(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

B still won't start

B

Bill Carr

New User
I still haven"t got my Farmall B to start. That is, it "starts" but ignition isn"t sustained. Most of the time it"s as if all four cylinders fire once, and once only, and that"s it. Sometimes (but rarely) there is a slightly longer firing sputter.

Changing the choke position doesn"t help. It seemed like a fuel delivery problem, but I"ve cleaned the carb., and nothing changed. TDC on the compression stroke definately puts distributor at #1 spark plug wire.

Any other ideas?
 
Do you have the plug wires from the distributor cap in this firing order going to the correct sparkplug? With No1 near the radiator & No3 next to the last plug. If you have the wires in the correct firing order hold your hand over the throat of the carburetor while someone makes an attempt to start the engine. Should have good suction on your hand. If this is a ditributor do you have have battery voltage to the coil's small terminals with the points open? Hal
2-1
4-3
 
If you are sure that it is not carb or ignition check your governor. Sometimes if the governor linkages are set to aggressive it tries to pull the throttle wide open as soon as it fires. Un hook the linkage from the carb to the governor and work the throttle butterfly by hand and see if it will run. I dont know how to adjust it on a farmall but I have seen this same problem an a massey harris.
 
Bill, Just went through the most fustrating go around with my "44 BN. Cold it would start and run after 5-10 min. would die some times and some time run for an hour. It fowled a plug I changed it and it run fine for 2 days.
I checked spark and there was spark at plugs
So I took the carb apart 5 times or more looking for carb problem so its good and clean now.
Started up cold fine I could not get it started
when hot plugs looked clean. So I went out at night and check spark no spark to plugs when hot.
I took a coil off another tractor and jumped a wire to it and got nice blue spack. Put new coil on and it runs like it should. Sometimes spark and some times not is a real pain to figure out.
 
Thanks to all for the input.

The gas can"t be too old. Not more than two or three months. And it does fire.

I have a magneto ignition system, and strictly hand crank. She"s as easy to "start" as ever, but only runs for a second. It can never get close to warm (my crank arm gets too tired).

I"ve experimented with disconnecting the governor linkage to no avail.

Guess I"ll try new plugs and recheck the points. (Points, distributor cap, and rotor are only about a year old). If it isn"t the gas or carb. it must be electrical (???).
 
The governor holds the throttle open until the engine comes up to speed and then it closes to hold the speed that the hand thrrottle is at. Try starting at about 1/4 to 1/3 throttle. Does the mag have a good snap? The impulse may be letting go before the mag gets enough speed to make a good spark without the impulse.
 
it"s as if all four cylinders fire once, and once only

Will it keep running as long as the starter is engaged? David.........
 
(quoted from post at 18:08:02 08/29/08) it"s as if all four cylinders fire once, and once only

Will it keep running as long as the starter is engaged? David.........
Click to expand...
orry, reread about mag and hand crank. David..........
 
Two seprate ideas.
The impulse coupling may be working, and the ignition operational for the time the mag is using the impulse to make the magnet whip past the poles fast enough to fire. BUTT not fast enough to run when the engine speed is just a bit higher, but the magnet speed is lower.

Pull start it (with a helper that has experience at the task, and is safe). This will put the engine at an RPM that will either allow it to run, or not.

If not, I would replace the mag with a loner Distributor (or other mag) to see if that is the issue.
JimN
 
Dave, When she starts the starter (the crank), kicks out and won"t go until I re-engage it and crank again.

As I said, it"s a perfect start, but "zip!" (maybe four revolutions of the crankshaft - seemingly firing nice and smooth), but that"s it.

It"s as if the fuel is cut of, or the spark quits.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
BSD 444 piston height
Replies
8
Views
547
Destroked 450
Destroked 450
D
Allis Chalmers B not charging
Replies
3
Views
547
Ted in NE-OH
T
H
MF 275 won t start
Replies
8
Views
685
hellothere123
H
B
Unusual symptoms, needle valve restriction?
Replies
14
Views
1K
BarnyardEngineering
BarnyardEngineering
steveo3000
3000 power steering-what am I in for?
Replies
15
Views
1K
steveo3000
steveo3000
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.

Copyright © 1997-2024 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

Back
Top