TO-30 won't start after fuel dump

I'm having a problem at the moment. After an hour or so of running, I stopped to take a break. While I wasn't looking, the sneaky 1 1/2" "tube" that is attached to the rear of the carb unit slipped off and the gas flowed out 'til empty.

I replaced the connections on either end of that tube with new parts that seem to be fine. Now I can't get the engine to start. I'm getting spark, fuel seems to be flowing.

It was 50 degrees when this happened last week, and it is now about 1 degree outside when I finally fixed it. I wonder if I could have gotten enough condensation in there to muck up the works?

Any ideas?

just a nice photo of the stuck tractor a few months ago (when she started).

I had a similar problem with my TO-20 this summer...and it was driving me INSANE! Fuel kept leaking past the needle in the carb- which sounds like your problem. I had a carb on that was only 9 months old. I'd take it apart, clean out the float/needle area (once I lost the needle and had to pay $30 for a new one!), put 'er back together...and she'd be good for an hour or two- then the same thing would happen again. I adjusted the float level...to no avail, it would still flood out. In desperation, I took the gas tank off, and took it to a radiator shop to be boiled out- and that solved my problem. Even though I had three fuel filters in the line, grit was getting past them, and making the float needle stick open. Boiling the tank was the only cure. So, if you find your float isn't closing all the way, and no matter how many times you clean it, it still does the same thing..... get the tank cleaned out.

I do have a rusty tank and three filters - so I'll look into that as soon as I get the engine to start again. I intend to remove and clean and check out the "vapor lock" - stuck needle idea as soon as the temps come up above freezing (I'm in Northern New Hampshire). I owned an old MG with dual carbs, so this is not entirely unfamiliar terrain.

The worst part of all of this is that the tractor is sitting outdoors, catty-corner in front of my garage and it has snowed a ton here already. It's in just the wrong position to tow it out of the way. I'm really looking forward to driving her back into the garage.

I had the same problem after doing some carb work. I had fuel in the glass filter bowl but the tractor would not start. My dad happened by and removed the filter bowl to have a look. After he reinstalled, she fired right up. There must have been a vacuum or something in the filter bowl area. Give it a try.

Hope this helps! Great site!
John

(My TO-35 is stuck in 3rd gear,I found some other's the same problem.)