[AT] Troubleshooting no start

[Francis Robinson]

	Hi Dean:

	Were the plugs wet with gasoline when you tried to start it? Have you tried
starting fluid? Since you have a spark I won't bother telling you to check
the grounds, check the grounds, check the grounds...   :)
	It takes fuel, air, compression and a spark at the right time. If those are
present it should run. You have spark and I assume it is unlikely that the
timing suddenly changed much and since that M doesn't have a timing chain
the valve timing should still be OK.  It is unlikely that all of the valves
would stick at once so that probably should be OK at least enough to start
it. With the air cleaner tube off you know you have air so that just leaves
fuel... You said there was fuel to the carb but is there fuel in the bowl?
Pull the bowl plug to check. If you could find somebody to pull you it would
probably start. Warning... Pull starting can be hazardous to marriages...
:)   :)


"farmer"

Francis Robinson
Central Indiana, USA
robinson at svs.net

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com]On Behalf Of Dean Vinson
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2006 9:49 PM
To: 'Antique tractor email discussion group'; 'Farmall/IHC mailing list'
Subject: [AT] Troubleshooting no start

Dadgummit.  Today was supposed to be the day I got the M Farmall warmed up
and changed the oil, but it won't start.  Not so much as a pop, and by now
I've run the battery down by tweaking various things and then trying to
start it again.

Spark plugs were a bit sooty but I cleaned them all up and put them back in,
then one at a time took # 3 and 4 back out to watch for a spark while
cranking the engine.  Both looked okay, spark was there.  I didn't check # 1
or 2 but don't see why they'd be any different.

Fuel shutoff valve is on and fuel is getting to the carburetor.  Air cleaner
is still a gunky mess but the tractor has always started pretty easily
before (during the month or two I've had it).  I disconnected the air pipe
from the carb and tried again, just to make sure plenty of air was getting
there, but it didn't change anything, still not so much as a sputter.

The tractor last ran a week or two ago.  Since then I've replaced all the
wiring, so my initial thought was that I'd screwed something up.  But I
checked and re-checked it, and it all looks okay.  Good spark at the
generator A terminal when I polarized it.  Lights work and the ammeter shows
discharge when I turn them on.  Plenty of cranking power (at least a couple
of hours ago, before I ran it down). Contacts inside the distributor cap are
somewhat pitted but everything is dry and looks okay, and it ran before, and
the plugs are sparking.

Any suggestions on how to troubleshoot this?  I'm at a loss as to what to
even look for next.

Thanks!

Dean Vinson
Dayton, Ohio
www.vinsonfarm.net



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