Slight starting frustration....

[pokitisme]

Okay I'm back again with another starting issue. okay what I'm trying to find out is this. I have put marvel mystery oil mixed with my gas into my Farmall h. Since I started doing that I have noticed that the starting issues have been getting a little worse and now it's to the point where it will not turn over. Let me rephrase that it will not start. It turns over but won't start. it has good compression at about 90 pounds if I said that the right way. On all four cylinders. It has spark. To the spark plug wires and to the spark plugs themselves. I have cleaned off the buildup on the spark plugs numerous times. If there was any buildup. As I am not familiar with the distributor I do not know if that is an issue. Here's what happens I turn the gas on and I move the choke all the way forward which normally I don't have to do normally I leave it back. And I hit the starter button. It turns and turns cranks and cranks but nothing happens. Sometimes I pulled the choke back sometimes I'll leave at Ford. For the last two days it hasn't started and it did move and operate on Monday where I pulled a trailer into the front yard but it was sluggish and I was stupid and turn the damn thing off to save gas. Anyway I'm curious what your guys thoughts are

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Normal operation for the choke is all the way forward is run, and all the way to rear of tr4actor is choked. Are you sure you are not flooding it before it can start. My H will start with no choke (rod pushed forward), then it has to be pulled out a little to keep it running till warms a little. this is with hand throttle set on 3rd or 4th notch from the front.

[Urbish]

I choke my H for about 1 full revolution of the engine, then push it in. Works every time.

[pokitisme]

Normal operation for the choke is all the way forward is run, and all the way to rear of tr4actor is choked. Are you sure you are not flooding it before it can start. My H will start with no choke (rod pushed forward), then it has to be pulled out a little to keep it running till warms a little. this is with hand throttle set on 3rd or 4th notch from the front.

Because I am silly and because I work nearly 74 hours a week LOL sometimes I forget things. I cannot remember if I have the choke pulled all the way back or all the way forward on normal operations. I thought I had it pulled all the way back but in the last couple of days when it did start to choke was pushed all the way forward. Yes I know I should keep track of these things but I do not LOL. What I'm thinking is that there might be a stuck floater or there may be some kind of particulate matter interfering with the operation of the carburetor. Because all of this started after I put in a healthy dose of marvel mystery oil. I put about 5 gallons in the gas tank originally mixed with about 1 oz of marvel mystery oil. Then I had another 5 gallon tank mixed with 1 oz of marvel mystery oil and I put about one fourth of that 5-gallon can in. Now with the first five gallon can. I was getting some backfires but that kind of smooths out over a few days. When I put the second 10 which was just 1/4 in. That's when I started getting a lot of issues. I'm thinking I may need to drain the gas and start over with fresh gasoline. if I can get a day off or some kind of free time where I'm not hanging out with the new girlfriend LOL I am going to get around to this and post my interesting little updates. By the way I always think you guys for your help every little bit of information you give not only helps me but anybody else trying to find out things.

[Urbish]

If you are getting buildup on your plugs, you either have the wrong plug, wrong gap, low compression, or are running too rich. I would suggest a full tune up, but at the very least a carburetor disassembly/cleaning/possible rebuild. If you're not confident in disassembling/rebuilding it yourself, you may be able to find a local place to do that for you.

[pokitisme]

If you are getting buildup on your plugs, you either have the wrong plug, wrong gap, low compression, or are running too rich. I would suggest a full tune up, but at the very least a carburetor disassembly/cleaning/possible rebuild. If you're not confident in disassembling/rebuilding it yourself, you may be able to find a local place to do that for you.

It is very possible that as you say I am running too rich. The carburetor is a little bit screwed up because I have fully disassembled it but never replaced or repaired the gaskets and other internals. As to the spark plugs they are the correct plugs and are correctly gapped. The compression I'm getting is 90 pounds to about 92 LBS or so. I was using a harbor freight compression test kit. I believe it was a cheaper one. I was thinking of buying a new or used carburetor and putting that on. I know it could be just as simple as rebuilding it.but hey like I said I'm doing 74 hours a week LOL. I am only getting buildup on one plug of a slight amount of carbon. That would be the plug located closest to the radiator..

[ShawnAgne]

Different motor but my 300 needs choke in the winter and has to be weened slowly. In the summer hit the key and I'm off.

[ShawnAgne]

Actually figured out issue I was having this winter. I had left key on and the electronic module was burnt up and just clinging to life. Replaced it starts way easier than it was over the winter.

