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Ford 860 Running Rough

M

Mreestwould

Member
First, Id like to thank any help given. Took my Ford 860 back to BushHog for 15 min the other evening. Ran over a rotted stump I didnt see. Didnt seem to do any damage but decided to take the rig up to the barn and start fresh in the morning. Next morning, I noticed the tractor was missing, backfiring, intermittent stalling, and not sounding like its usual self. It was 60 degrees so didnt the temp was a factor.

I decided to play with the carb and it didnt help at all. I then cleaned and rebuilt the carb. Also, checked compression and all 4 cylinders were between 130 & 140. Plugs are fairly new. They were black but figured that was from playing with the carb. Timing light showed all four wires were sending spark. Flushed the fuel line. Emptied the bowl.

Stumped on how it could change overnight like that. Only reason I can think of is that stump. Any other things I should check without tearing into the motor?
 
Did you accidentally knock out the cotter pin in the weep hole in the bottom of the clutch housing? Remember, that cotter pin is the only thing holding a tractor together. Sorry for the humor, but I've never had your problem with my 850. If it was me, I would check the timing at the flywheel peep opening with a timing light, rather than just using it to determine if plugs are firing.
 

Id like to thank you for your sarcasm. Im not frustrated enough and I need people like you to really top it off for me. Wish we had more people like you in this world. If you have any less valuable comments, please share in the most demeaning way possible. Glad youve never had a problem with your tractor. Even though youre probably no good to anybody, I wouldnt wish that upon anyone, including you. Its a horrible feeling. Thanks for your help.
 
The time you wasted taking your frustration out on this friend trying to help you would've been better spent checking your timing.
You're not paying for this advice, act like it.
 
Get over it fella's!! takes all kinds of people to make the world go round !! You didn't cave the horizontal exhaust pipe shut, did you? Or take the cap off and dress up or replace the points!
 
(quoted from post at 20:38:04 04/09/22) If it was the distributor, would I be getting good light pulses out of each wire with the timing light?
Click to expand...

If the cap was loose, like maybe the clip on one side had popped off, then yes, it could be producing a spark on all 4 wires, but not necessarily at the correct time, or not reliably on every revolution.
 
You are right Wayne. Id like to apologize. I bought this tractor last fall and seems like every time I think Im ready to go back and mow the pasture with it, something else pops up. I shouldnt be taking my frustrations out on here. Itll all come together.

I will check the timing, take a blow dryer to the distributor, and report back. I did find one small sliver where the rotor had gouged one of the cap contacts. However, the rotor feels tight and no wobble in the shaft. Maybe its a possibility that the distributor jumped a tooth? Well see.
 
I accept your apology, I thought I gave you sound advice on the timing. Here is another possibility. If you really think it is linked to the Stump issue, if YOU think you may have overtorqued or "shocked" the engine at a high rpm, it is possible that a push rod jumped out of position on the rocker arm for one of your valves and you now have a valve that is not operating, causing engine missing even though you are getting a spark for that chamber. This is particularly possible if the valve clearances were set incorrectly or due to wear or a loose nut. You can check by removing the valve cover and looking at the rocker arm assembly. This could be repaired without an engine split. Again, if it were me, I would look at the simpler fixes first, and if nothing works, move onto a possible valve issue. Regards, LarryMaine.
 
When you checked fuel flow did you check fuel quality? I always run fuel into a clean glass jar and let it sit to see if any moisture settles out.
Highly doubt distributor could jump a tooth but could move if slightly loose. Condition of points and condenser along with cap rotor and wires can cause a missing and backfiring.
You mentioned the timing light flashing on each cylinder, which is a good sign. Ignition systems can work fine at idle but the strain on the system comes when under load which is when the weakness shows up. Any tiny cracks or marks in a cap or rotor can be a place where the spark jumps to to complete it's path to ground. Like water electricity takes the path of least resistance. Any breakdown in the insulating materials of the plug wires can case the spark to jump to ground instead of jumping the spark plug gap. Of course you have to have a good spark to begin with which should be tested with an adjustable spark tester.
 
Well men, went down there this morning to try on a new rotor cap and inspect the distributor. Had to put a charger on the battery because it was slow cranking. The starter started to put off a little smoke which I thought was odd but I got it to fire up. It ran for 15 seconds and then abruptly shut off. Upon it dying, Gas spewed up out of the oil cap vent. At disbelief, I had dad stand on that side of the tractor to watch and tried to start it again but engine wouldnt turn over. I believe its locked up now. At a loss here.

Looks like Ill be tearing into the engine or parting it out but if anyone has any hypotheses how gas got to the oil, Id appreciate it. Thanks everyone.
 
I really am sorry your having such a problem with your 860. Again, if it were me, prior to splitting the tractor or deciding what to do with it, I would first drop the oil pan and look for bits and pieces. Is it just broken piston rings or is a piston/rod broken. I would pull the intake/exhaust manifold off for an inspection. I would also look for a cracked cyl. block. For an engine to go from good compression, to the current problem in just 15 seconds, I'm afraid the problem is going to be something like a cracked block (usually just water in the oil) or a blown piston. Having just completed a rebuild on my own 850, I can tell you that all engine rebuild parts you may need are available. 860s are great machines, and I would encourage you to go for the rebuild if possible. Good Luck, LarryMaine.
 
I am far from a mechanic, but I think there have been posts here about when the carburetor floats stick, or have a problem such as a pin hole in them, that it can cause gas to leak across the carb through the intake and collect in the oil. That is why some recommend shutting off the gas valve when done using the tractor. You said you rebuilt the carb, so maybe that's not it, unless you possibly re-used your old floats. Just a thought.
Maybe when you bumped the tree stump you did something to cause the floats to stick or exacerbate a pre-existing condition with them.
 
From what you described it sounds like your starter went bad (why it won't crank over now) and the fuel shutoff was left on which is why you have gas in the oil. I have had both problems but not at the same time. I forgot to shutoff the fuel one time and overnight the crankcase was full of gas. It happens.
 
Update it s been 10 months since I first made this post and I ve tinkered with it countless times with no progress. I finally broke down and called a mechanic. I am taking it over there this afternoon. Eager to see what he can figure out. Fingers crossed.
 
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