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James -- This is a challenge. My first question was to ask which way the tractor was tilted when it died, flywheel side lowest or vise versa. But then as I read on down, you indicated that now you aren't able to get it started again! We have to go back to basics here. Two things: (1) go to the JD-H Restoration Site and do some reading. Choose first CARBURETORS. And then, go to ELECT SYSTEMS. Within Elect Systems, starting on about page 6, you find some guidelines for troubleshooting a magneto-based ignition system. Just relax and take in whatever you can there. Now, at the tractor, if she is getting fuel and spark and has compression the engine should at least kick. Again, we are assuming a bit here -- that the engine hasn't jumped time because this is not likely! Oh, you may have the plug wires crossed, but even with that, there should be some popping or attempts to fire. I suppose you could switch them and try starting to see if it makes a difference, but even this scenario of failure in the field is not likely to be caused by wires crossed. So let us kind of rule out timing for a bit. Starting the engine -- put transmission into neutral and engage the clutch. This is the safe way. Set throttle control so that the throttle lever atop the carburetor appears about midway in its travel, close the choke and then crank. At the first fire, quickly unchoke the engine (open the choke) and the engine will normally come up in this manner. The basics once again -- if there is no fire during the first three or four pulls of the flywheel (about two rev's) when using the starting routine above, stop and pull a spark plug -- smell it to sense for gasoline. Seeing none, the engine is not getting fuel. Failure to get fuel could be a hanging float needle valve or a wrong setting of the float level. After the fule vales have been open for a half minute or more, back out the IDLE needle from the carb to see if the end is wet with fuel -- as a short test. See Duane Larson's post for a more formal way of checking float level. If, on the other hand, there IS gasoline on the plug, we go right to checking (once again) for spark at the plugs. There are so many ways to test this here. One is to remove the plug, re-attach the plug wire from the magneto, set (or hold) the grounded part of the plug on the engine block or frame & crank to see if there is fire. If this test fails & you have a spare plug around, open the gap up to between 0.050 and 0.060 inch and repeat test. If good energy is being delivered by the magneto and plug wire, you will have a nice blue jumper! Failing this test, now would be a good time to try an alternate plug wire! Failing all these tests takes you to the magneto! You mentioned you had the carburetor "professionally rebuilt". With some of the horror stories we have been seeing lately, that statement does not give me a warm feeling! Assuming you do get the engine running again, try the no-wrench test found on the last page of CARBURETORS in the article referenced above. If the carburetor's IDLE & LOAD paths are okay, your carb will pass both tests. There is a third pathway in the carb that is hard to test for, and that is the bowl vent & economizer pathway system. But we hold that one for later. Try to let some of this work for you, and after some experimentation, please post back. (PatB)
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