No acceleration

[FredSimp]

First time poster, be gentle!

My 48 Ford Tractor 8n. Side mounted distributor was swapped to EI several years ago. After some tinkering and sitting around for almost 4 years, I got it up and running. It ran great for a couple of hours then started spitting and stuttering and shut down. After working thru some troubleshooting I replaced the EI and it started up, running like a little sewing machine.
Now that it idles like a kitten, it won't accelerate. The linkage is doing its thing and opening the throttle and whatever that sping loaded thing does next to what looks like a fuel pump appears to moving when the accelerator is moved. There is no change to the RPMs. If I cycle it down it chokes out the engine, when I return the throttle to the mid spot it starts up and idles. When I go full throttle the rpms don't change from idle speed.
At your mercy for suggestions at this point. I feel it's still an ignition issue but after replacing everything top side I'm out of ideas. Plugs wires cap rotor.

 

[Jim L WA]

(quoted from post at 20:25:19 10/04/21) First time poster, be gentle!

My 48 Ford Tractor 8n. Side mounted distributor was swapped to EI several years ago. After some tinkering and sitting around for almost 4 years, I got it up and running. It ran great for a couple of hours then started spitting and stuttering and shut down. After working thru some troubleshooting I replaced the EI and it started up, running like a little sewing machine.
Now that it idles like a kitten, it won't accelerate. The linkage is doing its thing and opening the throttle and whatever that sping loaded thing does next to what looks like a fuel pump appears to moving when the accelerator is moved. There is no change to the RPMs. If I cycle it down it chokes out the engine, when I return the throttle to the mid spot it starts up and idles. When I go full throttle the rpms don't change from idle speed.
At your mercy for suggestions at this point. I feel it's still an ignition issue but after replacing everything top side I'm out of ideas. Plugs wires cap rotor.

I'm being gentle, welcome to the forum Fred. I have questions though. When you said it ran like a sewing machine after you replaced the E.I., did it accelerate then or not?
Next, when you say the linkage is opening the throttle, do you see the throttle shaft on the carburetor move?
That thing you say looks like a fuel pump is the governor. There is no fuel pump, it's gravity feed.
It sounds to me like the governor may be stuck or the throttle shaft is stuck. Can you reach down and move the short link that goes from the carburetor to the governor. If not, remove that link at the carburetor and then see if you can move the throttle shaft at the carburetor.
Your problem is not ignition.

 

[old]

Side mount distributor didn't come out till April or May of 1950

 

[FredSimp]

It idles like like a sewing machine and
will not accelerate. The throttle movement
has no effect. I can move the shaft between
the governor and carburetor freely and it
also moves when I use the throttle
adjustment on the column. When the throttle
is applied it moves the shaft away from the
front of the engine and another shaft moves
up that is connected to a spring, with no
change to the RPMs.
So short version, the linkage all appear to
be moving as expected, with no change to
engine speed when applied. When I move to
the lower idle range, the engine stalls, so
it would seem the butterfly valve inside
the carburetor is working, as the engines
chokes out.

 

[Jim L WA]

Two other things to try. A little out there, but is has happened. First, if you haven't already done so, remove the air tube from the carburetor intake and see what happens. Second, remove the exhaust pipe from the manifold and see what happens.
Let us know.

 

[FredSimp]

Will check those.

This post was edited by FredSimp on 10/05/2021 at 08:44 am.

 

[FredSimp]

So confirmed no blockage from intake or exaust. When throttle is full open the butterfly ir open and the governor arm is pointing all the way to full position against the full throttle block. Engine RPMs do not change with change of governor arm position.
Do I need to remove and repair this at this juncture or should I look somewhere else before I do. It's only two bolts and an oil line but I want to explore all options before taking it apart. Thanks in advance.

 

[FredSimp]

So confirmed no blockage from intake or exaust. When throttle is full open the butterfly ir open and the governor arm is pointing all the way to full position against the full throttle block. Engine RPMs do not change with change of governor arm position.
Do I need to remove and repair this at this juncture or should I look somewhere else before I do. It's only two bolts and an oil line but I want to explore all options before taking it apart. Thanks in advance.

 

[R Geiger]

(quoted from post at 15:58:16 10/06/21) So confirmed no blockage from intake or exaust. When throttle is full open the butterfly ir open and the governor arm is pointing all the way to full position against the full throttle block. Engine RPMs do not change with change of governor arm position.
Do I need to remove and repair this at this juncture or should I look somewhere else before I do. It's only two bolts and an oil line but I want to explore all options before taking it apart. Thanks in advance.

If the rpm do not change with the throttle all the way open, it is not a governor problem. you should be able to remove rod from the governor to the carb and work the throttle butterfly by hand!

 

[FredSimp]

My line of thought is that when I move the butterfly back and forth this engine should go vroom vroom. The governor just basically adjusts idle speed when moving to compensate for load. Set it and forget it.
So by passing the governor when parked I should get vroom vroom when I move the actuator, correct? If so I am looking at a fuel issue, clogged jet maybe or line blockage. Right idea?

 

[Jim L WA]

It must be in the carburetor like your thinking Fred. The main adjustment needle isn't closed all the way is it? I never thought to ask that. The large screw at the top, front of the carburetor.

 

[Jim L WA]

If the main jet was totally blocked off and the throttle was opened, the engine would pull in so much air without fuel that it would die. Take a look inside the carburetor with the choke wide open. Is the butterfly opening when you move the throttle to wide open?

 

[trouttman]

(quoted from post at 12:25:19 10/04/21) First time poster, be gentle!

