53 Super A runs great...without the air cleaner

[The Country Toad]

Hello all! I've been trying to track down a stall problem w my super a. In a past post I mentioned that I thought it was running rich, but I've cleaned the carb..got the jet and float correct ... Ran the fuel like and inlet filter and sediment bowl and filter as.well ast the cut off valve. Cleaned and blown out. She's got a new coil and wires and plugs that are gapped correctly as well as points and condenser and button.
Once I got it running like a top I can plow and cultivate without the slightest hookup. Then I hooked it back up to the air cleaner. Dies after about 20sec of being in gear. Disconnect the air cleaner ....it'll pull a house across the road.
So. I've soaked the air cleaner in kerosene for about 6hrs and let dry over night. Hooked it all back up today and while it doesn't die after being in gear for 20sec...it looses power and coughs for a couple of seconds and gains rpms back for another 30sec.
Any ideas? I certainly don't want to run it without the air cleaner and I know you can't take em apart.
Thanks all!!!

[inairam]

Did you look for a nest or something else blocking the flow inside? Did you try just taking off the top cap?

In the winter I have had the water in the filter oil freeze like a donut and block the airflow but not this time of year.

[The Country Toad]

Thank you for the help!!! Yes the main shoot is clear and free flowing.
If the air cleaner is straight clogged up .... Any options as to what to use for an air cleaner?

[tst]

they are cleanable, soak it in a bucket of kerosene etc, it has like a brillo pad inside maybe full of crap ?

[Jim Becker]

Did you take the cup off the bottom of the air cleaner while you soaked it? Did you submerge at least all but the upper tube?

[The Country Toad]

thank you all for the help and replies and knowledge!!!

i took the cup off and changed the oil and cleaned the cup and soaked it in kerosene for about 6hrs. maybe that wasnt long enough. i let it drip dry overnight before i hooked it back up.

[Jim Becker]

From your description, it sounds like you still have some sort of obstruction in the air cleaner. With the top cap and the cup removed, you should have an open tube from top to bottom that you can see straight through. From the bottom you should be able to look at the wire mesh that surrounds the tube. The mesh should be reasonably clean with no extra dirt or whatever caught in the mesh. I don't remember exactly what you see looking in from the side through the carburetor connection. I think, just some of the sheet metal. Whatever you can see should be clean.

The top cap may be a little dusty from use but shouldn't have any build-up of dirt.

[ajhbike]

I had a similar problem with another tractor where the mesh all jammed up and dirty but I will offer it up 'cause it might help. It might not be like yours.

At the bottom of the "brillo mesh" where the oil cup gets connected there was a 3 ribbed plate that was counter inserted into the big tube holding the mesh in place. I had to pry off that plate and pull the mesh out to get at the bee nest in the middle of it. Then I soaked the mesh and was able to blow it out. It was a huge pain to get it back into the stack

[The Country Toad]

shoot.. i re-read my last post. when mentioned "soaking it" i meant i soaked the air cleaner with the cup removed and soaked in a full bucket of kerosene.
ive read about purple power so i may bet a 5gal bucket and try soaking it in that as well. i'll be calling around tue morning to some local mechanics to inquire about a parts bath and see if i can flush or irrigate it with that as well.

[Don McCombs]

Be careful with the Purple Power vs paint and decals.

[inairam]

Purple power can be hard on paint and metals as Don wrote.

Zep, and others, make a Citrus-based degreaser which I have been happy with. You may be able to plug up the holes and just fill the inside ro protect the outside. I found it at home depot in the cleaning section.