'53 SC: need tips RE carb. mini-tuneup, (stuck float?)

DennisT

Member
My 1953 SC sat for about 3 months and now is reluctant to start. Gas drips from carb, so I'm thinking stuck float. About 5 years ago, (just as I was buying the tractor), shop in town, "rebuilt," the carb. He was complaining about cost of parts, and I know he replaced needle/seat, etc., or some things anyway.
I'm not a great, "carb guy," so I'm asking here: any tips for pulling the bowl, cleaning, what to watch for, etc., from those of you who have been through this. I have no gasket set, so need to be careful there. Oh, .. I've only used premium NON-Ethanol fuel, so gumming should not be a problem and it was using all fresh gas early this past winter.
 
Dennis: If the float is stuck, gas will literally run out the carb. Most updraft carbs will drip some,; I know I'm getting fuel at that point. How's the spark to the plugs?
 
Thanks, John. Actually, it's varied from drip to pretty steady dribble. I can stop the dribble sometimes by tapping lightly on the bowl with a little block of wood. So I guess my reply is, that it does both.
 
These updraft carbs are very basic, and just about bulletproof. I'll go along with John and tackle the ignition end of things. Never forget the basic premise of trouble shooting: A carburetor is a French word for LEAVE IT ALONE...................
 
Dennis: The fact that you can stop the dribble is a sign of a good float, but some dirt somewhere. Does this tractor have a magneto or distributor?
 
Distributor. Recently converted to a Delco unit.
It does cough and spit like it wants to start.
Need to get back out and re-check spark. Thought I'd done that last time I fought this.
 
Sounds like it is flooded. I bet the spark plugs are wet with gas if you pull them.
Personally I?d buy a rebuilt carb by someone that specializes in rebuilding them. I purchase one off eBay a few years back and once installed the tractor ran perfect and no stuck float or leaking. Might be a bit costly but worth it.
Jim
 
Hello Dennis, I have found my SC?s to be very prone to flooding when starting. I would clean the points and try again. Often I have shut the fuel off at the tank drained the carb and with the throttle wide open had them cough back to life. Good luck, have better luck with my magneto cases than the distributor ones. Mike
 
Here is what I would do and in the order I say to do them

#1 check that you have a good blue/white spark at the center wire of the cap and at all the plug wires that jump a 1/4 inch gap or more.
#2 pull the carb drain plug and make sure you have a good steady flow of gas that will fill a pint jar in under 3 minutes and yes catch the gas to look for dirt/water etc.
#3 when was the last time you serviced the air cleaner and dumbed the mud and water out and filled with oil?
#4 if you have all that then pull the tube off the air clean to carb at the carb and see if you get a lot of gas out of the carb. If you do good chance you have a sticking float.
 
I've probably posted that list well over 100 times in the last couple years. By the way once you have checked those things if you still cannot get it to start post back and we should be able to help you
 

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