New guy, with 1938 B, in need of help

I am hoping someone can help me here.
And if I am in the wrong place, or you can recommend a forum that might better help me, direct away and I will skedaddle.

Quick background.
I am slowly getting an old 1938 John Deere unstyled B running.

I grew up running this tractor on our small ~70 acre farm in Southern Oregon.
As my father grew older, he maintained it less and less and then just didn't and it sat in an open shed for about 5 yrs until I started to pay more attention to it.
As my wife and I care-take the land more and more, I am working to get it running so we can use it, currently the only tractor there.
We live near Albany, Oregon, and the farm and tractor are about 2.5 hrs south of us.
I or we travel down there at least once a month, to do various things, and I start and run it almost every time I am there.

Over about 2 yrs I have been working on getting it going, again.

I have:
Rebuilt the carburetor, with help from my father-in-law
Had the Magneto rebuilt by a place in Lebanon.
Serviced the oil
Serviced the power lift fluid
Serviced the air filter
Serviced the coolant
Replaced the plugs

I can get it to run, and have driven it around a few times.
It is generally cranky, I cannot start it unless I use Thrust starter fluid, a 3sec blast either in one spark plug hole or in the air hole just above the carburetor. There is a pipe running horizontal that I can wiggle out, spray in, then reinstall the pipe.

I am still trying to learn the process of starting and running, the best settings of the choke and throttle, etc. And am not sure I have the load and idles needles set right...

It seems to run rough, like it is not firing evenly, esp when cold.

This last trip:
I first started it fine, even sounded great, it ran fine for about 30 min, as I drove it out and hooked up the cutter bar, then backed the cutter bar into the shed, then ran out of gas.
Refilled the tank with about 2 month old fuel (same fuel that was in the tank before), and then when it started it sounded terrible, burning black smoke, almost no power and only one "pop", which I assume was just one cylinder. I pushed the throttle full open and the rpms would not increase, and it sounded like it was going to die, going up a small hill from the lower barn.
I thought maybe I just had some bad fuel, or water in the fuel.
But in general it seems to run rough, so I am asking if anyone can suggest what I should consider as the problem.

Thoughts I have are the wires, or compression (which I have not checked...)?

I did take a video of it running, which I could, in theory share with anyone; if it might help, if you can hear it.


A related issue is I have had no luck finding anyone I can shoot the tractor talk with as I work on it, so that has been frustrating. I am sure there are people in this state, that could help me, but not luck yet.
I have considered going to a local fair, and trying to find someone there (a person displaying a tractor or something).
I found two clubs online, one in WA, one in Oregon, but have had no luck reaching anyone.
I have talked to local John Deere dealers, no luck yet.

So one question I have is how can I find someone local to help me, if anyone has any suggestions.

Anyway, I appreciate any help, or direction anyone can provide.

I really love this old tool, and am pretty sure I can get it running good again.
Even if I have to replace most of the parts!

I plan to, next trip:
Replace the plug wires
Service the transmission
Check compression

Welcome to YT
If one removes plug wire from spark plug to check for condition of spark what color is the spark & will spark jump 1/4'' or more"?

Did you replace the spark plugs with the hottest heat range you could get and hopefully not with champions?

I'd check the magneto for point
gap and if the rebuild included
a new coil, make sure points are
clean with a piece of paper.
Then there's a tiny passage in
carb on idle side that usually
takes a drill bit or fine wire
to clean out. But sounds like
weak spark....

In addition to checking the spark as suggested here, also make sure the mag or distributor is timed correctly. Make a difference when starting. Since it acted up after running out of gas I'd look for junk in the tank and bowl screen, which probably worked down to the carb.

"one "pop", which I assume was just one cylinder"

I see that you replaced the plugs, but maybe as far back as two years ago. Puttering around without a load can foul up a spark plug.

If I have a "one dead cylinder" situation, I swap spark plugs - one side to the other, and try again. This will give you a glance at the plug condition and you will know if the problem is following the spark plug or if the problem is specific to that original dead cylinder. A dud spark plug will make a two cylinder Deere start bad (if at all) and run puny.

You might start using non ethanol fuel. Locations available can be found on the website pureges.com.

I've always found it prudent to check the simple things first. If it was running decent before it ran out of gas, why would putting gas in it cause the wires to go bad? I would suspect dirt in the carb or the tank as was mentioned. Easy to check. Make sure the gas cap is vented and check the fuel flow to carb first. Also check the air filter. Black smoke usually means it's running too rich. (lack of air) Good luck and let us know what you find. If you're getting good fuel flow, Then I'd check the compression. It's important that the compression be close to the same in both cylinders, within 10 psi I'd say. Hope this helps.

I got my first 2 cylinder JD, a 1938 unstyled A, a little over 30 years ago and in that time I found that the best tool I could have was knowledge. So in that light and given that you say you don't have a lot of people to talk tractors with, I would invest in the following:

Owners and service manuals
How to rebuild DLTX carburetors video by Roberts Carb Repair
How to rebuild Wico Series Magnetos video by Roberts Carb Repair

Here is the link to the videos, https://robertscarbrepair.com/instructional-videos/

Roberts also has technical information on their site that is useful to have.

Ignition and carburation seem the two main issues with smooth running of these engines. Watching the videos will give you a good basic knowledge of the two systems and will help you diagnose your problems, especially since you have a couple of weeks in between visits to go over the material.

You say the carb was rebuilt, but is something that can mean it was done thoroughly or not, depending on what was done. When you watch the video, you will see how it is supposed to be done, which is a little more involved than just putting in a carb kit. Reading the manual will also familiarize you with the workings of the tractor.

One last thing, even though you have changed fluids, these tractors are notorious for building up condensation in the cases, which needs be drained off. After the tractor has been idle for a while, pull the drain plug and the condensed water, which will be on the bottom as it is heavier than the oil, will drain off and replace the plug once the oil starts to drain.

Wow, what a crazy spring, eh!?

Anyway, tell me more about spark plugs?

I did in fact replace them with Champions, W18...
That was what my Dad told me to do, and I don't know any better...

What do I not know? School me!

Thanks.

That brings up a question I have about the air cleaner.

When I removed it, there are two areas in the bottom; an inner cup and an outer reservoir that surrounds that inner cup.
I put oil in both, up to the line.
Did it do that right, or should I have only added oil to one, the inner cup or the out reservoir, only...

Thanks again for everyone that jumped in with suggestions, links and guidance.
I really appreciate all of your wisdom.