856 just started running oddly

[hoppy 0]

the tractor has run like a top since the carb was rebuilt months ago. i have run this tractor i would say for 5 or 6 months. it has not been worked hard at all. long story short i went to start it the other night she fired right up and idled fine as she always does. i pulled the throttle 1/2 out and she dies out. that is something new. fire her up in idle no problem.idle up slowly and she runs but i noticed she is missing and im getting an almost solid red light on my "generator" light on the dash. she isnt right and im not sure if this a carb/fuel issue and or an electrical and or engine issue. she fires up so shes getting fuel.....if i pull the throttle to fast she dies, if i slowly pull the throttle out she runs but is firing wierd at 1/2+ throttle and the light is flashing/solid red and she is running sporratically. where do i start here?

carb and fuel system are clean as a whistle. as i said the carb was rebuilt with genuine parts and has run great for months. i have a fuel filter before carb. tank is clean. any ideas? the engine is a K181S in a '66 856.

on a good note.......i got this sweet light assy that will look nice on this tractor today. got it blasted and prepped for paint. going to be a nice custom addition to this girl. she needs some lights!

[rmaynard 14,932]

Had that problem on my 856 when I first got it. Turned out to be the battery. It was not taking a charge. Never did figure out how that related to the throttle position, but after replacing the battery, everything ran fine.

Bob

[hoppy 0]

hmmm...this battery is really only 5 months old and it fires the machine right up. id be suprised to find it running funny due to the battery. however if you say this happened to you then its a starting point for me. anyone else have any ideas?

does the red light for the generator tell you anything when it goes red like that or is that due to the engine running rough? im trying to avoid taking the carb off and other non electrical issues if i can figure out why its doing this all of a sudden. this was the best running machine i owne until the other day. i didnt start it today but i cant imagine the problem has disapeared. :thumbs:

[Trouty56 565]

How are you making out with this Hoppy? Check every electrical connection to see about getting the Generator Warning Light to turn off. I had a bad connection on the wire that runs from the regulator to the generator (about a 3 inch wire).

My engine ran like what you are describing and I checked the points. They were a little tight and now it runs much better.

About the lights...sounds cool. Where do you get the power from off the regulator? From where the lighter hooks up??

[hoppy 0]

all my connections are good. i checked and double cheecked. they are all clean with no corrosion. i didnt start it yesterday but am heading out now to get the lights mounted up and wired so after that im going to get into her alittle more to try and figure it out. i really think what i should so is invest in a tune-up kit. it certainly wouldnt hurt to get new points, condenser, etc in there.since i dont know the history of the machine prior to my getting it. it has been in good hands since i got it but all i have done is change the oil and cleaned the carb carb was cleaned and rebuilt due to onloy running on choke. since then this machine has been flawless without a hick-up. i hope it an easy fix. these types of issues can drive you nuts.

as for the lights...........im grabbing power right from the battery and will mount an on/off switch to the dash. simple two post switch that cuts the ground source and that i just grab off the negative of battery.

[Kelly 1,028]

I'd figure out the running issue be for wiring the lights up.

You can alway take the gen. out of the equation, start the tractor get it warm, no shut it off, pull the gen belt off, wrap a rope around the starter pulley on the engine make sure you wrap it the right way, and pull start it, make sure the key is on, then if it runs good you know the charging system is the problem, but I think a good tune up would be the first place to start.

[hoppy 0]

goof thinking kelley. left my swicth at work so im kinda porked for wiring it up.

ohwell gives me more time to figure out the issue.

[hoppy 0]

ok heres where im at.............i cleaned and adjuseted the gap on the points. they were to close and i set that at the reccomended setting. got a new spark plug and installed that. made some adjustmants to the carb. she seems to be running alittle better but it what it seems like is the governor is "searching" and thats when im getting the red light on the "generator" light on the dash. so i think i should be looking more into the fuel/carb/governor side of it rather then electrical side.

could this at all be caused by the carb? it fires right up and idles when i get 1/2 throttle the governor seems to be searching causing a rev and decrease kinda thing. the ride light flashes......and she may die. carb? adjust govenor?

[ducky 1]

i know this might be a dumb? but did u check the air filter lately?

