JD Mode H Cranking

Getting ready for the tractor show next weekend. The 1939 hand crank H was completely restored several years ago and has only been used in parades and shows. I think it is about time for a tuneup it is getting harder to crank I am looking for advice on plugs, points and timing to make it easier to crank. ( It may be the starter 75 years old). Thanks

Doesn't matter what you do to it at the show with people gathered around there is no way it will ever start ! lol.
A new set of plugs can't hurt ?

I know exactly what you mean. It is very shy
I gap the points and plugs by the book and set the timing for the mag to snap when the piston is at TDC
The tractor idles and runs fine once it cranks. Do you think the carburetor needs to be adjusted

There has been some mention about rotating the flywheel backwards to help charge the cylinders with gas. I've never tried it but it is worth a shot. All these machine have little tricks they like.
If it runs fine once it does run not too much I have ran into I can think of ? I have had more than a few H's with leaking intake where the gasket meets the cyl. head. But these you usually need to keep the choke on a bit to keep them running.
Lack of being ran may just be an issue too ? Any way to give it a good work out ?
wonder if the choke is fully closing ? some of them have a spring loaded flap on the choke plate. If yours is that style the flap may be loose or missing ?

I have tried the reverse spin don?t think it helped. Wouldn?t that be blowing back through the carb
What spark plug would you advise and the gap on the plugs and points

Well I have always used the autolite 388 spark plugs. I never had any trouble with them but they are a resistor plug and not to be used with mags. , but like I said no issues for me.
Make sure your spark plug wires have actual wire in them. I usually go a little wide on my plug gap too. .035" I don't even remember what factory spec is to be ? On the mag. point gap factory is .015" but many times if you go up to .018" you can get better spark. That's what we set them at on all mags when I worked at the rebuild shop.

For a Mag I prefer NON Resistor plugs, that's Autolite 3116 in the later 18mm or 3077 if the older 7/8 deep reach side wire electrode type. Mine liked 3/4 to 7/8 choke for no more then 2 piston compression turn overs then open it to 1/2 or less so she don't flood. Timing as close as possible to TDC and fast as possible (close to TDC) just so it dont kick back. I had best luck if I got it to where it was ready to fire first on the left at TDC then 180 later the right fired. That's NOT start it where the right fires but then its 540 before the left fires. Set the throttle at idle when hand cranking worked best for me. HOWEVER each is a little different so you have to see whats best for your tractor. When I had a fresh mag and plugs mine often started the very first pull over (pulled over for left to fire first) UNLESS a big crowd was watching. I once took it to the State Fair and when I was going to start to drive off the trailer a huge crowd gathered YOU COULDNT START IT WITH A STICK OF DYNAMITE...?..I walked away and the crowd left went back and it started the first pull

PS a guy had an H hand cranker he could sit on the tractor and roll the flywheel over using his tennis shoe and it started !!!!

John T

I had a 1940 B model a guy was looking at to buy. He was sort of playing with the flywheel as we sometimes do. It started up and scared him ! lol. I don't think he was the one that bought it though ?

Thanks guys for the info

What John T said is absolutely correct.
My 42 hand cranker got very hard to start and when I put the 3116 non resister plugs in, it fires right up with the throttle just barely open.
It is a working tractor and used to cultivate my garden.
Richard in NW SC