Ferguson TEA20 running bad, backfiring, wont rev up.help

oltrubridge

New User
My TEA20 was running lovely in the summer, I left it for 3 months in a garrage and have had real trouble starting it, I have covered all the obvious potential issues.
Points plugs are all great with strong blue spark
Compression is there in all cylinders
Carb cleaned, rebuilt, and is getting fuel great.
I have managed to get it started and ticking over after much tinkering, however it is running rough, backfiring, and making a lot of noise, it won't rev up at all.
The exhaust manifold is blowing a little but not sure it would cause the noise, its making a loud banging noise, is this a valve problem, would this cause it to misfire and start and run badly, and not rev up.
I'm no mechanic but am mechanical minded.
Please help there is a video if you want to listen
 

All symptoms of the firing order being incorrect . 1342 check this first , has anyone else been in the barn/garage , or could you have got the order wrong when checking points etc?
A trick /practiceal joke often played at tractor shows is to substitute numbers 3 and 4 cylinder ignition leads , the tractor runs much as you have described and causes much consternation .
 
Remove # 1 Spark plug
Remove Dist. Cap..
Turn  engine over in the direction of normal running operation....
NOTE Rotation of Rotor..
With finger over # 1  spark plug hole,determine when Piston is on Compression Stroke...
As # 1 PISTON approaches TDC...take note if Rotor inside DIST,CAP aligns with # 1 SPARK PLUG WIRE????
Then check that all Spark plug wires are on in the correct firing order.

Bob...
 
If you have a compression tester, check the compression. Also look the ignition over closely. A wet distributor cap, a carbon tracked cap, arcing, out of adjustment points, bad condenser, cross wired. Exhaust explosions are almost always ignition related.

If all looks well, and no compression tester, a couple easy tests, pull the coil wire, so it won't start. Crank the engine through, listen as it spins. You should hear the starter labor as each cylinder comes up on compression. If you hear an irregular pattern, one or more cylinders had lost compression.

Another test, with the coil wire removed, disconnect the air cleaner hose from the carb, hold your hand tightly over air intake, have an assistant crank the engine through. You should get a strong steady vacuum on your hand. If weak or no vacuum, chances are there is a stuck valve, dropped seat, or broken spring.
 
Thankyou for your replys,
I have triple checked the ht leads are in
the right 1342 order, hand cranked so no 1
piston is in line with 1 in distributer,
checked the points to .022. And getting a
great spark in both points and plugs.
It will start but is idling with a loud
ting ting ting ting when running. Again I
do have a leak in the exhaust manifold but
I think its more than this.
I havnt got a compression gauge but there
is air coming out if all four holes when
turned over.
I cannot accelerate the engine at all when
I do it splutters more, its backfiring in
the carb and exhaust, its running with a
really loud noise and didn't want to cause
any damage by running too long. I'm still
at a loss
Thankyou for your replys its very much
appreciated, more help needed please I have
a video of what it sounds like if this
helps.
 
unless you have ghosts, it was running fine when you parked it my opinion I would start with fuel electrical does go bad sitting could be a stuck valve
 

Train v has a point . Standard engines are prone to sticky valves and broken valve springs and that does happen after sitting for a while . Not hard to check by removing the valve cover and you can check the fuel tank for residue at the same time .
 
Thanks guys, ill take the rocker cover off
today and have a look around see if I can
see anything wrong, ill keep you posted
 
Cannot accelerate! It sounds like your distributor is not advancing. I have a TE20 that had the same problem, no acceleration and sputtering. With the cap off you should be able to rotate the rotor about 1/8” or so. No movement no ignition advance, sputtering!

