Tank pinhole leaked gas all over...now won't start

[olddavid]

Well, I was driving around a little load of dirt in my nifty rear scoop bucket the other day, and she suddenly sputtered a bit and died...never to be revived. This is not like her these days.

Upon a brief investigation, someone before me had epoxy patched a small hole in the gas tank and it had come off...gas was spilling all over the manifold and everything below. I mean, the recessed spots where the spark plugs insert were totally full of gasoline, gas was just running down and all over seemingly everything on the carb side. Gas everywhere.

Did the coil get soaked? I don't see the gas hurting anything else. Just a thought it was running then suddenly died, right? It may not be related to the gas at all. Another thought though you said it seems to be spark related. Is gas getting to the carburetor? Since the tank is getting rusty rust may have plugged the fuel shut off valve inlet.

 

[Curt the Craftsman]

Did the coil get soaked? I don't see the gas hurting anything else. Just a thought it was running then suddenly died, right? It may not be related to the gas at all. Another thought though you said it seems to be spark related. Is gas getting to the carburetor? Since the tank is getting rusty rust may have plugged the fuel shut off valve inlet.

Yes, there is plenty of gravity fed gas getting to the carb.

It did suddenly die, after running really reliably, surprisingly reliably, for a long time. Because of the gas tank leak that I noticed immediately when it did, I can't help but think that they are related somehow. But technically, they don't have to be related and could be a coincidence.

Realizing now, though, that there is no spark, and that the plugs and battery look good, I have to wonder if some fuel, one way or another, bothered the coil. So right now I've ordered a new coil... It's a simple in and out fix. A keep your fingers crossed, type thing.

 

[Jim L WA]

Okay, no spark. Do you have or can you borrow a volt meter or even a test light. You need to trace battery through the ignition switch, ballast resister if it's a front mount distributor, then to the coil. Get back here with the results of that and tell us if it's a front mount distributor or an angle mount and we can go from there.

 

[Curt the Craftsman]

Okay. Front mount.

 

[Dan]

Curt - please don't take this wrong - but stop! You keep going back to the gas issue and guessing then replacing parts without testing anything on a "hunch" it might be right. No one told you to replace the coil. You came to us for help but continue to go out on your own guessing and replacing parts. If you want to guess, just keep replacing every part in your ignition system and eventually you will find the issue. Or, decide to use advice from people here that know a lot about fixing up these old tractors and listen to our troubleshooting recommendations to help you identify the issue or part BEFORE buying it. There are tests to verify if the coil is bad. It could be as simple as cleaning the points - a free and 15 minute easy fix. We can help you get this tractor running without replacing parts that are not broken and save you some time and money if you want.

 

[Curt the Craftsman]

Curt - please don't take this wrong - but stop! You keep going back to the gas issue and guessing then replacing parts without testing anything on a "hunch" it might be right. No one told you to replace the coil. You came to us for help but continue to go out on your own guessing and replacing parts. If you want to guess, just keep replacing every part in your ignition system and eventually you will find the issue. Or, decide to use advice from people here that know a lot about fixing up these old tractors and listen to our troubleshooting recommendations to help you identify the issue or part BEFORE buying it. There are tests to verify if the coil is bad. It could be as simple as cleaning the points - a free and 15 minute easy fix.

Oh, no, I'm not ignoring you're guidance. I intend to do everything you advised in order.
What I didn't tell you was that my 75 year old step-father knew I was working on it and came out and fittled with the distributor while I was building a porch yesterday. Then he spoke with his 86 year old brother and promptly sabotaged my process by ordering a coil.
I've learned this past year that he doesn't have much to live for anymore and so I've stopped ridiculing and questioning everything he does and says. I just let him do things, whatever things, that keep him moving forward each day.
I respect everything you all have advised and intend to do all of them. Turns out I'll do it while owning a new coil.

 

[Curt the Craftsman]

Fixed it, Dan, Jim and other helpful neighbors.

After replying to Dan I immediately stopped what I was doing and walked over to start by testing the supply to the switch. While I was trying to do that, I noticed that that one of the nuts to the ammeter was insanely loose. Finger tightened it. Wahlah. It was like the tractor was in a deep sleep, dreaming about starting again one day. You guys are good.

 

[Dan]

Fixed it, Dan, Jim and other helpful neighbors.

After replying to Dan I immediately stopped what I was doing and walked over to start by testing the supply to the switch. While I was trying to do that, I noticed that that one of the nuts to the ammeter was insanely loose. Finger tightened it. Wahlah. It was like the tractor was in a deep sleep, dreaming about starting again one day. You guys are good.

Great news! Seems like the easy fixes are the ones hardest to find.

 

[Curt the Craftsman]

Great news! Seems like the easy fixes are the ones hardest to find.

