Farmall M Magneto trouble starting

Austinkirsh

New User
Hello, I have a 49 Farmall M that has been hard to start recently and was looking for some guidance. It has the H4 Magneto. I just replaced the battery (6v) and upgraded the 3 battery and starter cable to 4/0. Cranks great, and pops off every once and awhile, but don?t know if I am having a fuel or spark issue.

1. The carburetor just pours fuel out when cranking. When it is running or just sitting, it does not leak.

2. I tried adjusting the points to .013? but it would not even try to start. Adjusted the points back to almost touching and it started after a few pops.

I have new points and condenser arriving soon so will see if that helps. Looking to see if anyone has any suggestions before I spend the money to completely rebuild both the carb and magneto.

Thank you!
 
check the compression, then set the valves. I have never seen valves in spec on any old engine that was not maintained. there now you have a starting point. .o13 on points is almost touching so how you adjusting the points? you don't need to completely rebuild the carb. you need to remove it disassemble it and soak it in carb cleaner. make the gaskets and put it together .check if you have spark at the plugs when cranking. pouring fuel out means u have good vacuum so the valves must be good but check them anyhow. plus check the timing before setting the carb.
 
Most likely is the magneto. After you put the new parts in and clean everything good in it, place the end of spark plug wire that goes from coil in to distrubuter 1/4 inch from a ground and crank engine over spark should jump easily. Gas is suppose to run out of carb When it's cranked over with choke. If you were cranking it excessively with choke it's also possibly spark plugs got fouled. I've also been having issues with faulty plug wires.
 
I am waiting on a compression tester to arrive. I set the valves to .020 cold as I read somewhere else on here. Set the spark gap to .025 on C87 plugs. And set the point gap to 0.013 all with feeler gauges. Adjusted the timing and set the carb. Yesterday it started up, shut it off and it started right back up. Today I was moving some river rock with the loader and it was running great. Shut it off and took an hour break, and went back to start it and it?s not even trying to start. Cranking great, there is spark, Not sure how to judge quality of it. Sprayed starting fluid in the intake, nothing. Points and condenser were replaced.

Could the coil be bad in the magneto? I have plugs and plug wires ordered so will be changing them out.

Or is it a fuel issue? Too much or too little?

Thanks!
 

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