I just thought of something looking at spec. sheet on this, It looks like theres suppose to be a small gasket on bottom of screw that holds float bowl cover on the bottom AND the inside of float bowl? If the inside one is not there it would suck gas up into the intake instead of going threw the jet? Is this correct? If so this may be problem????

 

Probably not the issue. Any black smoke before it dies? Is plug black from carbon or wet right after it dies? Does it get slower and slower then die, or just all of a sudden? Does it start right back up?

 

hi, well when I got the tractor home the plug was black, I just went out checked plug all wet [gas] and somewhat black. I choke it a little then it starts and revs up then dies?? Sometime gets slower then dies and black smoke seems only when first start from choke I think? Starts right back up everytime does same thing. Float was broke off hinge and then full of gas but I fixed that [think?]

Any ideas would be very helpfull, I am at witts end with this right now. THANKS

 

It might be dying because it's rich but a rich stall doesn't usually start right back up. You usually need to clear the extra fuel out first. And it will almost never restart with the choke closed if it stalled from too much fuel. How's the fuel quality? Any water in it? You could try some carb cleaner or starting fluid at the carb. Start the engine and when it tries to die just give it a quick shot from the spray can. If it picks back up then you don't have enough fuel or good fuel getting to the carb.

Mine was giving me fits when the ignition warmed up. The spark would go away during cranking. If it started it would run all day but after I shut it down I'd have to wait for it to cool off. I had to change the ignition module to fix that one.

 

HI, this is really screwing with my head, I am missing something but cant put my finger on it? Gas is good. I have to choke it then it starts even after it died ? But I tried spraying gas in it while it ran [for whole second or two] but died anyways? And when I look into carb and open butterfly can see gas laying in the intake, so why the choking to get it re-started when all that gas is in there? I also just found the shaft that the butterfly is screwed to has what seems like alot of play in it side to side I took it out and looks like brass and is worn, its not correct and could be sucking air but just seems like that would not be causing all this?? I dont know????

The plug being black and wet baffels me too?? Any way to check these ingnitions out? seems to have juice going to it and spark?

 

The only check I know of is to use a plug outside the engine and watch for spark while cranking. What engine do you have? The OH160 Tecumseh doesn't really have any checks. Put a plug into the plug wire, ground the plug body, and watch for spark while cranking. It should be nice n blue. Make sure the plug is clean and the gap is right. You can use any plug for the test, even a car spark plug.

 

Heres up-date today,, I got carb back together [right way] made some gaskets seems ok. I could not get it to fire at all on anything at first? Those pins on flywheel I seen guys talk about seem ok? Ones 3/16 out and other is 1/4 out, is this ok?
I put an AMP draw meter on starter while cranking draws about 100 amp in green on meter. But I could have sweared that test light I had hooked up to wires to ing. on motor went out after it tried to start, then nothing. So took plug out grounded it and at first nothing?? Then a small intermediate week spark, then I dont know what I did but a nice bright steady blue spark?? I thought these soild-state ing. either work or not? I am confused more now?

New Ing. now I need?????

 

Float was not floating so found hole cooked it get all gas out soilder it up checked it in gas for hour and tried again,

did you put some thing on it to hold it under to test it

john

 

Yep. had it under gas for hour or so then tried start engine again same?? I dont know about this? Think maybe a carb kit and new float anyways cause why is it taking the choke to start it everytime then runs and stops and all this gas in the intake and plug all wet with gas??? dont make sence??

And the shaft the butterfly is on is pretty loose with side play? Wonder if its sucking more air than I think and not gas?? Do you know if these kits come with some type of seal so it wont suck air into it?? Not sure about anything right now but thats mechanics I guess.

 

Are there any safety interlocks that might be allowing you to start and restart it but keep it from running continuously if it doesn't get the right signal within a few seconds of starting? Like a low oil pressure switch on some diesel engines.

 

Good idea! am going to look into that and maybe hook up a test light to the hot wire going to the ignition on engine if something is cutting it out should show up after it starts and light may go out?? On right track I hope? THANKS!

 

If everything you know about fuel isn't adding up, maybe it isn't fuel. Try disconnecting the fuel pump and starting it on propane to see how long it runs. Put the tip of the propane torch near the carb inlet so the engine can draw in the propane. If it will start and idle for a long time on propane then you know the problem is fuel / carb related. You can check for power into and out of the ignition switch while the engine's running. The wires and terminals going to the switch can get hot and if they're rusty or loose they may not make good connection. The terminals inside the switch can have problems, too. There are also potential problems at the mower deck switch and at the seat interlock switch if your tractor has one.

Valve seats cause low compression. The engine will be hard to start and low on power once it's running. It will not stall.
Loose butterfly / sucking air can be a problem but closing the choke some will make it run ok.

 

GOOD< I did take apart all wire connections and clean them they were all bad for sure but who knows? Going to hook the test light up on ing. wires see if it goes out after it starts might tell me something? Check safty switchs[unhook them?] The propane thing ,,why did I not think of that?? You get tunnel vision sometimes with these things I learned that over the years ,, another set of eyes or ideas always helps. Monday I am going to try that and the light see what I can find out? I have alot back problems and can only do so much now but not giving up, so rest tonight.
I didn,t think that slop in throttle shaft was doiing all this ,but am getting strong out over this and I know better,LOL. THanks!

 

A couple of things that might help. If that is a HH160 ( some where in this thread I got the idea it is) then maybe some of your problem is the way you are trying to start it if it is any way like aHH120. I have had 3 HH120's in a 68 massy that I have had since almost new and the latest was a brand new short block. They all start the same, hot or cold they need choke, just the way it is. When cold they like 3/4 to full choke until it fires but you can not take the choke off only a bit and no gas. And no load. The two pins on the fly wheel are a kind of ignition retard, when the engine first runs and is on partial choke it will run slow for a few minutes, slowly reduce the choke after a few minutes and the engine will pick up rpm only then can you start to give it gas and put any load on it. Not saying this is you only problem, but it might be part of it.
I think you have carb issues not ignition. Float not adjusted right, needle valve sticking, or maybe clogged passages, or a missing jet, who knows what the other guy did. I would shut the fuel off, maybe even drain the fuel bowel and get something you can squirt fuel in the carb throat with, squirt a bit in give it 3/4 choke and be ready to squirt more in trying to keep it going for a bit, if you can do this then ignition is not you problem.

 

Like in old days with motors with carter carbs and we put holly on them, that motor dont care what feeds it gas and air as long as it,s correct, know what I mean??

Yep. Spark + fuel + compression. Doesn't matter where from.

 

I suspect you have a bad coil. I had a similar problem in that my tractor would run rich for a while and then just die. I tried everything fuel related to no avail. I then went through various other parts before figure out that the only thing left was the coil. What happens is that the the coil windings break, but because they are so tightly wound they still work when cold. As it warms up the coil expands and in turn pulls the cracked bit apart, breaking the circuit. If you get it just right (like mine) it will start & run perfectly fine for a bit (circuit break connected), then it will start to run rich (expands to just start intermittently breaking circuit), and eventually it will simply die (complete cicuit break). Then once it cools down it will run fine again. This made troubleshooting for me really difficult because it would run fine at first, I'd start mowing and then it would die. By the time I'd pushed it all the way back to the barn it would start again.

 

HI, yep think your right. I have the motor out and am going to switch it over to the new ingnition with a trigger and coil, put a brand new carb. on it, and mount a GM alternator on it under the hood, will look nice and should?? run fine then, and all this for LESS than 100 bucks, [got alt. free] I just refuse to pay these high doller prices some of these guys have for parts for these,, With a little imagination a person can make all this work fine