AMF tractor build

These are all the pics I have so far. This tractor is a lot bigger than my Arctic Cat. I've redone some of the paint. I'm only going to do a few touch-ups, no major painting schemes:cheers:

I'm having some trouble with the engine. I jump started the engine a few times before I checked the carb. When I did, water poured out of the bowl. I don't know how much of that water got into the engine but the spark plug was soaked. I have now cleaned the bowl and some of the carb of water but the engine doesn't catch. I think that there is spark cause the first time I started the engine, some fire came out the exhaust. Now, it's just water vapor that comes out. I tried putting some quick start in the cylinder and still nothing.
When I checked the inside of the carburetor yesterday, there were water drops but not much more than that. Could this engine be hydrolocked?

I'm still a noob at engines so any help would be appreciated.

Take the spark plug out and turn the motor over to get any water out of the cylinder... Have a look inside the gas tank too it probably has water in it. Also this engine probably has points, so they may be dirty or have water in them causing your spark to come and go.

Id start fresh - drain the gas tank, new fuel lines, clean the carb , pull the spark plug ( i spray PB blaster in a water logged or motor that sat a long time- let it soak good- plus is the motor will fire on it)- turn the motor over a few times n see if anything comes out - pull the flywheel shroud n see if theres a wire going under the flywheel by the magnetic pickup- if it does, then you should pull the flywheel n double check for points ( id put a electronic ign on it after going thru all that).

Sometimes with 'new' tractors ill just dump gas in the carb, disconnect the motor's wiring harness and try firing it up- if it does, then itll be okay- with a tractor that old id be leary of wiring issues/corrosion, so its best to unhook it and see how well it runs.


Ive had a few water logged motors- after cleaning , they run perfectly fine.

Yeah, sounds like a spark issue. Take out the plug and turn it over a few time, well shoot most of the water out. Then just let it air for a while.

Next, hold the spark plug against a ground on the motor, and turn it over, and see if there's any spark jumping the gap. (make sure the gap is alright and the plug is clean) But do NOT touch the plug when you turn it over, unless you want a little bit of a shock. Did that once, never again! If you;ve got no spark, the easiest and best option would be to find an electronic ignition unit and totally do away with the points. Just cut the wires that go under the flywheel and forget about them. Electronic is a much more reliable system! Good luck! Hope I didnt confuse you too much

Chunk: You still would want to disconnect the kill wire from the magneto/pickup - if the switch/wiring is bad- itd be the same as having no spark- at least if its unhooked, you can rule out a ground issue.

Yeah, sorry. Forgot to mention that. Like dangerous toys said, disconnect the wiring too

I learned my lesson after one tractor, tryed everything, took it apart, changed everything and still wouldnt start - then unhooked the magneto wire and it fired right up- talk about p'd....

It's learning from mistakes. Thats the best way to learn a skill.

I still havent learned not to injure myself when working on these things tho- ill be working away and look over and be like " damn- where' d that cut come from? " - so i grab a bandage or electrical tape , wrap it up and keep tinkering. A good tip is to have a first aid kit in the shop, along with neosporin.

Oddly im still leaning about stuff even after 15 years of tinkering - hey y can teach an old dog new tricks.

make sure you flush the oil a couple times

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the help, I greatly appreciate it, don't know what I would do without this fourm!!

Here's the story so far.

I got the jumper cables out after disconnecting all the wires to the engine. Turned the engine over a couple of times but nothing. I tested the spark plug in the other tractor, ran mint. Since the cylinder was getting gas it seemed, it looked like it could be a spark issue. When Arild came over to see what was wrong, we discovered the flywheel keyway was split. Gonna get that replaced very soon after a bit of filing. Hopefully she'll run mint again.

thanks again for all your help everyone

That is, if you can get the flywheel off! That's what's stopping me getting my little 6hp horizontal shaft Briggs going, sheared flywheel key, and the thing won't budge!

That thing is so cool.

buy a puller

You can use a steering wheel puller - i bot a cheep one at a flea market and works fine.

Hey guys,

little update on the AMF. I got a new keyway for the flywheel and I got it in the tractor. Then I jump started the engine with some quick start and she fired right up. Did it twice and then for the third time, nothing. So I checked the key way and sure enough, it was snapped in two again.

Does anyone know why this would happen and how I could avoid it next time?

Thanks

I bot a 'looked over' motor from a lawntractor junkyard, paid more then id like to of for it, get it home and it snapped the flywheel key- i change it, it does it again- i take it back - they said the combustion chamber filled with oil and snapped the key- i know better because i checked for that before i started it ( and it would turn over fine with the plug out) - it still runs now , but im thinking the timing was off or something wasnt put back together right in it- it might be time to crack the motor open and look inside.

Yeah could be oil or water in the cylinder, maybe creating more compression than is safe, and so it kicks back before it should? I don;t know. Think dangerous toys have the soluation, might need to crack her open!