1968 Farmall 140 Low Power, Battery Discharge, Acceleration

Dear Friends. This be my 1st time here. Need help, please. I have a '68 IH 140, owned for 8 years, and bought from original owner. Over the years, had a few problems that I fixed: new Zenith carb, new key switch and start button, etc. First, ammeter show slight "Discharge," although keeps running. But if I remove either + or - from battery, tractor stops. Also, after sitting for several months, tractor is idling different than last 7 years: kinda fast, some sputtering, and has hardly no power. When I accelerate and start to pull out--even on flat ground with no load--the tractor idles down. I have to use the choke rod to try to get it idling again, but takes me forever just to move it 20'. I almost always had problems with this, but never this bad. Before, I'd just move the choke rod, it'd pick back up, and pull, plow, etc just fine. May have to do this every few minutes (bad governor?). I been looking for a 656 diesel, but I can't afford one right now. I need to get this fixed asap. I'd be grateful to any of you out there who could help me with your knowledge and expertise on the 140. God richly bless.
 
you are running out of fuel.. so check your fuel flow from the tank to the carb. remove line at carb and make sure you have a full line of fuel flowing with gas in the tank of course. lots of times there can be restrictions in sediment bowl inlet , even gummed up. tractor sitting this long adds to problems. could add some fuel stabilizer . the carb can also be gummed up now also. do the fuel line check to carb first.
and your charging system is not working. presume you have a generator?
 
I thank you, sir. I did add stabilizer and water removal a few days back, mostly because I noticed ice around the bottom of the fuel bowl, petcock, twice--once before the additives and once after, even with a full tank. Do you think the ice/frost on the bottom of the fuel bowl means water still yet in the fuel? Yesterday, while cleaning the volt reg, I did remove the carb resovoir bolt, and let it drain about one minute. Will check the other fuel bowl-to-carb connections for full flow. I may need to clean the jets of the old Zenith carb. Yes, sir, I do have a generator; it's a 12-volt system. I cleaned all volt reg connections, and also cleaned the volt reg points with emory cloth. Watched the volt reg with cover off while the tractor was running. No movement of the points. Stayed closed the whole time; I also placed piece of paper between points, and this made no difference at all. Still, partially discharging according to ammeter, but the old 140 fired right up this morning on first crank! Had to baby the choke rod to keep her going. I am grateful for your answer. Going to town today, and will stop at NAPA to get a new in-line fuel filter. If that doesn't help, will add some Gumout directly to the carb jet area. Always like to try the simple, quick things first. Again, thank you, rustedred.
 
Hey, rustedred. One more thing on the electrical system. While the tractor was running yesterday, I started removing the three connections to the light switch (the one with the resistor connecting two other connections. When I removed the lower black wire connection, the tractor stopped running; when I removed the other two, tractor continued to run.
 
You must have distributor ignition, that would explain why it stops
running when you remove battery connection. That is normal. Is your
choke butterfly secure to it's shaft? You need to check battery voltage
with engine running and stopped. Tell us the results of this. Also the
shaft to the carburetor should have tension on it with engine stopped
and throttle lever at idle position, that will tell us something about
the governor.
Can you accelerate the engine by pulling on the carburetor linkage? Be
careful not to slip and get your hand in the fan belt when doing this.
Keep posting, we will help you solve your problem.

Dave
 
I have a '68 and a '72 IH 140. I have put alternators (3 wire) and electronic ignition on both and I probably can't help with charging problem (except to suggest a
switch to an alternator and electronic ignition).

For the fuel problem, here's what I do:

1) disconnect fuel line at carb and insure good gas flow. Poor flow, I clean the gas tank sediment bowl screen and tank drain fitting (rod out from above with gas
tank cap removed). While the fuel line is disconnected, I clean the elbow screen inlet the carb. Clean until you get a good gas flow to the carb.

2) remove the carb bowl drain plug (I have Zenith carbs) and make sure gas flows well out drain. Poor flow, run a pipe cleaner through the drain plug hole
and up through the drain passage toward the bowl. Then I run a pin (I open a 1" safety pin and use the sharp end) straight from the drain plug hole into the tiny hole n the
main jet (you cab feel it after poking around a little).

This has always fixed my fuel problem. Some times I've drained and cleaned the bottom of the gas tanks (rags tied onto a small diameter tube). Having to pull the
choke is a dead giveaway there is blockage in the fuel supply.
 
Some good advice so far. I'd add, that inline fuel filter may what is causing the starved fuel issue. You could eliminate that entirely and rely on the sediment bowl.

I'm kinda confused on your charging system. Sounds like 6volt if has a VR and generator. Either way, your generator's commuter might need cleaning up.
 
Yes sir, Dave BN. Distributor not electronic. Original (or very old) distributor, but I have changed points and condenser several times over the years. I'll check choke butterfly to make sure its tight. As I said, I did replace the original carb with a new zenith about 2-3 years back. Will also check to see if the carb linkage has tension at idle running. I can accelerate engine by pulling on carb linkage. Thanks, Dave BN, for helping me solve the problem.
 
NawlensGator. Thanks. I can clean all from tank to sediment bowl to jets. Done this before on the old original Zenith carb until I replaced with a new one a few years back. Man, it's a wonder I haven't worn out that choke lever. I've gotten pretty good at it over the past few years. Thank you, sir, for the good advice. Will follow it all beginning at first light. Rainin' up here on the ridge this evening with ankle deep mud out near the round bale feeder!
 
Lucid. I just picked up a standard, in-line filter with the brown paper filter and the clear housing. Use this kind so I can always see whether the filter is full. Sometimes, the filter is almost dry, and I have to take loose, get the fuel flowing, then reattach the in-line filter.

As far as the voltage, the son of the original owner told me back in 2012 that it had been converted to a 12-volt. And when I replaced the ignition coil a few years back, I bought a 12-volt coil. It came with a 12-volt battery, and I replaced it with a 12-volt NAPA battery. Turns just fine. You reckon this is a 6-volt system using some 12-volt components?
 
Lucid. What/where is the commuter on the generator? I do regularly oil that back shaft seat on the generator, using that small oil hole with that snap cover. Thanks.
 
That should have been commutator, it is what the brushes ride on.
Check for tension on carburetor linkage with engine OFF and throttle at
idle.

Dave
 
Thanks, khouse6. Will check to see whether my 140's carb has a filter on the inlet. I've seen carbs b4 with that small brass screen filter.
 

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