Carb or mag?

spiffy1

Member
Same behavior yet as the thread I started about the 22-36 running rich, but after a couple more experiments I'm more and more convinced it's in the mag (or a least part of a vicious combination). [history: just starting it after four sets rings, three pistons, two sleeves, and nearly every moving engine component new or rebuilt]

E4A mag, I filed the points after it sat for 40 years, lubed it up and got hot spark; thought I might get lucky with it [I think I have too many times and it had to run out!]; RW [just like the R] carb, combination manifold - new needle valve & seat, and float, air valve rattles [I still haven't taken that apart for a visual, did everything else] behaves on the bench.

It acts like it's running rich, but less fuel [main knob, but also starving the supply] does nothing - until it kills, more fuel just makes it richer. It starts on a couple cranks, but doesn't even get up to high idle and pops, sputters, tries to smooth out for a spit second, ignites in the exhaust manifold, ect. and no particular order and in general just runs rough. The plugs get wet quite quick; grounding each will running gives equal results [same behavior, but more of it]. I'm running at high idle [700RPM perhaps], and it accelerates quickly, yet no change in behavior.

Anyway, after swapping everything thing I could think of in the carb (really, that's only 2 parts - main screw [air valve assy] and float). Even at it's lowest, the brass float was higher than I could get with an old [but good enough only to experiment, it worked on the bench, but would be saw dust in no time if I used it] cork one I had. With this, I was able to keep the fuel consumption under control easier, but really didn't change the behavior. Gas over a rag instead of the upper carb gave me similar results.

I haven't checked for manifold leaks, but with the exhaust half [slight exageration] liquid, it didn't steer me that direction. I'm going to try a different mag today, but I won't deny over-looking the obvious sometimes so I'm all ears [again, think I've got luckly too many times touching points and running good].

Probably will order a condensor anyway I spoke with Mark's Mags and they have parts, but the condensor is a bit buried on an E4 and I don't have anything to truely test an ignition system beyond the eyes on the bench and ears on the tractor so may have to send it off in case the coil is saturating as well. That reminds me who does mags around eastern SD these days?

Now that I've wrote half a book here, another question on top of the brainstorm:
I don't like the idea of washing such a dry fuel [plain gas] down the cylinder walls this much before break in - over a gallon through it and probably not 15 minutes of total run time. It's already loosened up; I was hoping to see that after a good ring seating work-out, not still in the garage.
Should I be running weadeater mix to lube it a bit until I get this figured out?
Or is that just one more thing to foul the plugs?
Or too late anyway?
Or I'm just being paranoid again?
All of the above? :lol:

Thanks guys; sure appreciate the brainstorms here to help blow the rust off the noggin!
 

Tried a different mag - the mag must have been saturating. It's not perfect, but sooo much better.

Still curious if anyone has opinions on the carb, but it's getting there.
 

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