M.D. Start up

Just picked up a 1948 MD. What exactly is the correct start up and shut down procedure for it?

OK I will give it a try. Make sure diesel cut off lever is fully forward, put tractor in neutral, pull out electric shut off switch,shove in clutch, pull out choke, have throttle lever all the way to the left, push in starter button, operate choke to get motor running smoothly on gas, let idle for awhile to warm up, when warmed up grab diesel shutoff with left hand throttle with right and pull diesle shutoff back and throttle to the righ at the same time. When she takes off on diesel idle back on the throttle till it is running good and you should be good to go.

Pretty much it. Mine don't have electrical shut off because of magneto.

To start:

1: Diesel on.
2: Gas on.
3: Gas in gas tank.
4: Lots of gas in gas tank.
5: Throttle off.
6: Push decompression lever forward. (Gas mode, at least on mine)
7: If you didn't hear a snap from the butterflys, do it again.
8: Shifter in neutral.
9: Clutch down. There is a little latch to hold it down, but I don't like using it.
10: Ignition switch on, if it has one.
11: Choke on.
12: Hit starter.
13: Count two cylinders.
14: Push choke part or all the way in.
15: Engine will start to fire on about 3rd or 4th cylinder.
16: If choke is still on, it is now flooding.
17: Engine will cough a bit and then settle down.
18: Once running, wait one full minute if a cold start. (Hmm, is that tank full enough?)
19: If already warm, no wait required.
20: With one hand, pull decompression lever, then raise throttle. Too quick and it will spark knock on residual gasoline.
21: You are now on diesel.


Per the book, the shutdown procedure is:

1: Set throttle to about mid speed. (They don't really say this one)
2: Ignition switch on.
3: Pull down the throttle.
4: Engage the lever, switching it to gas.
5: Turn off gas.
6: Run until carb goes dry and it quits.
7: Switch to diesel.

The part they leave out:
4a: If running on gas, go on to step 5.
4b: Switch back to diesel because gas didn't take. Carb bowl is dry. See below.
4c: Go back to step 1.


The real way to shut it off:

1: Throttle down.


I have to say this method isn't quite as easy to start, but the difference isn't all that much. BUT, it eliminates that part where you almost always forget to switch it back to diesel.


Observed rules:
1: Unlike a gas tractor, on a start the intake manifold has been swept clean and has no residual fuel in it, so be patient.

2: They flood fairly easy, but almost always require a bit of choke even when warm, so there is a knack to be learned.

3: While running the carb float is shut off. Eventually the carb will go dry if you run it long enough and the switch back to diesel will be less than successful. On a second or third attempt the bowl will finally have enough time to get enough gas to run. Remember that gas doesn't flow until the lever is in gas mode, so you are using the coast down of the engine to fill it.

4: NEVER leave the decompression lever in gas position after shutting it off. They have been known to warp starting valves faster than you want to think about. You may get lucky, but you may not.

5: The starting tank will last less than 10 minutes even when filled to the very tippy top.

Ha. I got a kick out of the first #4. Many times I've cussed mine because it wouldn't start on gas after runing on diesel for a while. I would look in the tank, or stick something in it to find out it has an inch or so, but still wouldn't start. Fight, cuss, fight. Finally just try adding more fuel. Start right up! Old timers around here always said IH got the tanks backwards. Uses so little diesel and seems like your always filling the starter tank.

Yup! Zactly.

That little carb setup does not mix well at all. I have an MD, TD9, TD18, TD18A and TD18-182 and they will all suck that tank dry so quick it isn't funny. On the other hand IH said to never run them on the gas side for more than 10 minutes continuous without a good cool down. Still, it makes you want to switch over too danged fast.

Darn it, I forgot some steps. If it is puffing white smoke after switching to diesel, then one or more cylinders are not firing and it is puffing diesel out the stack. Back to gas for another 15 seconds. This is very important, as fuel may puddle on the piston and it will go to knocking and try to bend or even break something. Basically the cylinder is flooding with diesel and will not fire, and the injector will keep on pumping in fuel.

Of course all of this has to be done with tongue firmly to the right (okay left ifn you're a lefty) or else all is lost.