d17 sputters

[bob from ill]

I have a series 1 d17. At idle and at WOT it runs like a top, but under a load it spits and sputters. has new plugs and wires, last year I replaced the head gasket due to leaking copper seal. the sputtering was going on before the head gasket replacement. Ihad hoped it was from coolant leaking into the cylinder but i was wrong.

 

[old]

I would try to open up the main jet just a little at a time to see if that helps. You should be able to open it up to the point you get black smoke and if you can't then you probably have a clogged up carb which will cause your problem
Hobby farm

 

[Jeff Z.]

Old is pointing you in the right direction. Fuel restriction. If it is not in the carburetor check the outlet of the gas tank and the inlet to the gas bowl. Have had many with plugged fuel bowl inlets and engine would run poor or stop under load.

 

[Jerry Coulter]

Check for a worn distributor shaft bushing. If you have a dwell meter, it will show variation at different RPMs.

 

[Anonymous-0]

You might check the timing also. On our WD45 puller, we were having the same symptoms, after adjusting the timing, no more problems.

 

[BushogPapa]

When the WD-45's were our main power, we would get a miss under load if there was just ONE drop of water in the sediment bowl, under the fuel tank.
Once cleaned, NO more miss...

FWIW..
Ron.

 

[Dardan]

Might consider gummy, sticking valves. My WD would run fine till a load was put on it. The extra heat from working would expand the valve stems just enough to start erratic missing.
The fuel system and ignion were near perfect by the time I found the sticky valves.