IH 444 won't start

[INCase]

over the weekend was trying to get some of the jungle brush hogged (grass was a foot taller than the tractor in places)

the tractor (wife's grandfather bought new) has always spit and sputters some when running since we've had it (2021) FIL and wife's uncle had let it set for a long time and it had gotten gummed up and they had someone fix it (not sure what they did, they might have had the carb apart)

2 weeks ago we were moving old hay and straw out of the barn and a time or 2 it started to get hard to start (lots of cranking) but eventually always started between loads.

Saturday it started right up and I had mowed for a good hour and parked it as I needed to get some painting done so it could dry some before dew started settling in. went back to mow some more in the evening and no go. lots of juice to crank so no issues there. would pop once in a while but just wouldn't go. tried no trottle, full throttle, choke no choke, nothing. could kinda smell gas if I put my nose up on the exhaust pipe.

tried it again yesterday morning and the same thing drained the carb and checked for flow with fuel pump on (electric fuel pump) and had plenty of gas coming out. pulled sediment bowl and lots of flow there. pulled plugs and they smelled gassey (hard to tell with my coovid nose and lack of smell, have to put the plug almost in my nose to smell it) sprayed them with brake cleaner and let them dry. #2 plug was a bit gunky with back oily deposits and practically no gap (I wonder if that is my spit/sputter issue) did not check spark since I have limited tools there. may put a new set of plugs in

put plugs back in and tried again and no difference. just a pop or 2 now and then.

any thoughts? normally it starts right up and hardly need much choke even when cold.

Thanks.

 

[M-MAN]

Sounds like you need a new set of points to me.

 

[MeanGene1]

Sounds like it has needed a tune-up for quite a while

 

[scootergmc]

Start at the beginning of the combustion process. Air filter/intake first.... report back.

 

[INCase]

Start at the beginning of the combustion process. Air filter/intake first.... report back.

had not thought about the air cleaner. mowing tall weeds i do have to clear the radiator on occasion.

probably should have pulled the dist cap but didn't think about it and was getting tired.

 

[Janicholson]

If there is dew near it/on it the issue is likely inside the distributor cap. Either moisture, or carbon track to ground. The points may also be almost shut! Jim

 

[scootergmc]

had not thought about the air cleaner. mowing tall weeds i do have to clear the radiator on occasion.

probably should have pulled the dist cap but didn't think about it and was getting tired.

Don't mess with the spark/distributor until you eliminate the air cleaner/intake. You can create more problems by farting around with every little thing rather than being systematic.

 

[INCase]

If there is dew near it/on it the issue is likely inside the distributor cap. Either moisture, or carbon track to ground. The points may also be almost shut! Jim

inside the barn and dry but it was very rainy and humid. but 2 weeks ago it was very dry out and it started to hard start (long cranking time) a bit.

my Father in law would tell you his dad was neither a carpenter or mechanic and everything around there shows it (and cheap on the carpenter side of things lol) They did change the oil grease stuff and kept things inside and didn't abuse their equipment but probably didn't get the attention and service that others and myself may do. so yeah the air cleaner could be 40 years old and badly plugged.

does anyone know a WIX or other PN for the correct air filter for a IH 444 gaser?

thanks.

 

[INCase]

Don't mess with the spark/distributor until you eliminate the air cleaner/intake. You can create more problems by farting around with every little thing rather than being systematic.

will try the air cleaner 1st but will pick up a set of plugs and will put them in after testing a new air cleaner. since the #2 plug had practically no gap and the tab was skewed off to one side a bit a new set of plugs wouldn't hurt. the electrodes looked ok on all of them

 

[scootergmc]

Napa filter shows FIL 2003 for an air filter, I don't know if it's gas or diesel, heck I don't even know if the tractor is available in diesel. That should cross to lots of readily available filters.

 

[INCase]

Napa filter shows FIL 2003 for an air filter, I don't know if it's gas or diesel, heck I don't even know if the tractor is available in diesel. That should cross to lots of readily available filters.

yeah diesel was an option as well but I think they were oil bath air filters.

 

[Jim.ME]

yeah diesel option but I think they were oil bath air filters.

The online parts book shows oil bath for the diesel engine. The gas engine uses the dry element air cleaner, # 391852R91 which crosses to a Wix 42003 or the NAPA 2003 as scootergmc posted.

 

[Tim in New York]

Yes, gas engine is a cartridge style dry filter inside a canister. Worth checking given the heavy grass that was being mowed.