[hoppy 0]

yes i checked the filter and its clean

[W9JAB 156]

red light on the "generator" light on the dash

comes on when the gen is not putting out.

sounds electrical to me.

[W9JAB 156]

If the gen. light is off with the eng. on but not started,

and gets brighter as you rev up the engine. with no other

electric components on i.e.; lights. I would suspect a short

that as you increase rpm you increase the amps going to it

and the light becomes brighter.

[Don1977 604]

I believe you have broken insulation on a wire that is arcing to ground as you

rev it up. You may be able to see it arc after dark, if you can't find any other way.

[hoppy 0]

heading out now to tripple check all the wiring. i will report back.

[hoppy 0]

:) im almost absolutly stumped. she fires right up. if i pull the throttle out anything more then a snails pace she dies right out. with the throttle all the way in she will fire right up and atliest idle. i can get it to half throttle and more after a few trys of it dying if i pull the thottle slowly. am i on the wrong track with the electrical? what should me screws be set at on the carb for a K181S? i gotta get ready for snow! :thumbs:

[hoppy 0]

got the new kit today for the ignition......point, condenser, plug, etc. got it all in pretty easily and quickly. adjusted the carbs per the manual with the high needle out 2 turns. fired her and she acted like she was before. fiddled with the carb again ad fired her up and she seemed to run smoother. let it idle for a few and throttled up without a hickup. governor isnt searching anymore like it was and the red light on the generator has seemed to have disapeared. in any event she seems to be running ok again today.

question about the spark plug color.............after running it for 8 minutes or so i let it cool for 5 and pulled the brand new plug to see what was going on. it seemed to be pretty gunked up(dark brown/black) almost all the way around the circle. when i pull the throttle from idle to full throttle i get a little puff of smoke. its not thick and what i would consider overly smokey but it does puff. at idle and or hight throttle there is no smoke. just when i first throttle it up to high.

should i be concerned with anything? am i running rich? would that mean i have to screw the screw back in a bit. right now im running 2-1/4 turns out on the high and thats where it seems to stop searching on the governor at 1/2 to full throttle.

should i just run it and work it and hope for the best? im not familiar with reading plugs. white=lean black=rich tan=just right?

[stevasaurus 22,259]

If the plug is black and wet with gas...you may be running rich. Turning the screw out will let more air in and run leaner. Turning the screw in cuts off the air and runs richer. Remember that you have been trying to run this when it was not running correctly...it may take a little while to clean itself out now that you have it running good. A little Sea Foam or some other kind of carb cleaner in the gas will help, and check the plug and clean it once in a while until the plug runs clean. I have a feeling the problem was your condenser was going bad. :thumbs:

[hoppy 0]

I have been running seafoam through it since i got it running back in the summer.

i personally feel seafoam or other product should be run in anything with todays junk gas. it only helps. in any event she seems to be running normally again. im not sure what the issue was.....or if replacing the condenser was the key. i hate it when you have no idea what part of the repair did it. i like to learn and understand what casues what and with this......im not sure. just kinda fixed itslef? or replacing the ignition parts did the trick.

[puddlejumper 67]

Take a minute and put the old condensor back on. It wont take long and may answer some questions.

Because honestly I was guessing bad plug.

[stevasaurus 22,259]

Take a minute and put the old condensor back on. It wont take long and may answer some questions.

Because honestly I was guessing bad plug.

I agree...I would like to know also. Them dang little condensers can cause a lot of different problems. :)

[WH nut 553]

The Carb setting in the book is just a base setting, you need to make adjustments while running. Start out low speed and after its running at idle, turn in until stumble, then back out till stumble, then turn in until you get a smooth idle. High speed the same way, but at full throttle. Steve is backwards on his setting, as you turn out you richen the mixture.

You gen light was probaley coming on beacuse of the hunting you were falling below the gen output RPM

[stevasaurus 22,259]

WH nut...are you sure I have it backwards??? :thumbs:

[WH nut 553]

WH nut...are you sure I have it backwards???

Yeap Im sure

[stevasaurus 22,259]

Sorry about that. :thumbs:

[WH nut 553]

LOL thats ok, most people just start turning until its runs good, which is all you need to do anyway