2606 won't start

Well, I've about exhausted all my wits. Plan has been to remove the hoe and loader so I can do some engine work including replacing the manifold gaskets.

For years I've fought a manifold leak where I have to use full choke to start it and so on. Also have had rusty tank issues.

I have been using it this summer and it starts and runs as usual then that bolster mount broke and punched a hole in the pan.

So I drove it over and finally removed the hoe and now it won't start. I've had the carb off twice soaking it and blowing out the passages, adjusting the float and so on. It appears to be good. I have good fuel flow. I've pulled the plugs and cleaned them. I have a spark tester from HF and I have good clean blue spark at the plugs and also going into the distributor.

What happens now is that when I first turn the starter over it is firing and almost starts for a second but that is it and it will crank over without sounding like it is firing. Either using the spark tester or laying a plug wire by the frame, I am still getting good fire and I have gas in the carb. I've tried different choke settings, different carb jet settings, and different throttle settings. I can't even make it run with starting fluid which I used to be able to do. I've pulled the bottom jet and the bowl is full of fuel and I even drain it just to check the flow and it is good and the bowl stays full.

I guess the only step I can think of now is to moving the timing around some to see if that helps. It didn't do anything to make me think that it jumped time or slipped time but who knows.

Any ideas here? Thanks in advance for the help.

Have you checked in the distributor, maybe something came loose or broke. Might have a worn key switch, loose wire somewhere.

I would think you have a timing or ignition problem if you cannot make it fire on ether.

Leave the timing alone & put in new plugs. You have flooded it & the plugs are fouled.

The first issue is to determine if the timing is off. With the plugs out so it is easy to turn, put a test light on the lead to the side of the distributor from the coil. Turn on the ignition and turn the engine (pushing it in high gear works) until the first timing mark (in forward rotation) is at the pointer. The timing should now just cause the light to light or flicker as the points break. If the light stays out, look at the rotor and see where it is pointing. If toward a terminal, good, if not there are issues with timing. Rotate the engine till it does come on. then look at the pointer, if it is off 20 degrees or so the timing gears may have issues. Jim
and

The fact that it runs with starting fluid makes me think you're not getting enough gas into the engine through the carb.

If the timing is at least in the right ballpark, and you've got some kind of spark, you should be good enough to start.



Can you explain more what the original problem was? If you're leaking air into the manifold, that could certainly be a problem.


Aside from that, just because you cleaned the carb, doesn't mean you got all the little passageways truly clean, and it's also possible that you got junk lodged in there after you cleaned it from a dirty fuel tank/line. Might want to try again and actually poke out all the little holes.

The other possibility is that you're flooding the carb. All the cleaning in the world won't help a bad metering valve seat that lets too much gas in.

However, if it starts for a while on the starting fluid, it should draw out enough of the gas and clean up the plugs enough to run ok, even if it was flooded... but that's not an absolute.

I'd try starting it with the gas off, fully choked. If it does eventually start after a while, you can assume you had too much gas in there to beign with

If you didn't use a carb rebuild kit, I'd start there. Personally I consider the cost an eventual necessity anyway, and wouldn't consider it a waste even if it doesn't solve the problem.

It's also possible you just have bad gas. I'd drain it and put fresh gas in (save the old stuff of course, if it turns out to be bad you can still mix it in with good stuff). I'd put brand new fresh, high octane gas in just to rule that out, even though it's not likely the problem.

He said he can't make it run with starting fluid.

Thanks guys. I've got something to try now. I just had the thing running this summer which is what is throwing me. Plus I drove it to the present spot to unhook the hoe just a few days prior. I'll try to get to it tomorrow or Friday.

Key switch and distributor work ok as I do have spark and it fires and almost starts when I first try it and then it quits trying to fire/ignite gas in the cylinders and then basically cranks like it is dead and never tries to refire till I let it sit a while. My push button quit working about this time so I'm shorting across the starter solenoid until I pull the dash again as part of repair job. I had rewired the dash early this spring. I started it the last time without the push button but who knows. The spark looks dark blue and the coil is only about 3 or 4 years old.

Sparks plugs. Teddy may be on to something. They were all oily black with some buildup around the gap but I assume they have been that way for a while. I wire brushed them and regapped them to .030 as I forgot if the proper gap (.030 is for lawnmowers) was and I now see the IT manual says .023. Wire brushing them didn't get rid of the black oil. They are autolite 388 plugs in a c-263. Guess I'll go ahead and get new ones. Was going to go with new points and condenser as well.

The carb is thouroughly clean, soaked in carb cleaner, passages all blown out, cleaned out with bread wrapper wire, and the float makes the needle and seat work properly. I put new gas in it as I had left the tank valve open when I parked it and the few gallons in there leaked out through the carb. Which was another reason why I cleaned the carb because the needle didn't always seat.

I'll follow Jim's direction on checking the timing. I just need to drive it 50' and make a sharp turn to get it under the tree to remove the loader. That 12" wide loader frame doesn't give me any room to work on it. Bucket is on the ground and I have a chain under it so I could pull it a few feet away from the hoe where it is but I can't make the sharp turn to pull it under the tree that way.

History on the thing is I bought the fix or repair daily 3 or 4 years ago, whenever I first joined the board here. Had many issues with the hydraulics. However from day one, it always needed to be on full choke to run and had to stay on full choke a good half hour or it would die. I could run around in low just fine but couldn't use 2nd or 3rd and dump the clutch until it was fully warmed up. I had the usual rust in tank issues as well but it is clean now.

I've sprayed all around the manifold with ether and carb cleaner and never got a reaction for years. I tried it this summer again and finally got a slight rpm rise when spraying under the manifold just above the carb. Another funny thing happened this summer and that is it all of a sudden (sometimes) would start and run better without any choke. But that was a daily thing this summer on the use of the choke. I just need to pull the manifold and check the valves and other stuff. Maybe try some paint while I have it tore down.

Thanks for the help so far guys. I'd kinda reached the point of total frustration and you guys have re-energized me with some direction. I need a hot plug since it isn't used much, anything hotter than the autolite 388?

OH! Geez - well, never mind!

Guess that'd be my attention deficit disorder kicking in.

I just re-read and you're correct, that changes everything.

Sorry about that.

No problem