Part 10 comes away from 4 when you release the springs. Clean it up and oil parts well you should be on the right track then.
Tom

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OK, again thanks for your replys
I have replaced all spark plugs, condenser, and coil, I have double checked the points to .22 with gauge. I have triple checked the ht leads are in the correct order 1342.
I have taken the rocker cover off and checked all valved, all running smoothly, replaced the rocker cover gasket and exhaust manifold gasket as it was blowing.
I'm getting a good start and the rotor arm points to no 1 plug on TDC, All plugs getting a good blue spark.
The carb has been stripped 3 times now a cleaned, maybe overkill but just to make sure.
Started up this morning, still spluttering and backfiring and when turning the accelerator leaver it won't rev up atall
I am really stuck now, I feel like I've covered every base.
It was running fine 3 months ago and has been sat in garrage, (not started) the timing should still be ok as it hasn't been touched
All help much appreciated
 
check for a vacuum leak around the intake manifold. Check for exhaust restrictions. Carburetor adjusted according to the book? Remove the plug from the carb and catch a pint of gasoline in a couple minutes? No inline filter in the gasoline line, right?

Dunno - I did have a situation similar to this once. Nuts holding the intake manifold to the head were loose. (My fault, I didn't torque them after a rebuild), tractor ran fine for quite a while until it didn't. I did a lot of fussing around before I found the cause and felt dumb.
 
You could replace the condenser again. Recently they have acquired a notorious reputation for bad quality. They are cheap, which is maybe part of the problem.
 
At the end of a 12 inch ratchet,(attached to crankshaft)I noticed the ratchet would move 3" between Clockwise and counter clockwise before the rotor would move.

The ROTOR DRIVE on my TEA 20 S#182991 (6 Volts)was sloppy and the rotor was starting to contact the CONTACT points inside the Distributor CAP. I replaced the BALL Bearing assembly (inside the distributor assembly) and the amount of side movement / slop of the rotor drive is now nothing.



On my second TEA 20 S#251562 the drive TANG on the end of the DITRIBUTOR shaft was so badly worn it would misfire. .
Please note.
The DRIVE TANG on the end of the DISTRIBUTOR on all three of my TEA -20's is OFF CENTER. The drive key way on the GEAR DRIVE matting with the CAMSHAFT is also off center.

One of my TEA-20s had a terrible lose of power as well as backfire.....
The timing chain sprockets were so badly worn the timing was way out.

With the STARTER REMOVED, I rotated the Crankshaft (CCW..CW) the TEETH on the FLYWHEEL showed no movement until the end of the 12" ratchet had moved 3".
Timing Chain and sprockets were totally thrashed.

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If the timing chain and sprockets are as bad as I have seen ....when the flyweights fall off the Governor disc, jam into the timing chain...it's going to cost you money.

Your Tractor, your $$$$$'s.......I would check the backlash on the timing Chain, sprockets..

REMOVE STARTER...attach Ratchet to head of Cap Screw that secures pulley to front of Crankshaft. Move Ratchet CCW..CW and verify backlash in timing chain/sprockets..

Good luck
Bob...Owner TEA-20..
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Try the engine without the air cleaner connected , if it runs better then the filter may be blocked . If the element is blocked no amount of diesel or petrol wash will clean it properly . If it is blocked dismantle , unroll the mesh and clean well before replacing .
 
OK so after a busy week at work I got back to work on the old girl,
As a recap, it was running lovely 3 months ago, then left in a garrage not started. Had real trouble starting, and when it did it was coughing, spluttering, backfiring, and not reving up, I replaced the coil, plugs, ht leads, condenser, cleaned carb 3 times, replaced fuel, cleaned fuel bowel and line, checked valves all ok, replaced rocker cover gasket and exhaust manifold gasket, roter arm pointing to plug 1 on tdc and leads set to 1342 and none helped,
So today I have
Cleaned the distributor out
changed the condenser again
Changed the points and set to 0.22
It starts and runs, runing a little poor but much better however.....
Now its only reving half way up with throttle lever so much black smoke coming out of the exhaust, choke is not on,
Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks
 
Hi Bob, when i stripped the carb (3 times) and cleaned the float seems fine, nice free movement, the float nedle valve also seems fine, getting a constant flow out of the drain. With the throttle lever low and idle screw out If I open my main jet 1 turn the engine really races, I have to open to about 3 turns to slow it down, lots of black smoke and rough
 

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