Tractor Trouble

I please need some advise from someone with more mechanical experience than me. My Ford 861 just died in use like I turned off the key. It has gas, was not over heated, all wires are connected. It turns over but does not hit. Tried till I ran the battery down. Can't find a thing. Any suggestions? Could it be a coil? Cloughed gas filter? Problem #2 When pulling the brushhog the PTO will pop out of gear even when there is no load on the mower or high grass. I double clutch and pop it pack in but it pops back out after a few minutes of cutting. Any suggestions? Sorry, I am new with this tractor. Thanks for any help.

I don't know a lot about fords but to me it
sounds like maybe a clogged fuel line or port
somewhere. You should get more opinions
before removing fuel lines though

Check and see if you have spark at the points.

"Usually" they will sputter some until they die, if a fuel problem. I'd check for spark first, if none, check if your getting power to the coil.

Yes they can sputter with fuel problems but if injectors get plugged then it can die checking for spark would also be a good thing to do to rule out potential problems

Injectors on a gas 861 Ford tractor? I've never seen an injector on a gas tractor except for David G's MH44.

If you sift back through old "doesn't run help me" posts, you will find that I preach DIAGNOSIS.
Engine needs 3 things to run.
1) Fuel/air mixture
2) Spark - and at the right time.
3) Compression.

If you have those 3 things, the engine will run.

Start with the easiest. Spark. Check for spark at the points, coil, distributor cap. If you have good spark, time to look at fuel or compression.
Compression - If the engine spins like there are no spark plugs in it, it is lacking compression. An experienced ear can tell by the sound of the engine cranking if there is compression. Inexperience dictates use of a compression tester. Inexpensive tool that can be purchased for probably under $20.
Compression good? OK time to look at the fuel. Pull a plug. Is it wet or dry? Wet indicates it is getting fuel. Dry indicates otherwise.

Be advised that there are MANY things that can prevent an engine from running, but all relate back to the basic 3.
Timing chain/gear can jump a tooth or break - causes low compression.
Carb jet can be plugged, fuel inlet restricted, blockage in tank, needle and seat stuck, etc.
Ignition can also be a problem. Distributor gear can strip. failure of points, condenser, shorting out of cap or rotor, and the list goes on. You can do the same thing as a mechanic. All you need is a service manual and the time to spend with it. Mechanics are charging $100 per hour plus parts and expenses. What is your time worth?

My bet is coil, points, or ignition switch. My 860 has done that twice in recent years. First time it was the points, the second time was bad
terminal on ignition switch. Gas issues normally cause sputtering, then engine quits. Spark issues often result in instant engine shut off.

He could of meant gas as diesel since 861s come in diesel or I could be wrong

Few things - make sure you have gas at the carb. Pull the plug and let it run a few minutes. If good then check for spark. If no spark do you have a 12v conversion. If so does it have a resistor in line. If so it could be bad. Other things for spark include what guys said below, include looking for a wire that is frayed or broken off. After all that we can talk about more serious potential problems.

BASIC TROUBLE SHOOTING MADE SIMPLE Here is what I used to tell new hires about elec. trouble shooting. Hey! don't go condemning that poor defenseless, (coil, switch, points, relay, motor, heat element) until you have determined that it is getting voltage and still not doing whatever it is supposed to do. For plumbing substitute water pressure for voltage.

Learn basic trouble shooting and it will work on ALL gas engines.
#1 check for spark out of the center wire of the distributor cap. It needs to be a blue/white in color and jump a 1/4 inch gap
#2 pull the carb drain plug and make sure you have a good steady flow of gas. It should fill a pint jar in about 3 minutes.
#3 if you have both of those go back to spark and make sure you have that same spark at all 4 plug wires