C141 won't stay running

[SODIE315 2]

Good afternoon , I need a little help. My C141 will start and run for about 3-5 seconds then stops as if the key was turned off.  When you turn the key to restart there is nothing as if the Battery is dead. I have replaced the battery, ignition switch, coil, spark plug and coil wire with negative results. ground has been cleaned up still will start and run 3-5 seconds and die. after it sits for several hours it will crank and fire right up and then die. Any suggestions besides a rag in the gas tank and a bic lighter.

[rmaynard 14,864]

   The C-141 has a cradle mounted engine. The engine is grounded to the cradle through the bolts, and the cradle is grounded through a wire to the frame. The battery grounds to the frame. Make sure all grounds are clean and tight.

[SylvanLakeWH 24,091]

[953 nut 51,518]

      Seems like Bob has given you the most likely cause since you have cleaned and tightened all of your electrical connections including grounds. 

[SODIE315 2]

ok thank you Bob will head out the garage and clean those bolts up.

[Dakota8338 115]

I also have a C-141, and that Bad Boy is a decade older now than when I purchased it new back in 1978.  My how does time fly.  Mine has been acting up a little lately, and searching for the problem I found the PTO leaver to be the problem.  On the inside of the battery compartment the leaver had a washer then a cotter key pined the leaver in position.  With age and use, and something I want to remind my self not to do in the future, but I suspect others do the same thing, that PTO lever makes a real dandy hook to hold things.  I had previously tested the PTO switch last week and it tested OK, but while attempting to start the tractor today, more or less by accident, I reached out to the PTO lever and when I touched it The tractor tried to start.  Knowing the switch itself tested OK, I played with the PTO lever and quickly realized pushing up, not forward, but UP, resulted in the tractor starting & running.  After letting it run for a few minutes, I turned the key off and open the hood and moved the battery out of the way and watching the lever while playing with it, I realized, the PTO lever needed to be tightened up to make it maintain contact with the PTO safety switch.  Pulling the cotter key, I took the old very thin washer and went to my tool cabinet where I located a couple of much thicker washer and returned to install them in the end of the PTO levers shaft.  One of the thicker washer with the old one seemed to tighten the lever just fine.  A new cotter key to pin the lever back in place and hopefully the PTO lever will be good for another 20 years or more.

 

When changes take place instantaneously with out any grating, grinds, violent movements or other noticeable noises or actions, the problem is most likely going to be something very simple, but not necessarily easy to locate.  But always look for the obvious initially and sometimes it is good to pull or push on things just to make sure everything is where it should be.

 

Good luck hunting your, no make that good luck finding your problem or problems source. 

[6bg6ga 271]

You have two possibilities. Bad grounding which is certainly up there at the top of the list and the other is those darn safety switches that seem to haunt a lot of people. I would take the good advice you have been given about making sure you have a decent ground. I will make an addition here and that is you make up a ground wire that goes from the battery direct to the engine block. This will insure that you have a ground there.

 

Safety switch.... I would pull out the manual and simply bypass the safety switches for about 10-15 minutes and see if it now starts up, runs, and will restart. At any rate do follow the grounding advice you have been given by rmaynard.