Engine will not start

IA JOHN · Aug 3, 2017

Our association has a Model 101 International Harvester self propelled combine. We had it running about 4 weeks ago; it ran very good. However, now it will not start. We are getting spark to the distributor. I had the coil tested today and it is OK. I checked two of the spark plugs and they were dry; even though we had been trying to start it. We are getting gas to the carb. My question is: could the float be stuck in a closed position (i.e. stuck in such a manner that gas will not flow to the cylinders)?

Thanks.

glennster · Aug 3, 2017

float could be stuck shut. try tapping on the bowl of the carb with a screwdriver handle to see if it will drop. try giving it a quick sniff of ether starting fluid and see if it starts on ether.

old · Aug 3, 2017

Simple trouble shooting will find the problem.
#1 Make sure you have a good blue/white spark at the center wire of the distributor 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

4520BW · Aug 3, 2017

I agree...ether is the fastest way to tell if it's spark or fuel trouble.

WayneLee · Aug 3, 2017

Does the 101 have an electric fuel pump?

heavyhaulertoo · Aug 3, 2017

Doesn't that motor have electric shut off on carburetor

donjr · Aug 3, 2017

Let me add my 2c. Back many years ago, my 95 wouldn't start. Turned out to be a fuel problem. The 1/4" hose from the tank to the carb had swollen closed- just from age. New hose was about $2- with about $100 worth of frustration......

Cmore · Aug 3, 2017

Yea Old been there done that.
Cmore needed a complete carb cleaning even though had good flow out of carb drain??
Cmore

fixerupper · Aug 3, 2017

Is the choke closing?

IA JOHN · Aug 3, 2017

Yes. We have put an electrical fuel pump for right now.

IA JOHN · Aug 3, 2017

Not that I am aware of.

old · Aug 4, 2017

Yes good flow out the drain plug does not mean good gas to engine but is the first step to many to make an engine run well. One big problem is with trouble shooting by way if the net is one cannot know what all may or may not have been done and one could fill l3 pages with all that needs to be checked. Shoot if I listed each and every thing one has to do to get one running that has sat for say 3 years and I posted them as often as I do the basic trouble shooting it would take me 5 times longer for each post. That is why on many I say post back what you find. Then I may add thing like pull the air intake tube of and hold your hand over the air intake of the carb and then you should both fee la good suction and get gas on your hand. With out being there one can only steer a person to the ball park we cannot make that person hit the ball out of the park so to speak

gene bender · Aug 4, 2017

Does the electric pump have flow to the carb and is there voltage to the pump

mb58 · Aug 4, 2017

Check the fuel lines. My 3020 gasoline had a piece of trash covering the outlet hole inside the fuel tank.

IA JOHN · Aug 4, 2017

Thanks. What I was looking for was ideas that I may not have thought of and I am getting that info.

old · Aug 4, 2017

You welcome that is why I start with basic trouble shooting and then say post back what you find because many small things can cause odd problems. Like a IH 340 I have here that had the distributor drive gear striped and boy was that one fun to figure out

dr sportster · Aug 4, 2017

Is it not handy that the spark plug hole can be our window to the combustion chamber and we can look in there. So no fuel . Flow to carb is good then fuel is not leaving carb -drop bowl and check for clogs.Check float level too.

RBoots · Aug 4, 2017

I wonder if you have stuck valves?? I know it's not the same, but a couple weeks ago I got my brush sprayer out after setting a couple years. It has a 3 hp Briggs. It had half a tank of old gas in it, so I topped it off with fresh, and it took right off. Ran it for about half an hour or 45 minutes and shut it off. It ran real well. This engine is a reman, it has about 10 hours on it. Went to start it about an hour later and it wouldn't start at all, wouldn't even try. Lots and lots of spark. Shot carb cleaner in carb, didn't change anything. Took carb apart just to be sure it was ok, it was, obviously, just smelled a little like old gas. A little stumped for a bit. I noticed if I pulled it over real fast, it would spit back out the carb. After putting my hand over the intake and pulling it over, I had no suction. Bingo. The intake valve was stuck all the way open. Pulled the head and the side cover. The intake valve was so gummy from that old gas on the stem I had to spray it with brake clean and tap it up and down with a hammer lightly to get it to move enough to get it out to clean it up. It was running only a couple hours before by this time, mind you. Put it back together, started first pull. Something to think about anyway

IA JOHN · Aug 5, 2017

Yes the electric fuel pump is getting gas to the carb.

IA JOHN · Aug 5, 2017

Thanks for the advice. Just had the coil tested and it was OK. The problem appears the gas is not getting into the intake manifold. I pulled 4 plugs and they were all dry. If it was getting gas, but no spark I would think the spark plugs would be damp with gas. They are dry. We are getting gas to the carb, so it appears to me that it is between the carb and the cyclinders.I am going to try some of the suggestions.

AGAIN THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDED TO MY QUESTION.

Ia John

Engine will not start

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