D17 question???

A couple weeks ago I used the D17 to plow some ground that has been in heavy sod for the last 10 years. The D17 was getting a little workout for sure but was pulling the plow with no problems for the first two passes and then it started! it would start to sputter and pop then almost die out UNTIL I pushed in the clutch to keep it from stalling. I would let it idle for a minute and then off I would go again with no problems for a pass then it would start doing it again. Now here is the strange/funny part I noticed it would act up in exactly the same spot in the field on both sides EVERY TIME! while pulling the plow then same thing over and over again (let idle and go again) I have it nailed to fuel but ran out of ideas. I checked fuel, it's good, tank is clean, bowl and lines are clean. I even took carb apart and checked/cleaned float needle valve etc. (it was clear and clean already) put it all back together SAME THING!! it did not do this after plowing. I used it with a field cultivator and then with a disc and no problems. It's got to be fuel I'm just not sure what I'm missing. Should I try a richer mixture maybe? sorry for the long post I was trying to be as accurate as I could.

It may be that a tight spot in the field was putting more load on it.  Also, have you checked the timing?  Is the advance and/or governor working properly?  did you see any temperature spike when it happened?


Edited by Rawleigh - 05 May 2010 at 9:19am

The plugs are Champions Rn14yc I just replaced them with what was in there already. Rawleigh, I have not checked timing lately. maybe I am being to quick to blame fuel here!!!

Creek, When you said overhauled the engine, was it just rings or did you go the whole 9 yards?

JC -

I'll add to the Champion slugfest-  I've been insulted by those plugs many times, including instances when the ceramic core gets totally blown out of the threaded ring.  As an experiment, start up a running engine, and spray a little oil around the point where the metal base and ceramic meet-  betch'a a buck'a'plug you'll see bubbles.

The other greatest suspect, is that the tube going from bottom of the tank into the sediment bowl, or the fuel-line is somehow stopped-up.  I've also had carb floats that stuck under certain conditions... but most of all... your fuel may have a fair amount of ethanol in it... there's probably a bubble of water floating around down there, and when you get to that part of the field, that water bubble 'sits' over the fuel pickup, drawing in enough water so that the engine sputter-stalls.  Best solution there, is to drain it all... yank the low end of the fuel line, put a fuel can under it, and let it run 'till it stops, then dump the sediment bowl, drain the carb bowl, unthread the sediment bowl, and let whatever's LEFT in there out.  Blow out all the lines.  If there's rust residue inside the fuel tank, let it dry out good, then hook a shop vac up backwards, and blow a whole lotta air into that tank (exhaust any fuel vapors) for about 5 minutes.  Once done, put a piece of 1" conduit in the vacuum's hose, re-orient the line to vaccum, and then suck any loose crap out'a the bottom of the tank, reassemble, and pour in new fuel.

Hey I got her fellas!!! I just walked in after tinkering around with that D17 all day! in all honesty I'm not really sure what did it because I put in new plugs, drained the tank and put in new fuel, made an adjustment on the load adjustment on carb, and blew out lines as well as that elbow (like you said Ted) hooked the plow back up and brought her to the other field down the road and made 9 passes without one problem, she was smooth as the prom queen's legs LOL! and had power up the kazoo and then some! Man it was running good!!!!!!!! THAT WAS DRIVING ME NUTS!!! but I'm happy with my D17 again they were/are great units!...  Thank you all for the excellent tips and help. I appreciate it more than you realize!  Dennis.