hard to start
bennie
Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3 cave creek arizona |
2005-04-19 110108
My 1941 John Deere A most of the time starts hard I guess I don't know exactley where the start possion is on the flywheel. so I think I might be flooding it. Also what spark plugs are best
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hard to start
harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY Pics |
2005-04-20 110118
bennie I do not have the JD books. I'm assuming you have some mechanical ability to keep the old tractor.
Check with a local 2 cylinder group for lots of great info. Many groups have get togethers all summer to plow harvest and tell stories (AKA: Lies... well exaggerated stories anyway). There are several 2cyl sites and you can do the search. I do not recall how much tune up info is avaiable on them.
Me thinks Champion has always been the large sparkplug favorite. If you are not running the A very much I'd also look at a complete tune up with new plugs once a year and keep track of the carbon on them. How old is the gas in it?
The other thing with champion is the lenght. Many older tractors have a massive head and the recess for the plugs is a very tight fit for modern sockets. ....
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hard to start
havoctec
Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 56 Minnesota |
2005-04-20 110134
Are you starting it by hand or does it have electric start? ....
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hard to start
bennie
Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3 cave creek arizona |
2005-04-20 110155
It has only the flywheel ....
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hard to start
yooperpete
Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1413 Northern Michigan Pics |
2005-04-21 110180
Suggest you check to make sure you have a good spark. I would pull the sparkplug wire and keep it about 1/8" to 1/4" from the tip of the plug. I would not hold the plug wire while the flywheel is being turned. If the wire casing isn't good, you may get a jolt. Have someone turn the flywheel while you are in the dark and see if you get a good spark jumping from the wire to the plug. You could have a bad magneto or bad plug wire.
I'm assuming your compression release is working OK. When you say "its hard to start", I don't think that you mean it turns over hard.
When tugging on the flywheel, you will want to start pulling between firing strokes. (i.e. you won't want to start pulling when it is the most difficult) You want it to begin rotation when it is easiest to pull and use the flywheel to help you get to TDC. When you find the place to start pulling (just past the last compression phase), I always watched my neighbor start pulling at about the 11 o'clock position on the flywheel and pull toward himself until about 2 o'clock. It usually started quite easy. He would let it fire a few times and pickup speed before closing the compression release. Don't have first hand experience since we always drove "RED". Personally, I like electric start stuff!! Should also note my neighbor had fingers about the size of my wrists.
I'd also check out the air filter system to make sure the air is getting through for a good gas/air mixture. If I remember correctly it is a wet filter system with oil bath. ....
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hard to start
bennie
Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3 cave creek arizona |
2005-04-21 110204
The gas Is new but I think it must have the wrong plugs I just bought this and it has new autolite but I'm not SURE they are even the right number I will get the correct champion plugs. I thank all of you for your help and am looking forward to fun hours with my new hobby , for sure I will get strong arms. ....
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hard to start
jdgreen
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 232 Maryland |
2005-04-23 110248
The spark plugs are definitely a good place to start, although I personally do not recommend Champions. They used to be good, but around ten or fifteen years ago we started having problems with them. I recommend the Autolites, but you have to be sure to get the proper ones. Some of these tractors had the spark plugs in the cylinder head and some were screwed into the block. This makes a difference in which plug you use. If you have a dealer around that has an old technician that was around when these tractors were usde alot, I'd recommend talking to him. Good Luck! ....
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