Ford 2000 running terrible

[Welding man]

used red: I had actually forgotten about that time you refer to in 2021, believe it or not. That time the new coil did in fact resolve the issue. Whatever the reason, this time it did not fix it. Yes, new condenser. I have looked at carb, probably am going to need to dig in a little deeper there. What is method to clean carb passages? Should I take to have it professionally cleaned?
Welding man: I have wondered about a sticking valve, and will do a compression test when I have opportunity. I have a busy week or two ahead, so not sure when that will be.
6 sly: how to check that advance? Thanks everyone.
Doug

Timing advance is checked with a timing light. Set at idle and at wide open throttle. As the engine speed increases the timing should advance.

 

[Lefty53]

yes the gas seems fine. I have discovered that the shutoff under the tank is leaking, not when valve is open but all the time, so another thing to fix. Replacing that will give me opportunity to confirm clean gas. I am currently helping 2 sibs care for our 91 y.o. mother recovering from broken hip, so may take me a while to be able to wrench on the tractor. At least weather looks reasonable for next week or more here, so shouldn't need for snow removal. I will also eventually rent a timing light and check the advance. Thanks guys
Doug

 

[6 SLY PLACE]

Since it's been so cold, you might have to open up the main jet a little bit see what happens

 

[Hobo,NC]

Hobo: I have tested spark and had a nice blue spark jump 1/4" or more, that is what i have always heard to be sufficient. Tested at coil tower and from cap towers. Thank you
Doug

You need to check the spark event while its running poorly. Basically you are looking for intermittent spark when the engine sputters. You state it idles fine If it had sticking valves are a broken valve spring that is not know yet I doubt you will see a sticking valve during a normal cranking compression test. Its not possible to make a valid recommendation you must test beyond a doubt and provide valid test results...

Its up to you its not that hard to do.

 

[Lefty53]

I tried that

 

[Lefty53]

Sorry last post sent prematurely. I tried adjusting the jet, didn't change anything. If I have time this week my next step is to check compression.
Thanks
Doug

 

[Lefty53]

I was able to check compression on the 2000 today, 125 pounds across the board. That's good news for overall condition of my engine, but doesn't help on my quest to fix this thing. I think next I will take carb off and be sure all passages are clear. I will keep you all informed.
Doug

 

[Lefty53]

I need to update: I did go through the carb, cleaned all passages, it was very clean. All the fuel screens are very clean. If carb is my problem, I sure don't know what it would be. I am still kind of busy, so not spending too much time on the tractor. (That is partly true also because of the temps staying rather cold.) Any other work I do I will post back.
Doug

 

[Recoil]

You said you get a cup of fuel a minute when you remove the gas line from the bottom of the carb. Do you have an inline fuel filter and/or a screen in your tank?

 

[tractorford]

is your gas cap good and venting. can you run it without the gas cap on and see if it acts the same.

maybe do a little dance, flap your arms and howl like a (chicken) while hopping on one leg to appease the bolt gods.

 

[Lefty53]

No inline filter, just the original in tank, bulb, and elbow to carb. I will try with cap off. Thanks
Doug

 

[Lefty53]

On Saturday I tried with gas cap off, no difference. I also checked that each cylinder made a difference while pulling each wire off, and each cylinder had a noticeable difference. I just can't get a handle on what is wrong with it. The engine starts quite well, and if left close to idle runs fair, but increasing throttle immediately causes it to backfire thru exhaust, and it runs very bad, left at higher revs it will die. It is hard to describe how it is running, it shudders and cuts out, and the backfire gets intermittently worse, occasionally the backfire is extremely loud, you certainly don't want to let it run very long like that. It is going to be very cold here this week, so won't be doing anything else to it. More to the point I have no idea what to do to it! Thanks
Doug

 

[Recoil]

On Saturday I tried with gas cap off, no difference. I also checked that each cylinder made a difference while pulling each wire off, and each cylinder had a noticeable difference. I just can't get a handle on what is wrong with it. The engine starts quite well, and if left close to idle runs fair, but increasing throttle immediately causes it to backfire thru exhaust, and it runs very bad, left at higher revs it will die. It is hard to describe how it is running, it shudders and cuts out, and the backfire gets intermittently worse, occasionally the backfire is extremely loud, you certainly don't want to let it run very long like that. It is going to be very cold here this week, so won't be doing anything else to it. More to the point I have no idea what to do to it! Thanks
Doug

My thought is the carb needs a good cleaning and the jets need to be looked at. I'm not sure if you did that already, but if not that's what I would be looking at.

 

[Steve in IL]

If you make it excessively rich, by spraying gas into the carb as it’s running, does it still do the same?

 

[Lefty53]

That's a good idea Steve, I will try that. I did clean the carburetor, it was not dirty at all, blew out all passages with air. Thanks guys.
Doug

 

[used red MN]

What is method to clean carb passages?

Sorry, I didn’t come back to you. In my opinion to clean the passages you need to poke through it with a suitable wire or something, then spray it with a blast of carb cleaner then blow through it with compressed air. If you can look straight through the passage and see it is open that’s good. If the passage is such that you can’t see through it than repeat the process two more times just to be darn sure it’s clean. I’m not a Ford guy, the parts diagram shows a Holley and Zenith carbs as options which do you have? If it is the Zenith is the venturi installed in the carb? It is the round part below the round hole in the gasket in the linked diagram. CNHI Ford 2000 Zen. carb diag
The question is when you tested the fuel flow did you immediately start catching the fuel when you pulled the carb plug? If you did a cup is not enough to support a full load but it should run your tractor at least well enough that the engine should rev up and be driven around with no load and have no problems. A true fuel flow test for your tractor to support a full load would be a pint of fuel in 2 1/2 minutes starting to catch the fuel after the plug has been out 5 seconds. That allows the fuel in the carb bowl to drain away and not be counted as flow. I wonder if a big chunk of something is behind the fitting that screws in the carb for the fuel line to connect to? You must not have a Holley carb or you probably would have had some comments about the complexity of it. Click the “left” arrow twice in the link to see the Holley carb diagram.

 

[mhankins]

my memory is not good but I didn't see what the sparkplugs looked like.

 

[Steve Brussell]

I have a 1962 641 and that has the M/S carb. And it is pretty much the same tractor that you have, but I have the 4 speed. Maybe that’s what you have? I have done my carb 3 times in the 20 years I have owned it and the first time I just cleaned it and blew air through it, and it still gave me problems. When I discovered a tiny drilled passage plugged I had to use a fine wire to clean it out and fixed the issue. When I did it again last year, same thing. I don’t know if you have the M/S carb but if you do, try cleaning the ports with a fine wire. I can’t answer if you have a Zenith or Holley. This advise may not apply. Good luck.

 

[Lefty53]

Just replaced the plugs. Steve I did not put wire through the passages, will need to do that. Thanks guys
Doug

 

[mhankins]

Just wondering what color the old plugs were. Might give you a clue?