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J, I think you're on the right track. From step 1: Fuel, fire, compression. Compression is not likely to show up only under load... you'd probably see it or hear it all the time, and at least you could spot it with a cranking compression test. Fire from the igntion will usually only vary with speed if you have a vary sloppy distributor or rotor that tickles spark plugs when it's not their time. The only time my 60 oscillates like you describe us when I've been stupid enough to run it out of gas. (someday I'll put a gas gauge on it) That's a simple fuel shortage, but it runs screwy for a few minutes afterwards. I'd check carb the metering, as you suggest, the float bowl level, and also the level of crud in the fuel tank -- and because a carb mixes fuel and air, the air intake side as well. A few weeks ago I had too much time on my hands and cleaned the filter on the top side of the oil bath on my JD 1020 ( I did my 60 that way this winter). I was amazed at the amount of crud that came out of that mesh. Anyway, check the exhaust gas and the color of the plugs. If it's starved for air, you'd be running really rich making black smoke at the times it just lies down. If it's starved for fuel, you'd be running lean, so you'd go no color to a white color smoke. Hope my diagnostics add a spark to your thinking... keep that good ol' 60 running. They're pretty special tractors. Steve
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