Engine question

Back of the shed today. I was gone for one lousy day and the place is all tore up with ground hogs. They are under the head for the MF swather and I am worried about the canvas. I flooded the holes and collapsed them. Nothing came out so I assume they were feasting on field corn at the time.

Jump ahead. I want to start the swather and raise the head. I cannot move it because it is in the back of the shed and buried in stuff I want to sell but I can at least raise the head. But it has been sitting there about four years. This was not intended, just happened. The battery is strong surprisingly. The coil had great spark and same at the plugs. So I have to get the last of the fuel out of the system and refill it. Fuel tank is the lowest point in the system and this means it must have a fuel pump. I can pull the fuel line and drain everything except the carb float bowl (probably dry). I have no experience with fuel pumps. When I put the new gas in do I have to prime anything or ??????

Engine is a 4 cylinder chevy. Originally in a Chevette I am told. It ran good last time I did oats. Anything else, just ask.

Oops...no carb bowl...fuel pump. Duh.

could have a fuel pump and fuel bowl.....

Do you know whether the pump is mechanical or electric? A few months ago I started an old car that I have been rebuilding for the last four years. It was all new gas and lines and rebuilt pump. I wrapped an air blower in a rag and stuck it in the tank fill and gave it a couple quick shots, and it pushed the gas right up into the filter bowl.

I will check it tomorrow to see what it looks like...belt and pulley or harness.

engine is a four cyl,... yes but definitely not from a chevette as they were not even built when these swathers came out. should be a flathead continental engine.

A simple priming method is to use a boat fuel squeeze bulb for priming. (cheap) splice it into the line at the tank and squeeze till it stays plump. Jim

(quoted from post at 02:49:44 08/23/19) engine is a four cyl,... yes but definitely not from a chevette as they were not even built when these swathers came out. should be a flathead continental engine.

Click to expand...

Probably an Iron Duke. They were built in 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0. Like half a small block Chevy. Good engine.

There should be no reason to prime it as they will prime right up if they are good. Air to a gas tank can collapse the float in the carb, don't ask how I know.

I do nothing but stir up controversy anymore, lol. I will try to take a picture of this little engine and you and others can tell me what you think it is. The fella who sold it to me told me it was a chevette engine, so either he swapped it out or he be wrong.

Well I am going to try that first, I guess. All I know about pumps I learned in the FD. They either pump air and prime themselves or they don't. Seems like this would be a case where it would be self priming. Be a PITA to have to prime it every time you run out of gas. Also seems like a pump that does not self prime would be down by the fuel tank...but what do I know?

After 4 years, it may or may not have fuel problems.

Once the tank is drained and some fresh gas is in, get an oil pump can with some gas, give it a couple squirts to get it started and running.

That will save a bunch of cranking. A running engine will operate the fuel pump much more efficiently than cranking (if it's a mechanical pump).

Once it starts, check for leaks, especially around the fuel pump and watch for a flooding carb. The old pumps and rubber hoses don't like sitting with ethanol in them.

Have a fire extinguisher handy just in case!

(quoted from post at 21:45:50 08/22/19)

(quoted from post at 02:49:44 08/23/19) engine is a four cyl,... yes but definitely not from a chevette as they were not even built when these swathers came out. should be a flathead continental engine.

Click to expand...

Probably an Iron Duke. They were built in 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0. Like half a small block Chevy. Good engine.

Click to expand...

Most likely, it's an industrial version of the 153 cubic inch 4 cylinder "Chevy II" engine, which is basically a 230 CID in-line six-cylinder engine shortened by two cylinders and sharing NO heritage with the Pontiac "Iron Duke" or being half of a small-block Chevy.

The were a COMMON engine in Massey and Owatonna swathers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_153_4-cylinder_engine



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Duke_engine

How much gasoline is in the tank now? If less than 1/4 full I would consider just filling it with fresh fuel to dilute the old fuel enough to get it running. If more than 1/4 full, maybe siphon out as much as possible before adding fresh fuel.

Might have an electric fuel pump. I've never been around Massey swathers, but MF combines of that vintage used electric pumps. If the pump is electric, you'll hear it run for a few seconds when you turn on the switch. If not, the fuel may not flow by gravity until it starts siphoning, because the fuel pickup tube probably enters the topo of the tank.

Battery is sure to be low. I'd get it on a slow charger for a day or so.
Good chance the gas is all gummed up if it did not have stabil in it.

I have even used a boat tank, good way to get fresh fuel into the system.

I added 5 gallons of fresh fuel to an 8n that had a little less than 2 gallons of bad (smelled like varnish) fuel once. I then had a little less than 7 gallons of bad fuel (future lighter fluid) and an 8n that still wouldn't run.