TRACTOR PARTS Allis Chalmers Case & David Brown Farmall & International Ferguson Ford & New Holland John Deere Massey Ferguson Massey Harris Minneapolis Moline Oliver & Cockshutt Kubota / Yanmar

TRACTOR MANUALS

Allis Chalmers	Case	Farmall IH	Ford 8N,9N,2N	Ford
Ferguson	John Deere	Massey Ferguson	Minn. Moline	Oliver

Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum

@#!% Super A Zenith Carb.

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register

Author

Cityboy-McCoy

09-27-2005 17:14:11

Report to Moderator

Boys, the carb on my Super A has about got me whipped. Bought this Super A tractor about a month ago and it was running fine. Then, it started running rich (missing and black smoke). Got worse very quickly and would quit. Carb flooded and dripping. I took the carb down, (it was dirty with rusty corrosion) cleaned it good by letting it soak in carb cleaner, cleaned all jets and passages, blew them out, etc, put it back on. Had to clean the soot off the plugs and she fired right up and ran right smooth. I thought I was a genius.
Then, it started the same thing again within 30 minutes. Sometimes I could clear it up by tapping on the bottom of the bowl - sometimes not. If it was running fine, it seemed like it would immediately run rich and rough the minute I drove the tractor 6 feet.
Went and bought a kit. In the process I learned it previously had the wrong bowl gasket. Bead-blasted the float chamber, rebuilt it again and set the float to specs. Made sure the float was good by floating it in a bucket of water for 2 hours. Made sure the float could not hang on the bowl gasket. Put it all together - clean as a whistle - with the correct initial settings, cleaned off the plugs, fired her up and she ran as smooth as an Eldorado Cadillac with a spare tire on the back. Thought I was a genius, again.
Ran fine for three days. Now, it's doing the same thing again - missing, black smoke and flooding to the point of dripping on the ground and quitting. No water in the gas, have a fuel filter good for non-pressure applications.
I ain't no Genius! Do these Zenith carbs just sometimes go bad? What am I missing here?
Thanks,
Mike

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Cityboy=McCoy

09-28-2005 10:12:19

Report to Moderator

Too Stupid To Own A Super A? in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

Well, I have done about everything you all suggested. Same thing: fired right up, ran like a new tractor - for about 20 minutes - then missing, black smoke, fuel pouring out the bottom of the carb, and then she died.
Either I'm too dumb own an old tractor, or I need a different carb.
I'm going to try one more thing: Take the gas tank off and thoroughly clean it out - maybe at a radiator shop, depending on how it looks when I give it a real going over. If that does not do it, then I guess it's time for a different carb. Thanks for all your suggestions.
mike

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

peter llanso

09-28-2005 08:14:14

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

I have a '49 Super A, and it had gas coming out the carb also.
I opened it up and found that one of the floats had broken, but the previous owner had tried to fix it by WIRING A PIECE OF PLASTIC where the broken float had been. I had to laugh.
Ultimately, the whole thing having rust and crud throughout, I bought a new one. $200. I could have tried cleaning the old one, but I'd have bet a week's paycheck that I would have had it off again, 'maybe not today, but soon, and for the rest of my life'.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Irv Slagter

09-28-2005 03:53:52

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

I think Slappy got it right. I'd about guarantee you've got a pin hole in your float. Runs fine for a while, float fills up and that tapping noise is the float bumping on the bottom.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RustyFarmall

09-27-2005 21:01:07

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

I'll say it again, your problem is that friggin viton tipped needle valve. Apparently those are not made to the exacting standards of just a few years ago. If you still have the needle valve and seat that you took out, and it is in good visible shape, clean it up with a piece of grade 00 steel wool and try that in your carb.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Robert Lorencz

09-28-2005 05:44:03

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to RustyFarmall, 09-27-2005 21:01:07

Wah! This is a good post, Rusty Farmall. I have a Super AV that does the exact same thing. I changed the fuel tank, added a filter, put on a different carb, blah, blah, blah. Still the same, runs good for a while then starts running rich and smoking, especially when working in a rougher field. And guess what - I betcha I put a "new" needle and seat in that carb and it would have been a nylon one. I am gonna run (not walk)out to the shed and pull that carb and find the old needle and seat (I never throw anything away!)and put it in.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Nat

09-28-2005 05:52:10

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Robert Lorencz, 09-28-2005 05:44:03

Could somebody please tell me what logical process causes people to suspect a tank problem or bad fuel when the engine starts running RICH and blowing black smoke?

