Gave my WD45 a tune up. Now it does run right.Help

Howdy fellas. I've ignored the first rule of tractors. I tried to fix something that wasn't broken. Now it doesn't run right. I replaced the plugs, plugwires, rotor, cap, points, and a worn wire on the coil. I've gapped the plugs to 30 thousandsths like the manual said. The points are set to 20 thousandsths. The tractor fires right up but it has no power. It has a tough time going up my driveway which is at a very slight incline. It never had a problem with power before. As a matter of fact it ran real strong. Anyone have any suggestions?

I'd say your timing is off. Get or borrow a timing light and get it dialed in. If you need instructions, just say so and I or someone else can explain how to adjust the timing.

Thanks for the advice! Instructions for timing would be great! My dad has a timing light I can use.

JimD, the rotor bug was different. The one that was on it hooked over like a half moon shape and the new one just sticks straight out. I did put the old one back on to see if it'd make a difference but there was no change.

 

As a matter of fact I put all the old stuff back on and it still doesn't seem right.

I had an old time A-C dealer mechanic tell me that you knew when the timing was right when you snapped the throttle closed from full speed and got one loud backfire from the exhaust.

Braskyku,

Edited by Goose - 28 Jul 2010 at 1:24pm

I would put the timing light in the garage and do like Jim D says. "Bring tractor to full throttle (which is actually 1/2) and then adjust timing for max and smoothest rpm.  Then retard it back a couple of degrees until you just start to hear a slight drop in RPM.  Then take on the hill and see if it's better.

I'm like JimD, just have an ear for it...

wkpoor "As a matter of fact I put all the old stuff back on and it still doesn't seem right. "

Robert, That is correct.  When it's all tuned well, you should get at least 1 good "POP" out the exhaust.  I always liked making it crack like that during a parade.  Then just look around like it come from somewhere else.

Check your point gap again. Sounds like they are set too close.

wkpoor wrote: [QUOTE=Gerald J.]WKPOOR! Changing the point gap changes the timing. So you HAVE to set the timing AFTER you change the point gap setting. And you set the point gap when you put in new or old points. Gerald J.

Well, I've just spent the last 5 hours trying to get it right. I found the inspection port and my dad cranked it with the hand crank until I located the F. I put some of my wifes fingernail polish on the and let it dry a bit so it would be easier to find. Then we started it and it fired right up but still doesn't run right. While I used the timing light my dad moved the condenser. We had the throttle wide open and it started acting real funny. It was running really rough and the air cleaner was getting air forced into it and it was spurting oil intermittently out of the top of the cleaner onto the hood. I did recently clean down the air cleaner and give it some new oil. That was when it was running good. Once we got the F to stay in the center of the inspection port it still wasn't running right. I would say it ran only slightly better.

Only thing I could think to do at that point was to check the carb. I did get some improvement while adjusting the main load. The air cleaner stopped spurting oil and it ran a little smoother.

I would like to confirm that it should be wide open while trying to time it. There is a second mark on the flywheel but it does not have a letter or anything next to it. It is just a mark but is clearly there intentionally. I do not understand why it was purring along before and had all kinds of power and now it can't make it up a 3 degree incline without sputtering and bucking and jiving.

If i posted some pictures would that help in anyway?

Thanks, David  

No power spitin and sputtern,I'd check the firing order 1 then I'd check the fuel for water drain the float bowl and then check for fuel flow, I had flys in the fill tube for the sediment bowl once that caused same problem wasn't getting enough fuel,would slow the engine down would smooth up If thats all good the coil may have went bad. 

Brian, you should qualify your statement. When using a timing light,"Timing is set at idle speed only. At idle, turn the dist to center the "Fire" line in the hole. Speed the engine up to full speed just to see that the timing advances only. "