned the carburateor and its getting fuel, perhaps too much. But I have also taken the plug out and sprayed starter fluid directly into the head and cant even get a sputter out of it. Im not sure what else to do to get this thing to start. It did set for about 4 years since the last time that it was started.
 
Sounds like a stuck valve. Does it have compression? Pull the spark plug and turn it over with your thumb over spark plug hole to check it.
 
I havent stuck my thumb over the whole yet. But it does seem to have good compression when turning the crank by hand. Its really hard to turn when its coming up on the compression stroke
 
One thing I try in a circumstance like yours is take the spark plug out, pour a dribble of gas in the hole, replace the plug and try it. That will tell you if it's not getting gas. Or otherwise check the plug to see if it's wet or dry. Also helps if you can use another motor (usually takes two people) with a long belt with one twist (to get the right rotation) and use it to spin the engine so you don't wear yourself out pulling the rope.
 
They have an impulse magneto. When you turn the engine over real slow (by hand), you should hear the magneto snap. When it snaps, you should get a healthy bright blue spark from the plug wire to ground. If that mag is working right, and you have fuel, it should start. They are neat machines.

Another poster mentioned a stuck valve. They were common on the old Gravelys, so common that the valve head has a screwdriver slot cut in the top, but if you are feeling hard compression as you crank it, it's probably not stuck. It takes a lot of oomph to spin one over.

If you have access to an old tractor with a belt pulley, you can belt up to it and let the tractor spin it over. I remember the Gravely shop in Harrisburg, Illinois having a big electric motor to spin them. And I knew a fellow who used a big right angle grinder to start a Wisconsin engine on a self propelled concrete saw.

Once you get it started and the bugs worked out, it will usually start the first pull.

Have fun
Paul
 
thumb over the spark plug hole and cranking it takes 2 people if it's a crank start/rope/strap whatever. Those suckers are a beast to spin over.
 
It's possible that after sitting that long the carb needs rebuilt. Your float may not be any good or you have some bad seals, especially if you think it may be getting too much fuel.
 
If it won't fire on starting fluid your plug isn't firing when there's compression or your mag has weak fire to your plug. Make sure the impulse coupling is snapping as this creates a hotter spark when trying to start it by hand. Do as one someone suggested by using another engine to crank it. I use my garden tractor to start my old Toro GrassKing. Here's a pic of that hookup. Hal
6c8emph.jpg
 
If its not an electric blue spark then do the following:There is a magnet imbedded in the flywheel. Remove the flywheel and sand both the flywheel magnet and the metal tips on the coil where the magnet passes on each revolution.Also check the flywheel key to see that it isn't damaged and if it is,its causing the timing to be off(too late).
 
Hey Hal, that is a pretty slick set up. But I have to know, how the heck do you get the belt off (safely) after you have it running?
 
Saw El Toro's post with the B&S engine and gave advice for it. Is this a Gravely that used a leather strap to start it with?
 
There's a real good chance it'll jump off as soon as the dead engine starts. If it doesn't, twist the handlebars to the left and it will.

BTDT
Paul
 
Also make sure the exhaust is clear, i.e. muffler, straight pipe or whatever.

You should get a good puff of air on the exhaust cycle stroke.

Remember the 4 cycles.

Piston going down--intake.
Piston going up----compression.
Piston going down upon combustion---power stroke.
Piston going up----exhaust stroke.
==========
The tough pull on compression may also be some light surface rust on the cylinder walls in addition to good compression.
 
Here's a scanned page of troubleshooting info for the Gravely tractor. One page at a time - three pages total.

IF I can get it to work. . .

Paul
a22737.jpg
 
A gas fouled plug will let the spark stream up the nose of the plug insulator.Fuel will not ignite on these spark streamers.A good small engine mechanic will squirt a little gas in the cylinder and put a NEW spark plug in an engine that wont start.Six month old gas wont start a small engine...
 
It usually does what PJH said about the belt jumping off. I always stopped the pto pulley on the tractor too. Hal
 
Could be out of time too. The piston wants to be 3/8" from TDC on the compression stroke. Thats where you align the mag marks with the adjustable fiber drive block on the mag coupler.

IME Gravelys are good starters given good spark and fuel. I had 13 running at one time, down to 3 now. Stuck valves are common, always roll the engine over by hand one to make sure you don't have a hard stuck valve. If you do and pull with the strap or starter you can/will bust the valve.
 
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