To tow or not to tow....

centash · Jan 23, 2019

Simple question....I am working on a Farmall 504 gas with a torque amplifier. It has not run in years, but I have it to the point where it fires intermittently when cranking....and yes I am standing beside it, but the brakes are locked and wheels blocked...heh heh...My question is can this model tractor be towed to start and if so, should the TA be in high or low? It did have issues with a scaly fuel tank but that has been cleaned and an inline filter installed.
Thanks.
Ben

Dieseltech · Jan 23, 2019

Yes, TA lever in Direct/Forward, and use fifth gear.

centash · Jan 23, 2019

Thanks..fingers crossed, results will be posted!
Ben

old · Jan 23, 2019

In line filter maybe as much trouble as help I'd use a lawn mower gas tank and NO in line filter. Also before doing that I would do an ATF treatment to make sure the rings are not sticking which will cause low compression

Bruce from Can. · Jan 23, 2019

Fires now and the but won?t start. In my opinion a gas engine shouldn?t care if it is towed or cranked to start. If it cranks over good, my thinking would be ignition issues. Weak coil, cracked cap, slightly out of time. I don?t see towing it to make it start any better. Just thinking, I am no mechanic. Bruce

Bob · Jan 23, 2019

(quoted from post at 18:06:05 01/23/19) Fires now and the but won?t start. In my opinion a gas engine shouldn?t care if it is towed or cranked to start. If it cranks over good, my thinking would be ignition issues. Weak coil, cracked cap, slightly out of time. I don?t see towing it to make it start any better. Just thinking, I am no mechanic. Bruce

"In my opinion a gas engine shouldn?t care if it is towed or cranked to start."

Heck, 'YA, you can have any opinion you want, but in the real world when an engine is being cranked with a starter the load of the starter draws down the battery voltage which makes for a weaker spark.

When being pull started there's no starter draw on the battery, voltage is HIGHER, and spark is much HOTTER.

Just the way things work.

centash · Jan 23, 2019

Thanks for the help. I have a decent spark at the plugs and a good flow of gas at the carburetor. I am suspicious of the carb, having set so long it might need cleaning. Just thought I would try tow start it and see if that helps before I get into the carb. Has even compression on all cylinders and seems enough to make the starter work. If it runs, it may free up the rings if stuck, and get some oil on the cylinder walls.

Thanks again guys, progress....or lack thereof....will be posted.
Ben

Adirondack case guy · Jan 23, 2019

I think his issue is the TA, not the motor. It should crank the engine with the TA in high-direct what ever
it is called.
Loren

Bruce from Can. · Jan 23, 2019

Could be Bob , that you are correct. My W4
McCormick has a 6 volt system with a generator
and a totally dead battery for many years, and I
could start it by only lifting the hand crankfrom
bottom to top, two or three times to get it to start
winter or summer. Never needed to drag it down the
road at ten mph to bring it to life. Why shythis
engine be any different. If it is getting gas then it
must not be getting spark. Far as I know there is
only one world, real or otherwise. I f this tractor has
a 12 volt delco alternator, then it would need a
battery with good charge as the alternator would not
produce any power till it was rev fast enough.

dzc3 · Jan 23, 2019

I like Old's comment but would take it one step further, you said it's been sitting for awhile did you remove the valve cover and make sure that you don't have a stuck valve or possibly a bent pushrod. Thing to do before attempting to start an engine that's been "sitting for awhile"

Russ from MN · Jan 23, 2019

Have you put any oil in the cylinders? If it has been sitting for an extended time that should be the first thing you should do. I inherited and old corn stalk chopper that has a 2 cylinder Wisconsin on it, hand crank start. It acted like you describe until I put some oil in the cylinders, then it took right off. Now when I am done using it for the season I rev it up and squirt oil in the intake, and shut it down. I learned that procedure on here, and it starts right up the next season.

matthies · Jan 23, 2019

I may have missed it, but the clutch releases right? Don't want you to pull it and not be able to stop it.

ASEguy · Jan 24, 2019

Actually you both could be. If you have a known good fully charged battery with adequate cranking speed then it doesn't matter. If you have slow cranking speed due to an issue like a low battery then you starve the coil for voltage which reduces output and spark intensity.

Tom/Idaho · Jan 24, 2019

I have a 1957 350 with TA. If I remember correctly my owners manual says you can tow start with the TA disengaged, however you should never, ever try to tow start it with the TA engaged.
I also think I have read that same thing on the Farmall site.
Ask your question there.
Tom/Idaho

tractorkrum · Jan 24, 2019

You said it starts intermittently. Does it just fires once or does it run for a short time (a few seconds)? Have you cleaned the carb? I had a similar issue with a tractor that sat for a couple of years and it turned out that I had to really clean the carb.

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 24, 2019

Long story short, you can ***NOT*** tow start the tractor with the TA lever pulled back. It is physically impossible.

The tractor will simply FREEWHEEL, rolling along as if in neutral.

Will it hurt anything? NO!

Just let the TA ahead and get on with life.

To tow or not to tow....

centash

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Dieseltech

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centash

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old

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Bruce from Can.

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Bob

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centash

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Adirondack case guy

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Bruce from Can.

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dzc3

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Russ from MN

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matthies

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ASEguy

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Tom/Idaho

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tractorkrum

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BarnyardEngineering

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