Tractor Won't Restart

SJL · Mar 11, 2023

This morning, my Case VA started right up at about 25 degrees outside. Had about three inches of frost above the carburetor for the entire time that it was running. Ran it for about 15-20 minutes and shut it off. Tried to start it about 1/2 hour later, and it wouldn't start. Occasionally it would try to fire, backfired a couple of times, but wouldn't start. Drained the carburetor, and let it refill. Let it sit for about 8 hours (outside temperature made it up to about 35 degrees) and it started right up again. Ran it for about 20 minutes, tried to start after about 1/2 hour, same results. Temperature had dropped below freezing again. In both cases, fuel will start to run out of the air inlet after cranking for a while. Never did any of this in warm weather, so it makes me think that it is temperature-related. Put a bottle of dry gas in the fuel, also. Spark plugs are dry.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

kencombs · Mar 11, 2023

Probably had ice in the venturi. Once it melted it started up and ran until it iced up agai.

rrlund · Mar 11, 2023

Should have stuck with the Olivers Steve. LOL

SJL · Mar 11, 2023

Makes sense considering what it did earlier this winter. It wouldn't restart until the temperature got above freezing again. That time, it was several days. As long as you don't shut it off, it will stay running.

Now I'm wondering if the gas had some water in it, or maybe just from condensation in the tank. Probably ought to fill it up with some new gas, a bottle of dry gas, and see what happens.

SJL · Mar 11, 2023

Still have one of those, just don't have it running now. Looking to expand a little on the Oliver collection (70 or 80 Standard, 90 or 99 4 cylinder)

That 70 ices up even worse.

wore out · Mar 11, 2023

Moisture in the distributor cap can cause some strange behavior, going along with temperature changes.

Also, could be a ''flaky'' ignition switch.

Check it for spark next time it won't start.

This post was edited by wore out on 03/11/2023 at 05:41 pm.

used red MN · Mar 11, 2023

Personally if you are just starting your tractor for the sake of running it I personally feel you are wasting your time and causing undo wear on your engine. Let it set the entire time you have it stored and then start it up at the first of the season when you are ready to use it. I feel it may be a possibility that your distributor cap has moisture in it. Being it it 4-6 inches away from the engine block it gets enough warmth that when shut off and cools condenses in droplets that short circuit the spark. As it sets longer the droplets dry and are just water vapor which then allows it to start again. Right or wrong but a theory anyway.

SJL · Mar 11, 2023

Thanks for the thought on the distributor. Havent ever really had any problems with that in past years, which makes me think that it is something fuel-related.

This is my snow removal, brush clearing, and stuck vehicle removing tractor, so it isnt started just for the sake of starting it.

willie in mn · Mar 11, 2023

I have been wrong before, maybe wrong again, but I agree with Ken Combs' reply. Vaporizing gas in the carb is a cooling process. Ad below freezing air temp & get carb icing of moisture in the air. Doesn't bother much when running, but if shut off & try to restart, carb will sometimes flood. Got my clue from your mention of gas running out of air inlet.
Letting it sit for 30 minutes or so will let engine heat melt the frost.

HTH
Willie in Mn

Janicholson · Mar 11, 2023

Building a intake heater to keep frost off of and out of a carb: Use a sheet metal tube (maybe 4 inch galvanized duct) about 12inches long. Make a hole in the side of it for spiral wound flexible stainless steel hose. adapt the hole in the tube to the hose. place the duct over the muffler, and make screwed on tabs to hold it equal distance from the metal of the muffler, top and bottom. connect the other end of the hose to the air cleaner intake. This method of preventing carb icing has been used for years on automobiles, and heavy equipment. Dry gas can only help if you are using fuel with no ethanol in it. Normal E10 or E15 fuel is already a deicer! Jim

DeltaRed · Mar 11, 2023

Ijust hung a piece of canvas on the side useing some baler twine. From the radiator to past the carb. The warm air comeing off the radiator kept the frost away.This was on an M Farmall.When warmer temps came along,I just removed the canvas.

wore out · Mar 11, 2023

I still wonder if he's not having an ignition issue.

He didn't mention loss of power or stalling, which are often symptoms of internal barb icing.

If it IS icing related, running ethanol gas often helps with internal icing.

Below is a photo of the carb and air intake pipe on my gas 4020 from a winter or two ago, when blowing snow at twenty below.

As iced up as it was externally it was running just fine.

Note it DOES have manifold heat and was still icing up that much EXTERNALLY in the severe cold.

used red MN · Mar 11, 2023

Sorry if I called the use of your tractor wrong. If you want to know about carb icing listen to this guys podcast, see link. If that link does not take you direct to the episode it is dated January 25, 2023. He will go on and on 15 or 20 minutes but eventually will cover the topic and seems to know his stuff well. He will cover it in somewhat scientific terms but in a way the average person can understand. His hot rod name comes from being a former drag race tuner and he also is or has been a technical writer for titles like Popular Hot Rodding, Hemings Muscle Machines and many others. The farmer part is he runs a self sale sweet corn business on his farm in New Jersey.
Carb icing podcast by The Hot Rod

caterpillar guy · Mar 11, 2023

Next time you start it run it for a good while and warm the engine up to operating temperature. Watch the throat close to the carb and above for icing or even just frost on the outside. If that happens, then put a cover along that side from the radiator back to just past the carb the heat will probably solve your problem and only need to do it in the late fall till spring each year.

Bruce from Can. · Mar 12, 2023

I dont think the frost that is appearing around the carburetor has anything to do with your problem, I also believe this is an electrical ignition issue. I have ran these VA and VAC tractors at 0F and I have seen plenty of frost on the area around the carburetor, and they worked flawlessly. I am inclined to think bad distributor cap possibly weak coil.

showcrop · Mar 12, 2023

Gas will run out of the intake of any UPDRAFT carburetor on any engine when cranking is stopped if it doesn't fire and run within five seconds. The mixture needs to be very rich for it to start when cold. This is why you choke it. This rich mixture means that you have a few ounces of raw gas in the manifold. When cranking ceases gravity is always going to bring it back down.

rrlund · Mar 12, 2023

Go see Leo Fisher, he has a 99. He had it at the show in McBride last year with a for sale sign on it. He's on 66, just north of Fenwick road. The place with all the ACs sitting around.

Had to edit. I said 57, meant 66. I'm blaming early morning and the time change, not old age.

This post was edited by rrlund on 03/12/2023 at 06:30 am.

UncleTom · Mar 12, 2023

Janicholson has it right. Any engine that ices up needs carb heat just the same as airplanes need carb heat or they will drop out of the sky. When you take cold air at a velocity like that they will freeze up and run rich. Think of the wind chill inside of the carb. I have run VW engines in my garage at 40 degrees and they ice up and run rich. Take a heat gun and warm the air up and they snap out of it.

Geo-TH,In · Mar 12, 2023

I did the same thing for my Jubilee.
I went to Menards and got a 4 inch saddle T from the sheet metal duct work department.
Went Got some large radiator hose clamps.
Clamped the T to the exhaust manifold. Used 4 inch aluminum flex clothes dryer pipe to pipe the warm air to the carb intake.

In the 70s many cars were built with devices to capture warm air
from the exhaust manifold and send it to the carb.

chcase · Mar 12, 2023

I own a VA series and always shut off fuel and let it run dry.I would try that once and see if it helps with the problem. If it doesn't then would look at maybe a cracked dist cap or moisture in dist.Or weak coil.Just don't forget to shut off switch if you shut fuel off to let tractor die.

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