[AT] Easier to Start?

[Ben Wagner]

Yes, Dan, it was you.  I couldn't remember if you were on the Farmall or 
AT list, and I couldn't find your original post in my email.

And you are still right: Farmalls will not run well at all without 
D21s.  The tractor you suggested this fix on was the 1945 A.  It has run 
well ever since.  My Super A did a similar stunt this winter. It was 
backfiring, smoking, and sounding like a pile driver.  I replaced the 
sparkplugs with four old D21's I had laying around, and it fired up 
immediately and smoothed right out.  I keep a stash of D21's on hand 
just for that reason!

Ben W.


On 7/16/2012 9:23 AM, Dan Glass wrote:
> It was I that gave you that advice.  I can guarantee you will have
> problems with AC plugs in farmalls.  Maybe not it JD, Case, Allis or
> anything else I don't know but Farmalls need D21's.
> On 7/16/2012 8:56 AM, Ben Wagner wrote:
>> Hi Louis,
>>
>> Thank you for the thorough email.  I do find it interesting about the
>> spark plugs.  I run D21's in my A's because the tractor will not run any
>> other way.  About this time last year, my 1945 A started and began
>> running strangely,  It smoked, missed, and had no power.  It had
>> Autolite sparkplugs, which I pulled and replaced with D21's due to
>> advice from a gentleman on the Farmall List.  Ever since then I have had
>> no trouble with it!  A similar trick happened on the Super A, since I
>> had similar Autolite sparkplugs at the time.  It even started knocking
>> until I added D21's.
>>
>> I wonder what causes the difference?  Do you have a comparable AC or
>> Autolite plug you use?
>>
>> Ben Wagner
>>
>>
>> On 7/15/2012 11:44 PM, Louis wrote:
>>> If it were a tractor that I was repairing, there are two things that I would
>>> do.  The first one is replace the Champion plugs with something else, AC or
>>> Autolite.  The second thing I would check it your entire fuel system.  First
>>> take the plug out of the bottom of your carb and see if the fuel is flowing
>>> at a good rate.  If it is the next step is to check your float level, I
>>> don't have that info right now, it is at my shop.  If you contact me off
>>> list, I can email it to you.  You check the level by screwing a 1/8" nipple
>>> into the drain plug hole.  Have a piece of clear tubing attached to the
>>> nipple, bend it so it goes higher than the top of the float bowl.  Measure
>>> the fuel level to the bottom of the carb body.  If that is alright, remove
>>> the carb and completely disassemble it.  You might have a blocked main
>>> passage or blocked vent passage.  I just had a McCormick W9 in my shop this
>>> past week, it was running alright till just recently. Then the customer said
>>> you would have to have the choke half way on to get it to rev up and stay
>>> revved up. I confirmed and he was correct. I went through the above steps
>>> and found the main nozzle partially plugged.  I made sure all the other
>>> passages were clean, put the carb back on the tractor and it runs like a
>>> top. You might also want to check for a vacuum leak. While the tractor is
>>> running, spray some starting fluid around the intake portion of the manifold
>>> and where the carb bolts to the manifold.  If the engine speeds up at all,
>>> you have a leak.
>>>
>>> I say the spark plugs also, because there are several cases where I have
>>> tractors start hard, I then changed the plugs to a different brand other
>>> than Champion, and the hard starting problems went away.
>>>
>>>     
>>> Louis Spiegelberg
>>> Spiegelberg Restoration and Service, LTD
>>> 440-965-7679
>>> www.srstractor.com
>>> www.facebook.com/srsltd
>>> mailto:sales at srstractor.com
>>>     
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
>>> [mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Ben Wagner
>>> Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2012 9:03 PM
>>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group; Farmall/IHC mailing list
>>> Subject: [AT] Easier to Start?
>>>
>>>
>>> Good Evening,
>>>
>>> It's been awhile since I have had to bring you an issue on my Farmall
>>> Super A.  It has always been hard to start, taking a long time of
>>> cranking (normally two periods of three seconds each) before it will
>>> begin to fire.  Lately, the electrical system has acted up, and I am
>>> trying to start it with a hand crank.  It's great exercise, but not the
>>> greatest use of my time.  It took a good 20 some turns with the hand
>>> crank to get it to start firing tonight.  I'm surprised my arm can still
>>> type!
>>>
>>> Is there any sort of "trick" some of you know of to convince a tractor
>>> to start easier with a hand crank?
>>>
>>> In case it is important, the Super A has a good magneto, D21 spark
>>> plugs, and a Zenith carb.  It also only runs well on half choke, and
>>> there are no adjustments on the Zenith beyond the idle mixture.  I know
>>> the impulse coupling works, unless I am mistaken.
>>>
>>> Thanks for your help.  I'm sure all of you have had the tractor that
>>> won't start well with a hand crank!
>>>
>>> Ben Wagner
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AT mailing list http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>>
>>>
>>>
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