Trouble Starting JDM

[NCmau]

Need help, I can not start this machine. I have spark with the plugs out, there is gas going into cylinders, timing, as far as I know is correct, flywheel spark mark, points just starting to open. Dry compression is 110 and 120 psi. Cranks full speed. Even starting doesn't help
This machine ran before going in semiretirement for the last 10 years. I just took care all the corrosion, gas tank, gas line and clean the carburetor. Couple months ago I put some ATF in cylinders, but the engine was never stuck.
If there was any residual ATF should have been blown out by now after much cranking.
I am thinking that it has to be something with the timing, but I just don't know. I don't remember if I had taken out the distributor. Can the distributor be 180 out and give me this problem? I haven't tried switching the two plug wires yet. Take a look at the image, does it look right?

 

[Anonymous-0]

Try fresh gas.plug wires look good,position wise.Iworked two days using gas that was ten weeks from purchase.new gas solved problem on my JD430 Good luck.GP

 

[jCarroll]

Wires are in correct position. Try new Autolite plugs. I've got a 40, and a plug that looks good, and sparks out of the cylinder will not run when installed.

 

[M-MAN]

Easy way to check the distributer. Pull the No 1(front) plug and put your fingertip in the hole. Turn the engine till you feel the pressure pushing your fingertip away. Keep turning slowly till you see DC in the timing window. That's the top of the No 1 compression stroke. Rotor should be pointing to the post the No 1 wire is on. Set the points to start opening. Don't use the SPARK mark, that's for setting the fast idle with a timing light. The manual is wrong. Put in 2 new Autolite 216's.

 

[John T]

Im glad you showed up M Man dude, I'm just not into those Dubuques that had pistons that went up n down instead of forward n backward lol

Correct me if Im wrong, but you cant get those distributors in 180 out of time because theres an offset eccentric where they drop in so they can only go one way right????????

Is it possible to get the wrong cap or for the right cap to get mounted out of register thereby the rotor tip isnt pointing in the correct place when she fires??

Talk to me, what say you

Merry CHRISTmas M Man

John T

 

[NCmau]

Hey John T, it maybe hard to put in a put a distributor 180 out, but you don't know me. I'll be fiddling with this problem for the next few days and I'll keep posting.
This is my first JD, but I have to say one thing about the M, It is a beach to get on it, but its simplicity and elegance makes it a pleasure to work on it.
Anyway John T, thanks for the support and Merry Christmas to you too.

 

[RLA]

You can't put the dist 180° out, the drive lug
is off center won't engauge only one way..

Points plugs & remove the peak hole & bring
your marks inline & then rotate the dist till
you have spark jump to #1 cyl. Ought to run.

 

[John T]

Youre welcome, listen to M man, he knows more then I do about them dern M's. I admit a sweet little tractor but those up n down pistons just dont seem right to me. If you need general ignition troubleshooting I can help however, I have a canned procedure for that

John T

 

[Anonymous-0]

The M should start fairly easily. But do need choking quite a bit. I usually choke it even when warm. Make sure the choke is working ok along with other advice probably better than mine.

 

[Hotflashjr]

My MT did something like this. I ended up finding a short at the switch, put new resistors on the switch, and then new points and condenser. I was not getting spark at the plugs but had power at one point.

Did you check that your air filter and tubes are not plugged with a critter nest?

 

[Hotflashjr]

The cap and dust cover both have notches in them that match up with the post and wire seen on the front of the distributor in the pictures with the small red wire. The key is the timing like MMan said. Took me a few tries to get mine right and I still need to put a timing light on it.

 

[Jay Oakes]

I just started most of my DuBuques-most would not run at first cranking. Made sure I had spark, if not I cleaned the points until I got spark. Pulled No1 plug, took a clean oil can and filled with new gas, squirted in a little gas (two pumps of gas in oil can)) , replaced plug and cranked. This worked almost every time. Had to do it twice on some.
Good luck
Merry CHRISTmas
Jaybird

 

[M-MAN]

John T;
Correct you? That'll be the day. lol

Of course you're right about the dist offset drive & only going in one way IF the oil pump or drive lug hasn't been moved. I never mention that though. Ain't I mean? lol There were some oddball caps floating around a few years ago with the post's in the wrong place but this doesn't look like one of them.

I can tell you from the photo that this engine is out of time. IF everything is as it should be the dist lead post will be at close to five thirty & the No2 post will be just left of high noon. Dubuques are as easy as falling off a log. It's those Waterloo's with the piston's that are too lazy to stand up that make you scratch your head. lol

Hope you and the family have a Merry Christmass as well.

 

[Mike M]

I'd have to look at a known good running tractor to check his cap and wire placement.

You can get the wrong cap. I had a 520 LP giving a guy fits after a tune up. Gave me fits too until I figured out it had a Dubuque cap on it. Similar ,but different !

 

[Hotflashjr]

I agree with this. It is off by a bit compared to my MT. The two lock down fingers on mine run almost parallel with the engine block.

 

[CaseRider]

I agree. I tried to post a pic showing the distributor position on my freshly-rebuilt M is pretty much exacatly the same as yours, but my account is apparently too new. (The distributor is in the same position as it was before the rebuild...even after complete engine overhaul which included oil pump rebuild.)

Based on the original post I'd make sure the spark plugs were ATF-free. Give them a good cleaning or just buy 2 new ones. Any good reason why the timing might have changed since it went into storage?