JD A General Running Questions

bbeardb

Member
I have some basic questions about how the A should run when working the field. Being my first tractor ever, I have no reference for which to compare it. Mine is a 46/47, SN 574xxx.

When working under load (planting, cultivating, ditching) how much throttle should I use? While planting this spring with a 2-row (video link below), I recall it struggling in 2nd, and dying in 3rd if not a full throttle (or maybe that was 3rd and 4th, it's been too long ago already).

It seems to barely ever get to 160 temperature, unless I let enough radiator fluid leak out, but I think I fixed that, so low temps again. This was even pulling a 2-row ditcher/hiller up and down the field for an hour this summer.

I have an exceptionally hard time getting the tractor rolling in 6th, and if accomplished, I'm not sure it would make it up a slight hill (say driving on the road to the gas station). The clutch seems very strong.

I get the job done, and have a great time with it, but the way it stands now I'm not sure I could pull a 2-bottom plow in tilled soil (much less breaking ground) or pulling a 1 or 2-row corn picker (next up on the list to acquire). Idles fine, runs fine, starts fine (a little more difficult when warm, but that could be technique on my part), but doing actual work, I'm not sure.

And if anyone is in the Boulder or Brighton Colorado area, maybe we could kick some tires and BS about JDs.

https://youtu.be/HRs0nxPpNVE
 
Sorry, I typed too much.

How much throttle should I be using when working?

Should it be simple to get started in 6th gear, and should it have enough power to pull up a slight, paved incline?
 
(quoted from post at 17:23:07 10/01/19) Sorry, I typed too much.

How much throttle should I be using when working?

Should it be simple to get started in 6th gear, and should it have enough power to pull up a slight, paved incline?

All of it. If governor is set correctly, fast idle is 1115 rpm, and load is 975. Any load at all you want full throttle.
 
If you want to discuss your John Deere, come on down to Littleton, CO on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to the Denver Botanical Garden. Located just west of the Chatfield Reservoir on South Wadsworth. We will be having the Pumpkin Festival and shows, dislays and hayrides. Lots of us old geezers can discuss John Deere at any level. quote="bbeardb"](reply to post at 13:56:39 09/26/19) [/quote]
 
I have a late model A and I can pull a 2 bottom 12" plow in hard pan soil, and up a slight grade , and I do it in 2nd gear with only 3/4 throttle, and I have no problem with lack of power.

If you don't have enough power to get it to start in 6th gear, I almost think it is a carb problem. The carbs on these tractors have to be set correctly and all the passages clean and open for it to work well under load.

If you have not had the carb off or rebuilt, I would suggest ordering some special drill bits from Roberts Carb Repair and a rebuild kit with gaskets and I would go through the carb cleaning everything up. Its not that hard if you have the correct tools.

https://robertscarbrepair.com/tools/

When you take off the carb and you remove all the brass screws, you would then insert the correct drill bits into the passages by hand to clean them out. It is that simple. This usually will take care of all idle and load related problems

When you put the carb back on, adjust the idle and load screws to spec and as stated in the owners manual, and this should take care of your lack of power problems.
 
This was from awhile ago, but 6th gear power issue was due to a fouled spark plug. I cleaned it up today and the A ran like a champ. I forgot what it sounded like when running well. I'll have to take a peak at those plugs more often.
 

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