Carb Problems -----STILL

Please excuse me for not knowing this. But what is a TVO Conversion. Remember , Im still learning about these great old tractors. Thanks in advance ,, Barry

OK, if yours is a TVO type tractor, your fuel switch/lever will have TWO positions, one pointing towards the rear of the tractor (top of switch this is) and one towards the front. Your fuel tank will have two filler caps - one for the large front tank (TVO), and one for the smaller rear tank (petrol).

You use this smaller tank to start the tractor and run it until it's warm, then change over to the TVO mix in the bigger tank. Then before you switch off, you need to change back to petrol for 2 minutes to make sure you start again on petrol. WHY? because TVO (mix of kerosene, petrol and two-stroke oil) will only fire the engine when the engine is hot. IT WILL NOT START ON TVO IF THE ENGINE IS COLD - so if there is any TVO in the carb, you need to drain it off using the screw tap on the bottom front of the carb. Put what you drain off into a glass jar, and then add it straight back into the larger fuel tank. Don't smoke while you do this.

So, what Im trying to say is that you need to make sure that you are only trying to start the tractor on petrol - NOT TVO. Fill the smaller one (if you have one) with petrol ONLY. Drain the carb completely to petrol only also.

Then try to start it when you have cleaned and dried the spark plugs. The trouble with TVO is that it will only ignite with a spark if the engine is hot - so your problem may be that you are trying to start it on TVO only.

Simplest if you have two tanks is to drain em both (we pay US dollars 1.20 per litre now so we don't usually do this - see why they took our guns away??) and refill with petrol only.

if you're trying to start on straight TVO, it may cough and splutter for a few seconds, but it certainly won't run.

It's worth checking - don't rely on the smell of what's in the tanks. Change it.

If you don't have two tanks, drain and refill anyway - be sure that what is in there is petrol, not some cruddy old stuff.

Good luck. I'll check back on the board tomorrow my time to see if you've had any luck starting.

OK, let's do this in easy, bite sized chunks. Long distance fault finding can take a while!!

Can you get it to keep running if you leave the choke out? If no, suspect fuel starvation - check fuel flow, float level, etc. If yes, then

Will it continue running if you open the throttle before putting the choke back in? If yes, reset your throttle stop (on the top rear of the carb next to the block) on the butterfly valve to increase your tickover speed (i.e. screw it in), and then work from there. If no

You have an air leak somewhere, or the mixture is still wrong (too weak or not enough fuel flow to the carb, or float level too low or manifold gasket leaking)

Another thing, if you disconnect the HT coil completely on the low tension side, and turn the engine over with full choke after it has just died on you - do the plugs get wet? If so, fuel supply is probably not the problem.

Try this for a start (no pun intended, honest).

Between us all, we'll get there.