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Farmall C. Wont stay running

K

Kenneths C

New User
Just received my Dads C that he bought when he started farming. It had been setting for a few years so I cleaned the gas tank and fuel line and rebuilt the carb. It starts but only runs for a few seconds. I can fiddle with choke to keep it running a few seconds longer so makes think the issue is in the fuel system somewhere. I have removed the carb and taken it apart 4 times trying to find the problem. No luck. Fuel runs out of the carb when I take the drain plug out so I know gas is getting into the carb. Any ideas? I have run out.
 
Do you have good flow from the sediment bowl to the carb? It sounds like that may not be keeping up. If you remove the carburetor bowl drain, do you get a steady flow, or just a splash as the bowl suddenly drains, and then nothing?
 
Turn the gas off. Then pull the carb drain plug and hold a pint jar under the carb. Turn the gas on and time how long it takes to fill the pint jar. If it take more then 3 minutes and 2 is better you have gas flow problem. If you have a good flow like i said when you cleaned the carb did you soak it over night then spray it out with carb cleaner spray and blow it out with compressed air and poke out all the passage ways wit ha piece of wire or as I do I use a torch tip cleaner tool to poke it out
 
Be sure the bolts that hold the carburetor to the manifold are tight and
the screws that hold the carburetor bowl to the carburetor body are
tight.
Look closely at the ignition rotor. I have had that metal piece come
loose from the body and cause all sorts of problems.
Since it's been sitting a while check for bugs/bees and nests in the air
intake and breather.

Dave.
Dave
 
(quoted from post at 18:16:51 08/28/20) Turn the gas off. Then pull the carb drain plug and hold a pint jar under the carb. Turn the gas on and time how long it takes to fill the pint jar. If it take more then 3 minutes and 2 is better you have gas flow problem. If you have a good flow like i said when you cleaned the carb did you soak it over night then spray it out with carb cleaner spray and blow it out with compressed air and poke out all the passage ways wit ha piece of wire or as I do I use a torch tip cleaner tool to poke it out
Click to expand...

I know we are talking Farmall here and not Yamaha XS650's but on the forum for those bikes they say most of the time you have to clean/rebuild a carb at least three time to get all the crap out of the thing.

Just be glad the C only has one carb for four cylinders. The old Yamahas had one for each cylinder!
 
i had a carb, from a small engine, i took off and put back 8 times, before i found the little hole that was stopped up.
so never give up .
 
Yamaha XS650 I have 2 of those on the place. Sadly the step son rode them into the ground and neither one runs now. Wish i could get it back up and running but seems like the electronic ignition has gone bad. 1981 by the way
 
Could also be coil or condenser. Hopefully you have another tractor to swap one from, don't buy new parts for troubleshooting, they might be bad out of the box!
 
Sediment in tank , blocks the flow off. Will fill carburetor ,once it runs out it stalls . I run a small numbers drill On pin vise if you got that up the in port to
To bowl ,they corrosion and need cleaning .
Also the small .04 idle port in zenith needs a .04 number drill run down it to clear it out .
Then I run vacuum gage to intake to see what else that Tells me.
 
These tractors will run way longer than 4 seconds with a float bowl full of fuel, so you definitely have a fuel flow problem.

My H had a sticking float needle and it would fool me into thinking it was going to run. I'd get just out the door and it would quit, out of gas. A couple of raps on the carb bowl with the draw pin, and it would run all day.
 

Thanks for all of the ideas and advice. Manifold bolts and carb screws are tight. Gas flow from the tank to the carb is good. Nearly 3 pints in 2 minutes. Carb has been cleaned, wire run through all the holes, carb cleaner and blown out with compressed air. Float was set to spec (1 5/32 is what I found on line) The only thing I didnt do is soak overnight. Not sure what to use to soak it. Will kerosene do. Flow from the drain plug at the bottom of the carb seems slow. Only about a cup in 2 minutes. Next step will be to soak overnight and clean again. Let me know if there are any other ideas. Thanks for the help
 
(quoted from post at 10:28:33 08/29/20)
Thanks for all of the ideas and advice. Manifold bolts and carb screws are tight. Gas flow from the tank to the carb is good. Nearly 3 pints in 2 minutes. Carb has been cleaned, wire run through all the holes, carb cleaner and blown out with compressed air. Float was set to spec (1 5/32 is what I found on line) The only thing I didnt do is soak overnight. Not sure what to use to soak it. Will kerosene do. Flow from the drain plug at the bottom of the carb seems slow. Only about a cup in 2 minutes. Next step will be to soak overnight and clean again. Let me know if there are any other ideas. Thanks for the help
Click to expand...

There are some nasty chemicals to soak carbs in that do a good job but before resorting to them I would try once more with spray cans of cab cleaner that come with the extension tubes to get in all the passages.

[b:328cda023a][u:328cda023a]One big note! be careful and wear eye protection while spraying that stuff it is not fun to get in your eyes! [/u:328cda023a][/b:328cda023a][/b]
 
Soak in Berryman's Chem Dip or the like, should be able to find one at a local auto parts store. Its a gallon of paint-style can, and only half full.

The chemical contents do well to loosen the fuel gum.
 
Another possibility is to put your hand over the intake tube of the carb after its started, the additional artificial restriction of airflow acts like "super choke" and should give you even more fuel.

It is possible there's an issue with the coil which is fine for a few seconds and then heats up and goes open circuit.

You could also carefully pull the center plug wire and place close to ground immediately after it dies to verify sparks are continuing the flow as expected. 1/4" gap to ground is what I've always been told with the original 6v ignition system.
 
Can you post a picture of the carburetor? Some had Zenith, some Marvel-Schebler, others maybe had IH. When cleaning/disassembling, did you
remove or turn any of the adjustment screws? Also, upon starting, will the tractor run if immediately set to full throttle?
 

Success!!! Cleaned the carb a 5th time and found a spot I missed. Carb cleaner and compressed air and reinstalled. Started right up and runs great. Now to the rest of the mechanicals so Im sure I will be asking for more help

Thanks for all of the ideas and advice
 
It is possible there's an issue with the coil which is fine for a few seconds and then heats up and goes open circuit.

You could also carefully pull the center plug wire and place close to ground immediately after it dies to verify sparks are continuing the flow as expected. 1/4" gap to ground is what I've always been told with the original 6v ignition system.
Click to expand...

Glad you mentioned that I was thinking it could be ignition and forgot to include that in my post!
 
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