# Ford 801 won't start



## timander (Jul 25, 2012)

I have a Ford 801 with a one arm loader. I just had the cylinder of the loader overhauled because it was leaking pretty bad. I haven't had it running for a few months, but I was hoping to push snow with it (we got about a foot in central Iowa before Christmas). At first, it wouldn't start because the battery was low. After putting it on the charger overnight, I tried it again and the battery is good, it turns over but won't catch. I am getting a good spark, the plugs are dry. I sprayed starter fluid in the air intake and directly into the spark plug holes, it will run for a few seconds, but it won't stay running. A little smoke comes out of the exhaust. Any ideas on what to try next when troubleshooting starting problems?


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## criswelg (Dec 7, 2011)

I had a Ford 601 for probably 20 years. 
Once in a while it failed to start most of the time it was one of these things:
1. I had cut the gas off under the tank.
2. The points had a build up on them (usually dragged a nail file through them)
3. What were we talking about "oh yeh" stuck carburator float. (whacked carb bowl w/cresant wrench)


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

Your spark should be a crisp bluish-white arc, capable of jumping a 1/4"-3/8" gap. A yellowish spark sometimes is not good enough.

Sounds like you are not getting fuel to the engine. Your tractor may have as many as three fuel screens. You need to check and clean these screens as necessary.. 

1) A screen is attached to the shut off valve and sticks up into the tank.
2) There is a screen in the top of the sediment bowl (if your tractor has a sediment bowl).
3) There is a screen in the inlet connection to the carburetor.

Pull the drain plug out of the bottom of your carbuerator and let it flow for a few minutes to ensure that you have a good volume continuous flow.


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## criswelg (Dec 7, 2011)

*10-4 on the drain plug*



sixbales said:


> Your spark should be a crisp bluish-white arc, capable of jumping a 1/4"-3/8" gap. A yellowish spark sometimes is not good enough.
> 
> Sounds like you are not getting fuel to the engine. Your tractor may have as many as three fuel screens. You need to check and clean these screens as necessary..
> 
> ...


:usa: YESSIR that is always a good thing to check!


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## timander (Jul 25, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, last weekend I drained out all of the gas and put in fresh gas with Sta-bil. I disconnected the bowl from the carburetor and cleaned it and verified gas flows easily with the bowl removed. I also took the plug out of the carburetor and gas rushed out. I hooked everything back up and I could only get it started for 5 to 10 seconds with starter fluid, then it would quit. Here's what it sounds like.


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## timander (Jul 25, 2012)

After checking spark and putting in fresh gas, I had pretty much narrowed it down to the carburetor. Until this project, I had no idea how carburetors worked. I watched a couple of youtube videos on rebuilding a carburetor to see if it was something I wanted to try myself.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPrgjtkRBRo"]part 1[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye4s_2b1lW8"]part 2[/ame]

I ordered a full-kit ($55 + $12 shipping) and did the rebuild. The hardest part was getting out the brass pieces, the tube and the seat for the float. It's impossible to do without destroying the old brass pieces.

After putting the carburetor back on, it still wouldn't start. I tried adjusting the air intake needle, and some more started fluid and it still wouldn't start. When I adjusted the thumb & screw valve next to the plug on the bottom of the carburetor, it finally started!


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