underpowered IH 460 utility tractor

[Khulvey119]

this my first time on this thread/forum so bare with me now lol anyways, back story on my IH 460, I bought it last year, ran good when I bought it, everything seemed to check out. I trailered it home, and shook up a bunch of rust in the tank, like I said this is my first tractor so I went ahead and ran it when I got home, sucked all the rust/gunk into the carb. So from there I rebuilt the carb, acid in the tank and re coated it so it’s good to go. I have it running but it hasn’t ran right. Since then I’ve done plugs, points, condenser, adjusted valves, and took carb apart to re check everything was working properly.
I believe it’s extremely underpowered and I can’t come to figure out why, I have a 7 foot mower for it and it won’t pull it even in 1st, just bogs down. Tractor won’t take off in road gear at all, just kills itself everytime. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I’m at a crossroads here. Thanks

 

[Mark EC.IN]

If the 7' mower is a bush hog style, that could be a good load for a 460. If it's a cycle bar mower the tractor shoul play with it.

Also, taking off in road gear isn't that easy and requires a lot of clutch slipping.

Your best bet would be to find a dyno and see what kind of power you actually have.

 

[used red MN]

Hello Khulvey, welcome to YT! What are the conditions you are cutting in? If it is 4 ft tall thick and heavy and your cutting it 4” high that would be quite a load for a 460. I haven’t been around one much but I have heard the C-221 doesn’t have a lot of low end torque. Have you checked the timing? Also check the distributor mechanical advance. Pull the cap and grasp the rotor with you thumb and forefinger, twist it clockwise, it should turn a slight bit against spring pressure and when you release it should spring back.

 

[Jim Becker]

Sounds like the governor may not be responding properly. Did you adjust the governor linkage after installing the carburetor? I'm not familiar with the details on doing that on a 460. Follow the published instructions for that adjustment. For some models, the instructions are in the Owner's Manual, not sure if they are in the 460 manual.

 

[rustred]

this my first time on this thread/forum so bare with me now lol anyways, back story on my IH 460, I bought it last year, ran good when I bought it, everything seemed to check out. I trailered it home, and shook up a bunch of rust in the tank, like I said this is my first tractor so I went ahead and ran it when I got home, sucked all the rust/gunk into the carb. So from there I rebuilt the carb, acid in the tank and re coated it so it’s good to go. I have it running but it hasn’t ran right. Since then I’ve done plugs, points, condenser, adjusted valves, and took carb apart to re check everything was working properly.
I believe it’s extremely underpowered and I can’t come to figure out why, I have a 7 foot mower for it and it won’t pull it even in 1st, just bogs down. Tractor won’t take off in road gear at all, just kills itself everytime. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I’m at a crossroads here. Thanks

Always do a compression check on any engine new to you. You can replace all the parts you want , but if things are not set up factory specifications it’s a total waste of money. Always the same story here replaced this and that but never post what points are set at or timing or carb. I can make these engines run like a new engine with out replacing parts with new. Even proved that this weekend at the pull. Guy pulls up and hooks onto the sled. Farmall M tractor lets put the clutch and tractor dies. Sounds like running on 3 cylinders , which it was. I walk over look at his plug wires and tell him he has the wrong plug wires on it. He had carbon core wires. So drive it over to my truck inspect everything like plugs and points. Points hood plugs all carboned and fouled up black. One completely corroded and not firing. Cleaned the plugs , dist cap worn out. So brought a good used one from home today , brought my plug wire roll. Made him a new set of wires plus checked compression , hood at 90 psi across. This morning actually Sunday morning. Checked snd set magneto timing , as it was retarded. Then set carb. Darn tractor was starting with one revolution as I always say they start. Before it would not even start. Hooked onto the sled later and pulled it over 200 ft. He was happy as hell. I go to go home and a 100 dollar bill sitting in my console. Never asked him for 5 cents. So went and thanked him and all was good.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

Did you ever revisit the carburetor? Just because you cleaned it out once, doesn't mean you got it all, or got it right when you put it back together. Check fuel flow to the carburetor.

 

[Janicholson]

All of the above is good advice. I also recommend a look at timing and distributor bushing wear. If the advance is not operating correctly, and or the bushing on the distributor shaft shows any play at all, it will not make power. It should take off in 5th with the ta pulled, with liklittle clutch slipping. Jim

 

[rustred]

them governors can be worn out also.

 

[Khulvey119]

Did you ever revisit the carburetor? Just because you cleaned it out once, doesn't mean you got it all, or got it right when you put it back together. Check fuel flow to the carburetor.

I’ve only revisited the carb once since I rebuilt it, everything seemed to check out but that has been a month or so ago now. Probably should check again!

 

[Khulvey119]

All of the above is good advice. I also recommend a look at timing and distributor bushing wear. If the advance is not operating correctly, and or the bushing on the distributor shaft shows any play at all, it will not make power. It should take off in 5th with the ta pulled, with liklittle clutch slipping. Jim

Thank you for the advice, I willl check on the bushing wear when I get home, I’m waiting on a timing light to come in, I just ordered one so hopefully that’ll point me in the right direction as well!

 

[Janicholson]

Thank you for the advice, I willl check on the bushing wear when I get home, I’m waiting on a timing light to come in, I just ordered one so hopefully that’ll point me in the right direction as well!

A timing light will also assess the condition of the bearing in the distributor by showing the timing jump forward and back between consecutive flashes at the same rpm. Jim

 

[Khulvey119]

Hello Khulvey, welcome to YT! What are the conditions you are cutting in? If it is 4 ft tall thick and heavy and your cutting it 4” high that would be quite a load for a 460. I haven’t been around one much but I have heard the C-221 doesn’t have a lot of low end torque. Have you checked the timing? Also check the distributor mechanical advance. Pull the cap and grasp the rotor with you thumb and forefinger, twist it clockwise, it should turn a slight bit against spring pressure and when you release it should spring back.

I will try this! And yes it’s a bush hog type mower, I think I may shoot for trying to get a 6 foot mower

 

[Khulvey119]

Sounds like the governor may not be responding properly. Did you adjust the governor linkage after installing the carburetor? I'm not familiar with the details on doing that on a 460. Follow the published instructions for that adjustment. For some models, the instructions are in the Owner's Manual, not sure if they are in the 460 manual.

I did adjust the governor linkage to the carb, from what I believe was instructions from the shop manual! If I remember right it was set to full throttle and just barley to where the linkage will slide into the butterfly!