Engine problems

I am having trouble with my ford 240 6 cylinder engine it is on my self propelled baler and baling hay and all the sudden the engine started missing and died I have got it running better except when you turn the steering wheel and the governor opens the throttle at the carburetor and it just spits and spitters a ND when you let off the steering wheel it catches up could the power steering pump be going bad this is something I have never seen before any help will be appreciated

Does it steer ok? Seems like its loading up. Wonder if you have a plugged line or a valve stuck.

It steers good all the way like always except it pulls the engine down and the pump is belt driven off the engine just like the alternator

Maybe dis-connect the belt and see if the problem corrects itself.

Does pulling the choke out help it run better? If so, you have crud in the carburetor making the engine run lean resulting in low power. Will have to take the carburetor apart and thoroughly clean ALL passages.

No it makes it worse I did clean it good and even put another good carburetor on it and nothing helps I have never seen a power steering pump pull a engine down seems like the belt would slip

Thanks I'm going to try that tomorrow

Is the pump driven by a separate belt? Can you steer without power steering. If so, see if the pump is really causing that much of a load.

Is the pump an automotive type with self contained reservoir? You could try another pump, even from a salvage yard for cars.

Yeah it is a separate pump with reservoir

Logically speaking, a bit of diagnostics are in order.

It is not normal for a power steering pump to load down an engine to that extent. That leads me to think that there are two possibilities. First is that the engine is losing power or just not generating enough power to support the load of the pump. Second would be that the pump is putting too much load on the engine.

First thing is to determine if the problem is the pump or the engine. Disconnecting the pump will remove any load from the pump. If the engine still gets loaded down, the problem lies elsewhere.

Some things that might be causes:

Points need adjustment if it is old enough to have points.
Timing may be off causing a loss of power - like from a loose distributor clamp.
Could have slipped the harmonic balancer pulley. That pulley is two pieces with rubber in between them. With old age, the outer portion can slip. If engine is timed from a slipped pulley, it will be incorrectly timed.
Starving for fuel - something in the tank restricting fuel flow? Maybe a plugged filter? Check for proper fuel flow.

A bit more information would be helpful. Like what type ignition system it has, whether it has a fuel pump or is gravity feed, and anything else that may be relevant.

Did you get it running good enough to actually try using it? Enough to put a load on the engine other than the steering?

I suspect you'll find it's the engine not making sufficient power, not even enough to operate the steering.

With a healthy engine, it would smoke the belt before stalling the engine.

When it is acting up, check the spark at the plug end of each wire. Should get a minimum 1/4 inch spark to ground. If it has points, check them, try an old condenser. Check the distributor shaft for side play, be sure the centrifugal advance is free and working.

Check the fuel pressure and flow to the carb. If it has a mechanical pump, it should give a full stream pulse of fuel every time the pump strokes. Full stream, no dribble or air bubbles. Look for rot cracked fuel lines, fuel residue around the fuel pump. The old hoses and rubber diaphragms don't like ethanol fuel. The lines will rot and collapse internally, shed flakes of rubber. If there is a filter at the carb or in line, you should be able to blow through it with minimal resistance.

Let us know...

Thanks I have done all that except replacing the fuel lines it does to have plenty of power now with baler running but as soon as you touch steering wheel it bogs down and should smoke the belt this is weird

Thanks it does have points and I have changed em twice with the condenser fuel is electric pump getting a good stream to carburetor cleaned carb even put another carb on it timing I checked tdc and the rotor painting at number one turned distributor by hand and sound I'm going to loosen the belt to power steering pump and forgot to say checked compression they are all around 150

I would suppose this machine has brakes to stop with. If you drive it forward at a speed you would normally bale and apply the brakes the engine pulls well? I just cannot wrap my head around the fact that power steering is nearly killing the engine.
Let me see if I am successful adding this link and secondly YT may block it. If this is a NH 1283 then the link should show what he is dealing with. https://www.messicks.com/nh/135566
What about the actual steering? Nothing is bound up making it hard to turn?
Edit to add link and last question.

This post was edited by used red MN on 09/27/2021 at 10:44 pm.

I would be looking at the distributor advance mechanism and the vacuum hoses. There's a pretty good sized slot where the arm goes into the distributor. Make sure no debris has got stuck in it. Flood the advance with wd40 through the slot. Oil the pipe sticking up there.

The only way to make a 240 fall on it's face is the carburetor or that advance.

I was always taught by dad to try and rule out the easy things first. I would also take the belt off the powersteering and see what happens.If that doesn't rule out that problem then onto the next. Good luck

Thanks for all the help I am going to take belt off pump and see whathappens

Even if the pump were going bad the engine should NOT "spit and sputter" when it puts a load on the engine. It should lug down smoothly, maybe slip the belt and make some squealing and smoke, but NOT "spit and sputter."

You've got a fueling or ignition or compression problem with the engine.