JD A Finally ran! But still dies.

1) Open the drain cock at the bottom of the carbs bowl and see if a good pencil lead sized stream of gas runs out continuous.

2) If not, remove the fuel line from the carbs input and see if a good continuous stream of gas the size of the lines ID runs out.

3) If not, remove the glass sediment bowl and turn the fuel on and see if the 2 lil side holes run gas out continuous and strong to fill the glass bowl.

4) If not, you may have a restriction up inside the fuel inlet pipe or screen up inside the tank. (A common problem)

You gotta have a good fuel flow out the carbs bottom which has to flow out the tank, into the sediment bowl, through the line, into and through the carbs side strainer, and then through the needle valve and seat to fill the bowl before she will run right.

When it starts to die, does she black smoke and/or would choking keep her running longer????? ????? ????? ?????

While it sounds like fuel starvation and not excess fuel, you may still wanna take a look at the choke butterfly plate for corerct operation and the air cleaners bottom bowl for water.

Is the gas free of water????? ????? and fresh????? ????? ??

Have you tried to adjust the carbs top load and idle needles????? ?? I dont think thats the problem at all, but try openign them a bit just to see what happens.

If the carb isnt venting properly, it can cause her to starve for fuel also.

While it could be ignition related, Im thinking fuel starvation for now, so see how the fuel is flowing at all the points described above and that the gas has no water in it and you might take a look at the plugs and let me know what they look like.

John T Nordhoff in Indiana

I know how your feel, I almost started liking burnt ones caused by multiple shotgun blasts...LOL

After fixing my TSX-245 carburator [for the 3-4th time], I later found out that I had an ignition problem...so, this is or can be an extension process of elimination/isolation. Duane is right, you need a pencil size fuel flow from the carb bowl for 30-45 sec's @ a minimum. If not, start @ the gas tank/sediment bowl, then screen, fuel line, then the inlet screen on the carb [do not know how your carb is configured].

If the fuel flow checks out, then you need to examine the main jet to see if the holes are plugged and pretty much do a carb overhall if they are...you can also see if the float is potentially stuck and not allowing fuel to flow in...if she doesn't come around then, post back and I'll lend you some 3.5" 12 gauge magnum sg-shells. LOL

Hang in there. The answer is there somewhere, and the guys on this board will help you find it.

Good luck...tom

I'm not familiar with mags, only generators and alternators, but it sounds like something may be getting hot and cutting out the spark. You might want to see if there is any spark right after the engine dies.

Oh, and on the red tractor thing. I've kept ahold of a Farmall M that I restored years ago now and use it for brush hogging, moving dirt, operating boom, blading snow, etc (put a 3-point on it). Worked for years without a problem. Last year was a nightmare. I couldn't keep it running. In one year I had to replace everything in the carb and pretty much everything from the battery to the spark plugs including the battery and spark plugs. The coil, ign switch, amp gauge, wires, points, condensor, plug wires, etc. I sunk $$$$$ in it every week it seemed like. And there were times my grass got pretty tall - wife didn't like that... It took almost an hour of dinking with it to get it started every time I needed it. Went through the governer, compression, etc etc etc. In the end it paid off and the grass is mowed. It now runs and starts better than ever.

The problems started the day I brought home my grandpa's JD70. I guess the M didn't like the new JD 70 project parked next to it.... must have felt intimidated. I don't park them next to each other anymore. The old tractors have their personality.

Thanks,
scruf

I may be getting in late here on an ongoing story, and you may have considered all the above.

It always sometimes takes someone else to come-up with the answer...see if the plugs are good/fouled? Have you changed them lately? If not, I am betting my horse on that one !!!

tom