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Need 400 help won't start in cold weather

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Denis in MI

Member
I have a 400 gas that gives me trouble with starting every year when the mercury drops to below about 40 or 50 degreea. If you open the throttle and turn the key it just turns over and refuses to fire, If you open the throttle all the way it still will not fire, then if you back the throttle all the way down to the low idle stop it will fire a couple times and may keep running but as soon as you open the throttle it dies. If you play with it long enough you can get it to stay running and it runs exactly as it should and does during warmer weather. I was hoping to push some snow with it this year since I have no room in the barn for it this year. The tractor is 12 volt and cranks at a good speed but will not fire.

Thanks for any help or opinions,

Denis
 
I will check but I should have mentioned that choking it seems to make it worse, as if the engine was flooded but it isn't.

thanks,
Denis
 
You didn't even mention the choke, I got tractors that won't start without the choke in any temperature. Operators manual explains how to use it.
 
Since it's been converted to 12V, does it have the full 12V coil feed installed?

The electrical system "sees" that 6V starter as 'almost' a dead short, so unless some provision is made to insure voltage at the coil during cranking, the iginition circuit will get robbed of juice.

Second idea: Give the ol' gunner a compression test.

Allan
 

retract my last post since i can't edit it. Check the carb and intake gaskets for leaks. The carb may also need a good cleaning to clear up the idle circut
 
How new are the points, plugs & condenser? Sounds like it doesn't have a good enough spark to start when it is cold. If it is 12 volts , is the by-pass circuit working?
 
I agree with those that say this is afuel issue. It starts and runs OK whenit's warm and I never heard thatCOLD points, or COLD plugs were the cause of problems.
You are too lean. Evidenced by any throttle plate position much beyound idle. The more you open the throttle the leaner the mixture, and leaner fuel airmixture to the plugs.
Richen up the idle, and maybe a tad on the high rpm. Once you get it running and warm, then sdjust the idle according to your manual.

Gordo
 
If you still have a 6 volt coil and are using a ballast resistor between your ignition switch and coil you're dropping the battery voltage too much. Hal
 
My 450 did the same thing to me in cold weather. I just put a heat lamp on the intake for a half hour and she would start, that is not a solution but it go the snow moved. Last summer I timmed it with a light, that solved several problems and now it starts at -20 with half choke, It won't start with full choke ever. My .02.
Nate
 
You shouldn't need to resort to crude gimmicks to get the tractor to start.

First off the tractor will start better closer to idle than wide open. You're shooting yourself in the foot with that regard.

Try giving the tractor a little bit of throttle, 1/3 at most, and blipping the choke to see if it will fire.

Every tractor is a little bit different, and you need to feel out what it wants to make it run. Some you need to set the choke and leave it there until it's warmed up a little. Some just need a quick blip of choke to get it to fire, then a couple more blips to keep it running for the first 15 seconds.

I'd buy the weak spark argument if the problem started in bitter cold, but at 40 degrees the battery isn't weakened much if at all.

Part of the problem with "hard starting" tractors are people used to computer fuel injected cars where you just turn the key and go.
 
time the 400 on the 2nd notch on crank pully (1st notch is 22.5 deg. out on 400 it runs decent but hard to start ) put in d21 plugs just makes it smoothout sooner-- try the timing thats cheep --plugs are a bonus good luck
 
When you get it running..........take a can of either and spray some around the intake gasket and see if the motor surges.

If it does, and I bet it will you have leaking intake gasket.

.............Mark
 
If you use the choke IMOROPERLY it doesn't help. Most Farmalls require just half choke for a couple of starter revolutions, then push it all the way off.

Gordo
 
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