Tractor starts but wont keep running

SodBuster87 · Jan 25, 2018

Farmall 350 ran fine when I drove it home. Went to start it today. It fires right up but will only run for about 20 seconds. But will fire right back up and run for 20 seconds. It has good fuel flow to the carb. It has good spark. It is firing on all cylinders when it starts. No smoke. Just put fuel in about a week ago. From the gas station. Temp has been around freezing. Water in gas? Frozen/ plugged jet? Ideas?

SodBuster87 · Jan 25, 2018

Forgot to add choke on or off makes no difference

WayneLee · Jan 25, 2018

Did you check the fuel screen at the carburetor inlet.

old · Jan 25, 2018

Pull the carb drain plug. You need a flow of gas there that will fill a pint jar in less then 3 minutes. You also may need to dump the mud and water and ice out of the air cleaner.

If I where you I would also check that you do in fact have a good blue white spark that will jump a 1/4 inch gap or more

dewy · Jan 25, 2018

points......dewy

SodBuster87 · Jan 25, 2018

Already checked the carb drain.

Traditional Farmer · Jan 25, 2018

If you're sure its getting gas OK then I'd try replacing the condenser,bad condenser will make an engine act like its running out of gas.

old · Jan 25, 2018

Have you checked the air cleaner?? Sen them have ice in them so you start the engine then the ice comes up and stop air flow into carb so chokes out. You also might try a hot wire from the battery ignition side to the coil ignition side and see if that works. Seen more then one ignition switch do funny things

Stephen Newell · Jan 25, 2018

On my tractor the carburetor gets a little flooded and I will have to start it three or four times like that before it stays running. Smokes a lot until the excess gas gets burned up.

Steve@Advance · Jan 25, 2018

Probably not water in the gas, especially if it has ethanol gas in it.

Everything else has about been covered. Be nice to actually catch it when it starts to die. A test light on
the distributor side of the coil would tell if points are making and breaking, should flash every time the
points open. You would have to watch closely to catch it as it begins to fail.

One other thing to check, possibly the gas cap vent is clogged or frozen shut.

wolfman · Jan 25, 2018

I agree with Steve@advance, the first thing to try is loosen the gas cap or leave it ajar or remove it . Sounds like the gas cap vent hole is plugged.

Andy Martin · Jan 25, 2018

How long did you let it run out of the carburetor drain? You need to let it run a minute or so and make sure it does not slow down. A minute is a long time. Pretty easy to open the drain, have gas, and shut it, but you have to drain the carburetor bowl a couple of times to be sure the system is flowing well.

SodBuster87 · Jan 25, 2018

Take this for what its worth but after it dies it makes a hissing sound such as air being sucked in or pushed out. Does this for about 15 seconds. It is coming from the carb side of the motor. Thought about intake leak but couldn't find any cracks. It would have to be a pretty good crack for as loud as the hissing is. Also it runs perfect for the 20 seconds it runs. Intake leak would cause poor running wouldn't it? It was mentioned above gas cap vent plugged or air cleaner. Starting to think its starving for air. However does not appear to be flooding.

SodBuster87 · Jan 25, 2018

Also if intake leak why would it suck air in after engine has stopped running/spinning over. Will check gas cap vent. It drained well over a pint of gas through carb drain is maybe two minutes? Wasn't very long. Might pull air cleaner off and see what happens. Will also take gas cap off see what happens.

Angle Iron · Jan 26, 2018

(quoted from post at 22:02:14 01/25/18) Also if intake leak why would it suck air in after engine has stopped running/spinning over. Will check gas cap vent. It drained well over a pint of gas through carb drain is maybe two minutes? Wasn't very long. Might pull air cleaner off and see what happens. Will also take gas cap off see what happens.

ld has twice suggested checking the air cleaner for ice/clogging. With the hissing sound added to the conversation it could be pulling a suction on the intake side. It runs out of air and shuts down. Unhook the air cleaner tube from the carb and give it a try I think Old may have the answer.

Ellis Kinney · Jan 26, 2018

Is it cold where you are? My tractor would start ( Farmall M ) and run a while, Quit and restart just fine and quit again. I unscrewed the gas cap and it
spewed air and gas. I held the gas cap in front of a work light for a few seconds to melt the ice, and shook the water out of it and it ran until I finished my
chores. Ellis

SodBuster87 · Jan 26, 2018

Pulled the intake hose off the carb, still not fixed. Would a frozen or plugged jet in the carb do this?

Janicholson · Jan 26, 2018

Use a test light for the following analysis. Attach it to a good ground put the probe on the coil input terminal (not the
distributor side) Turn on the ignition and the light will light. Start it and watch the light when it quits. If it stays lit go
to the next test. If it goes out the supply side electricity is bad (maybe the ballast resistor if 12v). Now put the probe on the
distributor side of the coil. If it blinks, then stops blinking, the points/condenser may be at fault. Next test requires a good
spark plug. Pull off One of the wires at the plug. attach it to the good plug in hand. Ground that plug with a jumper cable.
Start it and watch the spark. If the tractor stops and so does the spark, it is possibly the coil. If it keeps sparking the fuel
side is it. I cannot imagine a hiss that lasts for seconds after the engine stops on a F-350. Jim

old · Jan 26, 2018

Pull the gas cap off and see if it will run with it off the vent maybe cloggged

SodBuster87 · Jan 26, 2018

Oil bath was frozen. You would think pulling the carb hose off would have told me that. I got a someone out to look it over. He cleaned out the oil bath stuck it back on. Fired up and purrs like a kitten. ( ......scratches head......) FWIW its +40 today. It has been around +25 in the day all this past week. Sod Buster.

ChuckMa · Jan 26, 2018

I had similar problem, but it ran longer than 20 seconds. But would always start immediately and shut down shortly after Changed oil and
filter no difference, changed the oil cup oil and As Old stated I had ice in the oil cup. there wasn't a lot but enough to cause a restriction.
the reason it took a while to shut down the first is the ice was frozen to the bottom of cup but released when it got warm and hampered air
flow. Been running great since th e oil cup clean out . You might have a lot more water or ice in the cup, Don't forget to check glass bowl
or filter for sediment or restriction.
Chuck

denglish · Jan 26, 2018

(quoted from post at 13:31:28 01/26/18) Oil bath was frozen. You would think pulling the carb hose off would have told me that. I got a someone out to look it over. He cleaned out the oil bath stuck it back on. Fired up and purrs like a kitten. ( ......scratches head......) FWIW its +40 today. It has been around +25 in the day all this past week. Sod Buster.

Sounds to me like Old solved the problem from a 1000 miles away and a day before your guy! I agree though, it seems like removing the hose between the cleaner and carb should have revealed the problem.

Tractor starts but wont keep running

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