I had that very thought. But it does emphasize the value in your approach...start with what you know and systemically move forward from there.

 

[Tall T]

T, what did your Ether question mean?

Oh sorry. . . just saw your question.
I meant ethanol which can have a swelling effect on certain old rubbers.
I only used gas with ethanol one time and my fuel shutoff valve became extremely hard to turn. So I replaced the sediment bowl and valve with a new one I got from YT and have had on the shelf for a few years.

About your needle possibly sticking open as someone suggested, if you do buy a new kit from YT they have the kit that has the needle with a little clip at the top that connects to the center of the floats so your needle won't get stuck shut at least.

About the wetness, my Jubilee floods super easy. Even at freezing temp I only leave the choke out until it fires then quickly push it back in and after a second pull it out a little till it's running smoothly enough to not quit and feather it down to no choke at all
as it warms up. I've left full choke on a couple of times and it takes very few rotations to flood it if it hasn't started running. Even if it's running you have to feather it off full choke quickly to stop the stumbling.
T

 

[Colin King]

When I do that, no, I don't see a spark. Maybe the gas damaged something electrically?

Probably just coincidence. The fuel would have evaporated pretty quickly and I doubt you would see any damage from mere contact. You should recheck points gap, continuity, and spark. Is this a front mount or side mount?

 

[showcrop]

It did seem to make a bit of a hard knocking sound for just a moment before it quit.

I want to add that yesterday I noticed a very slow fuel drip from where the air tube attaches to the carb as well as the low carb drain plug.

The cause of the drip can be two very different problems, depending on if you see it after not having touched it since yesterday or if it does it only for maybe two hours after trying to start it

 

[showcrop]

When I do that, no, I don't see a spark. Maybe the gas damaged something electrically?

You need to try to pay attention to the attempts to help you here, and get past the idea that some gas running down over the outside of your tractor hurt anything.

 

[Frankmn]

Okay. I did just tighten the hose clamp as well as the carb plug, though. And I'm not really choking anything at this point. I literally just had enough battery today to pull the choke, turn it over a couple of times, and put the charger back on. So it was only an attempted choke for a moment.

Did your oil bath air cleaner fill up with fuel maybe?

 

[Curt the Craftsman]

Did your oil bath air cleaner fill up with fuel maybe?

No, that wasn't it. The problem ended up being unrelated...just a coincidence. A nut from the key wires had loosened enough to keep it from making contact. No electrical from what should have been the first check point.

 

[showcrop]

No, that wasn't it. The problem ended up being unrelated...just a coincidence. A nut from the key wires had loosened enough to keep it from making contact. No electrical from what should have been the first check point.

Glad you could get away from gasoline damage and on to checking likely causes!

 

[Tall T]

Fixed it, Dan, Jim and other helpful neighbors.

After replying to Dan I immediately stopped what I was doing and walked over to start by testing the supply to the switch. While I was trying to do that, I noticed that that one of the nuts to the ammeter was insanely loose. Finger tightened it. Wahlah. It was like the tractor was in a deep sleep, dreaming about starting again one day. You guys are good.

You'll solve everything quicker in the future if you realize that Wahlah is not a word.

It's a word of French origin and is spelled V o i l à . Starts with a V and is pronounced "Vwa lah
means:
"there it is" or "there you are"

Sorry but it pains me to hear or see "Wahlah"
maybe because I lived in Quebec for ten years after I was born in 1946.

 

[showcrop]

You'll solve everything quicker in the future if you realize that Wahlah is not a word.

It's a word of French origin and is spelled V o i l à . Starts with a V and is pronounced "Vwa lah
means:
"there it is" or "there you are"

Sorry but it pains me to hear or see "Wahlah"
maybe because I lived in Quebec for ten years after I was born in 1946.

I agree! I think that years ago people started saying Wahlah to be funny, and others, not knowing any better, picked it up so that it has become common.

 

[Non-farmer]

You'll solve everything quicker in the future if you realize that Wahlah is not a word.

It's a word of French origin and is spelled V o i l à . Starts with a V and is pronounced "Vwa lah
means:
"there it is" or "there you are"

Sorry but it pains me to hear or see "Wahlah"
maybe because I lived in Quebec for ten years after I was born in 1946.

Nice to see. For years, I felt like I might be the only person online who spelled it right Same syndrome on the forum I used to manage, too. To be fair, it IS from a foreign language, and I don't think most people realize that. So they've Americanized (or Canadianized) the spelling. You have to read it printed correctly to get it. If you only hear people say it, wahlah is the almost inevitable conclusion. And I often wonder how many people, upon reading it spelled right for the first time, think to themselves "idiot!"

 

[Bruce(OR)]

The one pin hole that belongs in the gas tank is at the top of the large bubble on top of the tank.
That allows proper operation of the gravity fed fuel system.