[pokitisme]

I took the carburetor apart again and the needle valve seems to have been sticking just a bit. Just ever so slightly. So I'm debating about putting that back on or buy me a new one from Steiner. I think the new one would be a better choice instead of rebuilding it and dealing with possible issues again. From the few times I have read information on the new carburetors from Steiner it seems like it's basically just a bolt-on process turn your gas on and get running. I think the other problem I may be having is the gas I'm using which was mixed with marvel mystery oil which I think might be retarding the spark process.my other issue is also the fuel line leading from the sediment bowl to the carburetor that has gotten slightly damaged so I am going to replace it with a rubberized hose. And I am going to get to snap on fittings to place on each end of the hose this will also make it easier to get the fuel line filter in and out of the carburetor as opposed to using the long metal fuel line. And it will also make it easier to drain the tank and start over with fresh gas. Once I get that fixed up I will make a YouTube video on that. But I am going to keep people updated here so that hopefully this will help somebody else

[Bob McCarty]

If you buy a repro carb, I'd suggest you check the float height and drop. All the ones I've opened were way off. McDonald Carb sells a new style needle and cage for about $8.00 and may be all you need to get your carb functioning correctly. I just looked at Steiner, and they want $295 for what appears to be the same as the eBay carb for about $40 +/-.

Edit: I'm not positive the new needle will fit that carb, but if you contact McDonald Carb, he can let you know. The $40 is for the Cub carb, not one for an H. Sorry.

[ShawnAgne]

I rebuilt my 300 carb, was a VERY easy process and much cheaper. It isn't hard to do. Needle is easy to replace and even adjusting the float isn't that hard. If you have compressed air blow out all the passages.

[pokitisme]

As usual you guys are a wealth of knowledge. Yeah I'm a little hazy about buying the Steiner carburetor even though it's supposed to be brand new it is pricey as hell. But I'm also a little Leary of the eBay carbs. but you know what I will look into both I'll figure something out LOL or else I'm going to have a very big piece of lawn ornamentation. But that's the funny thing though this tractor does run and operate. I mean before it died in the front yard I pulled a trailer up a 40% grade. It did. I like twice trying to get it up the hill. but I got it up there and my stupid problem was I was being a cheapskate and turn the gas off. Instead of just leaving it running. so I'll figure something out but you guys are always great on giving knowledge. And that's what some of us newbies need

[Rick Spivey]

Just my opinion, but a rubber fuel line with snap-on fittings on the end sounds like a catastrophe waiting to happen. Most folks on here will counsel you to always use a steel fuel line on these tractors, the rubber often ends up touching somewhere and getting damaged, or simply left on too long. Once the fire starts, you will not get it out until it's through burning the tractor parts.

[pokitisme]

Just my opinion, but a rubber fuel line with snap-on fittings on the end sounds like a catastrophe waiting to happen. Most folks on here will counsel you to always use a steel fuel line on these tractors, the rubber often ends up touching somewhere and getting damaged, or simply left on too long. Once the fire starts, you will not get it out until it's through burning the tractor parts.

Good point but maneuvering that metal fuel lying around has caused some difficulty. Okay so here's what's happened I got to new carburetor basically it was refurbished with all brand new parts and everything supposedly at the correct settings. I hooked it up. Including the new gaskets. I charged my battery fully. And I've tried starting it what happens is fuel leaks out of the bottom of the carburetor where the air intake is. I cannot figure out what the hell is going on because it was doing the same thing with the last carburetor.


after making a call to a guy that repairs tractors and telling him the issues I had which was this. Tractor set for about 6 months it was having backfire problems gas is leaking out of the air intake of the brand new carburetor. I have a good coil only a year old. And it was working till about a month ago. The tractor that is. He said it sounded like a point issue on the distributor. I told him I was getting good compression approximately 110 pounds per square inch. He also said it could be a vacuum issue. But after I told him about the compression he changed his mind to the distributor. So it looks like I'm going to learn quickly how to install a new distributor LOL.

[Eugene]

I rebuilt my 300 carb, was a VERY easy process and much cheaper. It isn't hard to do. Needle is easy to replace and even adjusting the float isn't that hard. If you have compressed air blow out all the passages.

If you buy an repro carb, I'd suggest you check the float height and drop.

If you still have the original carburetor, clean and adjust it. You may not need any new parts.