Hard starting

[36hatteras]

I have purchased my 1st 1946 Model A, and
it is very hard starting, today it was 63
degrees and couldn't get it to start, but
almost, very hard to turn the flywheel,
any ideas, please help, im 4th generation
to own 1, and im very proud

 

[Tstoner]

(quoted from post at 16:59:54 12/25/23) I have purchased my 1st 1946 Model A, and
it is very hard starting, today it was 63
degrees and couldn't get it to start, but
almost, very hard to turn the flywheel,
any ideas, please help, im 4th generation
to own 1, and im very proud

Congrats on your purchase! I just recently restored a 44A, definitely fun to work on. I assume your 46 is electric start? In my limited experience with these tractors. If they are timed and tuned right they start very easy. Can you give us a little more info. What exactly is it doing? Also Any idea if it has been rebuilt recently? Give us a little more information on the condition of the tractor

 

[Rich'sToys]

I assume you're opening the petcocks?

 

[36hatteras]

Yes of course, both of them

 

[36hatteras]

Has not been rebuilt to my knowledge, hand
crank, limited knowledge was passed on, it
was easy cranking, then float stuck and I
had the carburetor rebuilt

 

[Tstoner]

(quoted from post at 04:15:02 12/26/23) Has not been rebuilt to my knowledge, hand
crank, limited knowledge was passed on, it
was easy cranking, then float stuck and I
had the carburetor rebuilt

a good place to start with the carb as it worked for me. Is to run both needles in all the way then back your load needle out about 1 full turn and your idle side about 2 turns out. Should be a good starting point for the carb. As far as it turning over hard. Do you mean it was easy and all of a sudden it is hard?

 

[NY 986]

Can we assume that the tractor has no prior known issues? Spark plugs clean, properly gapped, and no bad spots in the plug wires? Engine oil level in the operating range? If you can get someone to help I would pull start it as you may not have enough strength to turn it over fast enough. If it is close to firing as you suggest then it will not need to be tugged far. Once running then you can inspect for possible issues such as a poor spark plug.

 

[36hatteras]

Ok great thanks I'll do that

 

[36hatteras]

New plugs, wires are in great shape, I have spark, might try pull start today thanks

 

[Paul_IN]

My experience with hand crank John Deeres is when they stiffen up after extended cranking its due to oil film on the pistons and cylinder walls being diluted by gasoline. Remove the plugs and squirt some oil in the cylinder. Roll the engine over several times with plugs removed and it should become easier again. Install plugs and try again to start taking care not to flood the engine. A hot spark and a clean properly adjusted carb are critical to a good starting hand crank tractor.
Since the tractor is new to you and you dont have history can you get a second person to help you pull start the tractor? Once running you will determine the condition and adjustability of the carburetor.

 

[Rusty wheel]

Make sure the Mag timing is correct. Very critical. Also, make sure the air intake isn't plugged up.

 

[Tstoner]

(quoted from post at 08:04:23 12/26/23) Ok great thanks I'll do that

I agree with pull starting the tractor and then making adjustments. But to one of the previous comments. Once these tractors are tuned properly all you need to do it tip it over TDC and it should start.. The speed of which you are turning the flywheel has nothing to do with it starting any easier

 

[NY 986]

Depends if you have a poor gasket on the intake side or a hairline crack in the intake manifold. May not be a problem with older JD 2 cylinders but can be
with other tractors. Spinning the engine over faster will make it draw more air through the manifold and carb therefore more air/fuel mixture to the engine.
Major issues with gaskets or manifolds cannot be overcome therefore requiring inspection and replacement of poor condition parts.

 

[NoDakInMN]

One thing I have found, is that people will take their two cylinder John Deere to a mechanic that doesn't have all that much experience with them and one thing that these people will do is pull the shims out of the connecting rods, not realizing that the poured babbitt bearings need a little looser tolerance than what they were used to dealing with. First one I owned, a '37 unstyled A, was easy to roll over and start. Then one day a mechanic buddy and I were just playing around with it and checking out the insides of the crankcase, because it is super easy to get at, and he felt the play in the connecting rods and said it was way too loose. So we pulled a couple shims out until he thought it felt better and I then tried to roll it over and it was really hard to do. So I insisted that we put the shims back in against his judgement and that is the way it remains to this day nearly 40 years later, still working fine. With my second tractor, a '44 A, the previous owner had the rings replaced by a mechanic and it was had to roll over too, until I added some shims to it as well. This makes it hard to start by hand, because when you add compression to the already stiff crank movement, its a bit of a struggle to get over top dead center.

So if you pull the spark plugs and it still roils over hard, you may want to check this out.