My 48 Ford Tractor 8n. Side mounted distributor was swapped to EI several years ago. After some tinkering and sitting around for almost 4 years, I got it up and running. It ran great for a couple of hours then started spitting and stuttering and shut down. After working thru some troubleshooting I replaced the EI and it started up, running like a little sewing machine.
Now that it idles like a kitten, it won't accelerate. The linkage is doing its thing and opening the throttle and whatever that sping loaded thing does next to what looks like a fuel pump appears to moving when the accelerator is moved. There is no change to the RPMs. If I cycle it down it chokes out the engine, when I return the throttle to the mid spot it starts up and idles. When I go full throttle the rpms don't change from idle speed.
At your mercy for suggestions at this point. I feel it's still an ignition issue but after replacing everything top side I'm out of ideas. Plugs wires cap rotor.

Setting 4 years ethanol gas? enough said

 

[trouttman]

(quoted from post at 12:25:19 10/04/21) First time poster, be gentle!

My 48 Ford Tractor 8n. Side mounted distributor was swapped to EI several years ago. After some tinkering and sitting around for almost 4 years, I got it up and running. It ran great for a couple of hours then started spitting and stuttering and shut down. After working thru some troubleshooting I replaced the EI and it started up, running like a little sewing machine.
Now that it idles like a kitten, it won't accelerate. The linkage is doing its thing and opening the throttle and whatever that sping loaded thing does next to what looks like a fuel pump appears to moving when the accelerator is moved. There is no change to the RPMs. If I cycle it down it chokes out the engine, when I return the throttle to the mid spot it starts up and idles. When I go full throttle the rpms don't change from idle speed.
At your mercy for suggestions at this point. I feel it's still an ignition issue but after replacing everything top side I'm out of ideas. Plugs wires cap rotor.

Setting 4 years ethanol gas? enough said

 

[FredSimp]

Update.
Butterfly does follow throttle in that it does indeed open and close.
Removed, replaced the carburetor, drained fuel and replaced with non ethenol. It was running unleaded with an octane booster, so figured why not.
The carb came preset, idled a little chopoy so I took all the adjusts down to zero and tweaked it into a decent idle speed.

Original problem persists. When the throttle is opened, engnes rpms does not increase.

I am stuck. It's a rather simple build and should not be this difficult to isolate the problem.

 

[Jim L WA]

Hi Fred, I was hoping that because we hadn't heard from you for a couple or three days, that you found the problem. But I see that it's still there.
Okay, it starts, it idles, but when you open the throttle nothing happens. What would pull the air fuel mixture up into the engine? Vacuum. If you hold your hand over the carb. intake and open the throttle, can you feel an increase of vacuum?
Have you ever done a compression test on it?

 

[FredSimp]

I popped off the exaust at the manifold while idling and saw a lot of fire. This is either too rich a mixture, which would indicate fuel is being delivered, a bad valve, which is possible, or bad timing. Since this all started with an ignition issue, today will verify timing again and move on from there.
Crossed wire, fouled plug...then off to the hardware side, compression, valves ect.

This guy may end up for sale soon.

 

[FredSimp]

(quoted from post at 06:25:26 10/11/21)
I popped off the exaust at the manifold while idling and saw a lot of fire. This is either too rich a mixture, which would indicate fuel is being delivered, a bad valve, which is possible, or bad timing. Since this all started with an ignition issue, today will verify timing again and move on from there.
Crossed wire, fouled plug...then off to the hardware side, compression, valves ect.

This guy may end up for sale soon.

This moved back to the top of my to-do list. Tractor starts and idles will not increase rpm when throttle is open. I am moving to a compression test as my thought path is lack of vacuum to pull fuel from the carb when butterfly opens.

Right direction?

 

[used red MN]

(quoted from post at 01:09:33 08/17/23)

(quoted from post at 06:25:26 10/11/21)
I popped off the exaust at the manifold while idling and saw a lot of fire. This is either too rich a mixture, which would indicate fuel is being delivered, a bad valve, which is possible, or bad timing. Since this all started with an ignition issue, today will verify timing again and move on from there.
Crossed wire, fouled plug...then off to the hardware side, compression, valves ect.

This guy may end up for sale soon.

This moved back to the top of my to-do list. Tractor starts and idles will not increase rpm when throttle is open. I am moving to a compression test as my thought path is lack of vacuum to pull fuel from the carb when butterfly opens.

Right direction?

A compression test while it is helpful in telling you the condition of your engine, I doubt it will be a big revelation in the answer of why it will not run correctly. If you say it idles good this is proving that it is in good enough condition to pull the fuel into the engine. Opening up the exhaust and seeing flames means really nothing in fact, quite common. Due to the engine being a ..L.. head or flat head engine the combustion chamber design is very inefficient, thus not completely burning all the combustion products is common. Then seeing them light in the exhaust manifold when you let more fresh air get to them is common. How does the engine act when you open the throttle is it stuttering or stammering as I might call it? I don t know if you have been around tractors much, but does act like when you start the engine up and then try to open the throttle too quickly and it just, cannot pick up speed maybe hitting on a cylinder here or there? If so, you need to open up the main jet, the one that sticks down at an angle the front of the carb. Screw it down closed lightly seating it, then open it up a turn and a half then see how it runs. If that does not help it rev up then open it another half turn try again, another half turn, probably when you get it out to 3 to 4 turns and it s not working then there must be a problem in the main circuit of your carburetor needs to be taken apart and diagnosed .