Ferguson 35 special won't start

[James1948]

I have a 1960 ferguson 35 special that did run great now won't start.I have cleaned plugs and have spark and seems to be getting gas and has compression just no fire. Any ideas?

 

[used red MN]

Maybe it’s your wording, but seems to be getting gas and is getting gas are two different things. Pull the carb drain plug is there gas there? Let it run out for 5 seconds to make sure your gas is continuing to flow into the carb. If so pull out a couple of the spark plugs, fashion a small V trough out of cereal box cardboard print side up. Put about a couple of tablespoons of gas in the cylinders put the plugs back in and attempt to start it. If it runs for a bit on that you have passages plugged in the carb.

 

[James1948]

Ok I will try that.

 

[James1948]

Maybe it’s your wording, but seems to be getting gas and is getting gas are two different things. Pull the carb drain plug is there gas there? Let it run out for 5 seconds to make sure your gas is continuing to flow into the carb. If so pull out a couple of the spark plugs, fashion a small V trough out of cereal box cardboard print side up. Put about a couple of tablespoons of gas in the cylinders put the plugs back in and attempt to start it. If it runs for a bit on that you have passages plugged in the carb.

Got the plugs cleaned and put gas down cylinders.carb has gas.the starter needs rebuilt because it barley cranks with 14v but it did try to fire a couple times before battery died because of starter

 

[used red MN]

Could be the starter drawing to much power causing a weak spark. Are you sure the battery is good?

 

[James1948]

Yes. It will take a charge and also switched it out to make sure with a good battery and really slow cranking and it will drain full battery in 8 to 10 seconds of cranking

 

[Jim.ME]

Yes. It will take a charge and also switched it out to make sure with a good battery and really slow cranking and it will drain full battery in 8 to 10 seconds of cranking

A starter that bad is likely a big part of your problem. Get it fixed or replace it.

 

[used red MN]

The “good” battery operated another vehicle just fine or what are you basing that statement on? It takes quite a drag to draw a good battery down in under 10 seconds. Of course if your starter has problems and pulls a lot of amps it may be dragging it down to the point it can’t turn “that” starter. As suggested get the starter rebuilt or replace it and then see what happens. It never hurts to looks at the condition of the points when having problems with an engine equipped with them. Make sure the contact surfaces are not to burnt. People easily forget about points, since vehicles have had electronic ignitions for nearly 50 years.

 

[James1948]

The points are almost new but I still filed them and I get spark between them it does look like a strong spark. And the battery worked great on my cub and could turn it over for minutes if I let it.

 

[cjunrau]

The points are almost new but I still filed them and I get spark between them it does look like a strong spark. And the battery worked great on my cub and could turn it over for minutes if I let it.

I pull start when that happens and see if it will fire up and run like that. If it does you know for sure the starter or the electrical to the starter is the problem

 

[Jim.ME]

Do you have a voltmeter? If so, do some checks and report back.

1. Voltage between the battery terminals (this means on the battery posts, not the cable terminals)

2. Voltage between the solenoid battery cable post and ground not cranking.

3. Voltage between the solenoid battery cable post and ground while the engine is cranking.

 

[James1948]

I will test that stuff

 

[James1948]

Got it started I have to get full battery with booster hooked up to get it to turn over fast enough

 

[Texasmark]

A starter that bad is likely a big part of your problem. Get it fixed or replace it.

Get things back ready to start, including a fully charged battery. Having a hammer handy, start the cranking attempt and simultaneously smack the top of the starter with the hammer. If things abruptly change when you smack it, your bearings/sleeves are shot in the starter and the armature is shorting out to the case....BTDT with a 1963 Ford 4 cyl diesel.

 

[Jim.ME]

Get things back ready to start, including a fully charged battery. Having a hammer handy, start the cranking attempt and simultaneously smack the top of the starter with the hammer. If things abruptly change when you smack it, your bearings/sleeves are shot in the starter and the armature is shorting out to the case....BTDT with a 1963 Ford 4 cyl diesel.

Not saying I have not hit on starters before, but I will stay with my suggestion that he do some voltage checks, given his description of the problem, before saying smack the starter.

 

[used red MN]

Get things back ready to start, including a fully charged battery. Having a hammer handy, start the cranking attempt and simultaneously smack the top of the starter with the hammer. If things abruptly change when you smack it, your bearings/sleeves are shot in the starter and the armature is shorting out to the case....BTDT with a 1963 Ford 4 cyl diesel.

I would say refer to reply 13, he got it started. IMOP meter first or at least a “headlight test”, then possibly a hammer applied with some finesse may be acceptable. My thinking and findings support more of the fact that the jarring from the hammer moves things around in the starter enough to allow a worn out brush to reestablish contact.
Sounds like he has starter problems.

 

[Texasmark]

Not saying I have not hit on starters before, but I will stay with my suggestion that he do some voltage checks, given his description of the problem, before saying smack the starter.

I mean you are not destroying the starter, what you are doing is to cause the armature to vibrate and when up in the air on the vibration, if bearings/sleeves worn out is the problem they will show.........like I said, BTDT, Have you"????

 

[Jim.ME]

I mean you are not destroying the starter, what you are doing is to cause the armature to vibrate and when up in the air on the vibration, if bearings/sleeves worn out is the problem they will show.........like I said, BTDT, Have you"????

 

[Jim.ME]

I think I implied I have hit them, just did not say as directly as you saying "smack the starter." And I have had to fix messed where someone did smack a starter (damaged broken connections, broken caps on Delco type solenoids, etc.) . And in more then one case the issue was a bad cable or connection that was found with a voltmeter. I'm just saying I believe in testing first, then possibly strike the starter.

 

[Texasmark]

I would say refer to reply 13, he got it started. IMOP meter first or at least a “headlight test”, then possibly a hammer applied with some finesse may be acceptable. My thinking and findings support more of the fact that the jarring from the hammer moves things around in the starter enough to allow a worn out brush to reestablish contact.
Sounds like he has starter problems.

Even a worn out brush is spring loaded....shorting of the armature to the case isn't.