Farmall A motor locks up?

1. it chuggged and lugged while starting it and black smoke came out of the exhaust. it never did that before. then it took a couple seconds to get up to power and rpms. I leave the sediment bowl valve open. Could it have been flooded? or maybe the gas is not good or getting old. Plugs look fine.

2. when I drove it, and then parked it in my shed, i shut it down. then wanted to see if it would restart like it always has. so i tried cranking it and it was stuck. the motor was stuck.

I tried the electric start and it wouldn't kick it over too. I put it in gear to rock it (3rd) and I couldn't budge it either. Maybe I should hae put it in first gear?

Then I went back to the handcrank and it would not turn the motor over at all then, something unstuck, and I was able to turn the motor and crank it for a normal start.

What's going on anybody have a clue?

Bill

I think I may have put some older gas in it but I can't remember if I put the old gas in from one of my cans that sat over winter

Gotten out of the habit of turning off the gas and letting the engine run-out.

Question, if i let the engine run out, and I leave the ground out switch up, that should not cause or risk frying the points. Is that correct? Don't see how the points could fry if no curent is going through them like other non magneto electrical systems if the switch is left on. Just want to double check my stupidity.

thank you.