Oliver 550

I'm having trouble with my Oliver 550 when it is put under load using the PTO for mowing. Starts and runs great, can run around at any rpm range with no problems. But, after about 5 minutes of engaging the PTO it will die, restart and die. Any thoughts to what might be causing this?

THANKS

Is it starving for fuel?

It doesn't seem to be. I've cleaned out the sediment bulb. When the fuel line at the carb is removed, gas runs out freely.

Fuel at the line does not mean gas is getting into the carb like it should. You need to pull the drain plug out of the bottom of the carb and let the gas flow for a few minutes. Catch it to look for water/dirt.

Thanks, I'll give it a try this weekend.

I don't know if that one has a screen at the carb inlet. If it does it might be plugged.

Might also be the vent on the gas cap is plugged creating a vacuum in the tank. When it dies remove the cap and if it starts/runs fine that's it. I doubt that's it but another thing to look at.

Try running it again until the problem starts, quickly partially choke it, see if the engine runs better.

If it improves, even if it eventually dies, proves it's leaning out.

If it makes it worse, look into your ignition system, point gap, worn distributor bushings, coil going bad, loss of power to the coil.

Maybe the condenser is bad. Chuck

Confused with your question. Is it just after you have run the PTO for 5 minutes or is it after running the tractor for 5 minutes without PTO being run? If tractor runs good for long time without the PTO being enguaged it is something in the PTO shaft-clutch. If total run time is only the 5 minutes then like others have said.

Sounds like fuel to me. Running around with no load even at different throttle settings is not consuming much gas. When you put the PTO load on it it starts to really draw gas. It is as young fella Old says, except that you need to observe it running for only about twenty seconds. Two minutes and you need to be prepared to catch two gallons.

Thanks everyone. I'll try to answer everyone in one reply. The fuel does run out of the
bottom of the card very well. The gas bulb did have the screen in the top. It did not
look clogged but I removed it anyway and cleaned the points. It did run better, but still
not as good as it had. How can I check to see if the condenser is bad and the PTO shaft
clutch?

Thanks again

The best way to check a condenser for me is to replace it with a new one or one that I know (I've got several same-model tractors with the same distributors) is good.

(quoted from post at 09:47:21 04/28/15) Thanks everyone. I'll try to answer everyone in one reply. The fuel does run out of the
bottom of the card very well. The gas bulb did have the screen in the top. It did not
look clogged but I removed it anyway and cleaned the points. It did run better, but still
not as good as it had. How can I check to see if the condenser is bad and the PTO shaft
clutch?

Thanks again

Click to expand...

All you need to swap the condenser is a rather small flat screwdriver for the condenser screw (hard so see, behind the condenser) and a open key to loosen the connector at the other end. Just make sure not to loosen anything else (points) or you may need to redo the timing and advance.

My last condenser died after 2 hours of perfect performance (just changed it with the points and spring tune up) The next day it started perfect, it worked for 5 minutes then started to loose power then to choke up as if it ran out of gas. It kept starting but the engine started to run more and more erratically.

I changed the fuel filter, got the carb cleaned up and tuned, nothing worked. I changed the condenser and it started to run perfectly again.

If it only occurs when your PTO is engaged, I would suspect the PTO bearing is shot. This bearing need to be blessed with a small amount of grease after it has been engaged for a few hours. Just don't overdo it, otherwise grease will contaminate the clutch and it will start to slip. Before you plan for major surgery, I would try to engage the PTO without any load, just to make sure it is the PTO bearing, not the mower bearings that are shot.

Good luck.