FARMALL 140 distributor timing

I am putting in new distributor springs for the advance weights. My manual says 14 degrees timing a high idle. Is this correct, or are there other preferences? Tractor is for garden.

Thanks,
Donald

Be careful. My manual shows 2 settings, 14 and 22 deg. One is for distillate, and the other for gasoline. The manual is at home, but I think gasoline is 22 deg but maybe the opposite.

Donald: I've had 6 of these offset Farmalls since 1958. Back about that time an old guy taught me how to time these by ear. Farmall gassers will talk to you and tell you when timing advance is perfect. I takes a bit of practice, and final setting is done in the field while working the tractor.

I have never read the timing advance figures for any of the offsets. I have never seen the timing marks on any of my tractors. I'm constantly ask how I get the timing set like I do. Ocasoinally I get asked to fine tune one of these that have been timed with a light. A yes I always make improvements in timing advance.

I tune it by ear. If it runs badly at higher RPM's but idles well, I use the light to check that the advance is working the way it should--that's the only time I put the light on the tractor. The spec I have is 26 BTDC @1475 RPM but I wrote it on the tractor data card so long ago I can't tell you where it's from.

Thanks for the replys. Help me understand this setting by ear. I know how the exhaust sounds when the timing is retarded, so do you start advancing until that sound just goes away and then stop advancing?

Thanks,

Donald

Donald: You already know the sound it makes when retarded. At the other end it will start to labor when too far advanced. I like to pick a spot midway between the two, and keeping it so it starts, and indeed fires up quickly. Then I go and put the tractor on light work, armed with 1/2" wrench. from there I don't do anything quickly, and may or may not make minor adjustments depending on performance. A good hard and extended drawbar pull after tractor is warmed up well, is a good idea.

This takes practice and you'll find you get better as time goes on. The old guy I learned from said patience was of utmost importance. He made his living rebuilding mainly Farmall gassers. Of the 100 or so Farmall farmers around him, I'm betting 98% took their IH tractor engines to him for rebuild. I do know the IH dealer some 30 miles away did consult with him on ocasion when they encountered a problem they couldn't solve. He would not put an engine together when folks were in his shop. He claimed farmers milling about, telling yarns, chewing or smoking tobacco, etc. created too much dust. It was dairy country, so he went back to shop when most farmers were milking their cows, went in and locked all doors, that was engine assembly time. I wonder how many YT rebuilders are that particular?