The engine is getting TOO MUCH fuel, guys... No tank problem could possibly cause that. Vapor lock would restrict fuel flow and make the engine run lean. Crud would restrict fuel flow and make the engine run lean. The only way you could get too much fuel running from the tank to the engine is if you pressurized it with your air compressor, or raised the tank several hundred feet in the air. Either way, it's still not a tank problem.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

RustyFarmall

09-28-2005 06:51:15

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Nat, 09-28-2005 05:52:10

Nat, think about it, if there were fine rust particles in the tank, some of those could get past the filtering screens, get lodged in the needle valve and seat, and actually prevent it from completely closing, and at the same time not restricting fuel flow.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Andy in CA

09-27-2005 20:02:37

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

Mike,

Well said.... "desperate men do desperate things..." My situation exactly - in my desperation I bought a new carb. Problem solved, but not cheaply.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

the tractor vet

09-27-2005 19:34:22

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

Sounds to me that you are getting crud from the tank and littel bits of crud are causing the needel valve not to seat and flooding the engine . Clean the tank and put the screen in the sediment bowl or put and inline filter on it.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Cityboy-McCoy

09-28-2005 02:57:52

Report to Moderator

It's Got An Inline Filter Already On It. in reply to the tractor vet, 09-27-2005 19:34:22

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

ih_bug

09-27-2005 18:58:09

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

just dump a little engine oil in the gas each time you fill it no problems and valves have a little lube too have 3 or 4 tractors that will do as you describe one bought new in 1976 and always had to have a little oil in the gas to run right.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Slappy

09-27-2005 18:32:52

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

No, you're on the right track. The situation you describe shouts sticking float to me... especially the way it sometimes clears up when you tap it on the bottom. Do check the gas tank, but your carb should have a screen in place that keeps the big stuff out. If you have a leak in the float the best way to check is to submurge it in a pand of near-boiling water. If there is a leak, it will blow bubbles. If you are 100% sure the float isn't contacting the carb body, be sure to check that the hinge and hinge pin aren't binding.

Keep at it, it's something simple and when you find it you won't have to bother with it for another 50 years.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Mike Van

09-27-2005 17:58:43

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

Mike - How clean is your tank? Maybe small bits of junk lodging that needle open?

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Cityboy-McCoy

09-27-2005 18:32:12

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Mike Van , 09-27-2005 17:58:43

The tank is pretty clean. In addition, I have an inline fuel filter - just to be sure. But thanks anyway. If you think of anything else, please share as I am desperate. And, desperate men do desperate things....!
mike

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

CNKS

09-27-2005 19:45:42

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 18:32:12

The inline filter could be part of your problem, they are designed to work with a fuel pump, not necessarily with gravity flow. If you think you need it (not necessary at all with a clean tank, clean sediment bowl screen, and clean inlet screen to the carb), you might try a different brand.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

old

09-27-2005 17:42:40

Report to Moderator

Re: @#!% Super A Zenith Carb. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 17:14:11

Does it have a rubber tipped float needle?? If it does open it up one more time pull the float and then put the needle in and tap on the needle a couple time with a small hammer etc. Doing that sort of sets the needle seat and may help with your problem.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Cityboy-McCoy

09-27-2005 18:28:35

Report to Moderator

Thanks, I'll try that. in reply to old, 09-27-2005 17:42:40

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

Gmitch

09-28-2005 07:41:42

Report to Moderator

Re: Thanks, I'll try that. in reply to Cityboy-McCoy, 09-27-2005 18:28:35

I put a Marvel off a 77 Oliver on mine and it runs like a champ.

[Log in to Reply] [No Email]

[Options] [Printer Friendly] [Posting Help] [Return to Forum] [Log in to Reply]

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home | Forums

Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy