Mechanical Input Needed

I have a MHF TO35 gas. Was running fine when last shut off a few days ago. Now it will start, run a minute or less and go dead. If I try to increase the throttle it pops and sputters and will die. Have good fuel flow out the carb bowl, recent new plugs, points, condenser with good spark so it seems fuel related but it has me stumped. It's like it's starving for gas but as I said, the gas flow is good. Any ideas? I'm a light duty mechanic at best and have had this tractor many years. Thanks.

How long are you allowing the carb to flow with the plug out? It will flow fine for a few seconds, but if there's a restriction limiting the fuel through the needle valve, it will slow down after awhile. Neighbor's Oliver 1655 did the same thing awhile back, needed the carb taken apart to clean the needle seat that was restricted on the back side. He was pulling the drain, saw good flow and put the plug back in. Told him leave it out and let it flow awhile, gas then slowed down to a drip then. May not be your trouble, but worth a look..

two ideas: A faulty ignition supply side to the coil can be intermittent. Put a test light on the switch side of the coil and see if it stays lit as it dies. The second might be trash in the float bowl. as it runs the jets can get plugged, then when stopped, the trash falls off to do it again. Jim

Try putting the old condenser back in.

Check the distributor shaft for side play. They can do strange things, let the point setting change at different RPM.

Also let the fuel flow from the carb drain for a few seconds. It should continue to flow, not slow to a drip or stop. Catch the flow in a clean glass, see if there is water or trash in the fuel. Be sure the cap is vented, try leaving it loose for a test, even if it says it's vented.

I have an Allis CA, that had the same problem Monday, and it has a Zenith carb. I had good flow to the carb, and good flow out the bottom plug. My carb doesn't have a power valve, sticking out, just a plug, that when you remove the plug, you can see a brass jet up in the hole. I removed the brass jet, with a narrow flat tipped screw driver, blew gumout carb cleaner, in the hole, and also put the cleaner through the jet hole, and replaced the jet to its former position, then put the plug back in. being as the idle adjusting screw was accessable, I did the same thing with it. I fixed the problem, with out removing the carb, or the float bowl. May be you could get lucky also!

my guess is bad cond. put old one back in

When I had the same problem,Mike(NEOhio)'s wife suggested putting old condenser back on it. She was right and now it run's fine again.

Sorry I don't have help to offer, just an anecdote. I have a TO30 that started missing going uphill but not down. Tried EVERYTHING except the last thing which was change the condenser. I was surprised that it was the problem. All small engines I ever worked on, either the condenser worked or it didn't. No partial failure until the Fergy issue.

"......it pops and......" Popping is exploding fuel in the intake area of the engine. Timing is incorrect causing the explosion to occur while the intake valve is open...even a little. Anything that affects timing is suspect, not carb issues. Condensers yes, valve train adjustment, cam wear, distributor alignment wear (all as stated by others) can be suspect.

The purpose of the condenser is to control the rate of rise and amplitude of the spark that occurs/would otherwise occur across the points as they open (generating the high voltage pulse to the plug) to prevent arcing, thus extending the life of such......early engines of the type didn't even have one.

The engine will run for a time (early point damage) without it but the timing will be off slightly as the capacitor/condenser delays the leading edge of the opening "effect" of the points. If you suspect the condenser, remove it, loosen your distributor and by hand rotate it back and forth slowly to see if you can get the tractor to run right. If so, it could be your problem....as long as it wasn't distributor wear or igniting timing set incorrectly related.

That's the way I see it.