HELP, My 310-10 won't start, without help

[gary m 4]

After sitting 2 months the battery went dead so I charged it up, it turned over but showed no signs of starting. recharged the battery and checked to make sure the choke cable was fully closing the choke, it was.

After spraying starting fluid into the carb, it started up right away, died, but resprayed and this time it stayed running by itself. After a few minutes of running I tried to start the engine and it would not start without using starting fluid shot into the carb.

Please, any idea's what this old girl is needing, when it starts, it does sound good.

With winter coming and this being my plow tractor I need to get it up and running.

Thanks everyone.

Gary

[Geno 1,928]

A good easy place to start would be to pop off the carb, take it apart and give it a good cleaning. 

 

If I haven't done this already,

[squonk 39,008]

Check your fuel pump output also.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,518]

A 310-8 is 21-29 years old and if the fuel hoses are old or original replacing them may fix your problem. The rubber gets hard and won't seal to the nipples they are connected to. A bubble of air sucked into the fuel will prevent the fuel pump from working.

One would think if fuel does not leak out then air should not get sucked in but it does.

 

Garry

[stevasaurus 22,238]

Just a thought.  You probably should not use "starting fluid" into the carb on these low compression engines.  Use "carb cleaner" instead.  It is less volatile. 

[Fordiesel69 226]

I like to proceed as follows.  It is not a waste of time either.

 

1.  REmove the fuel cock & grommet.  Replace with new.

2.  Replace the entire length of hose from the tank to the fuel pump and do not use a filter.  (there is a screen in the fuel cock)

3.  Observe the fuel from out of the pump while engine is cranking.  If good, proceed with carb cleaning.  If low replace pump.

4.  Clean carb and determine if cleanign is enough, or if a rebuild kit is needed.

 

After this, it should be like new, and also you have spent little money.  Every used tractor has needed most of this, so I have now made it a rule on each one.

[gary m 4]

Please explain what a you mean when you said remove the fuel cock & grommet, where are they located, I noticed a filter on the main line and there also seems to be another on under the carb. A mechanic I'm not.

 

Is there a manual that is available for this motor or better yet for this wheel horse, 1990 310-10, the person I bought this unit from had d/l the info but the pics are not very good.

Thanks everyone.

Gary

[Lagersolut 613]

10% Ethanol gas has a very nice way of screwing these old units up esp. if the gas is left in months at a time with no additive .

[Lagersolut 613]

Please explain what a you mean when you said remove the fuel cock & grommet, where are they located, I noticed a filter on the main line and there also seems to be another on under the carb. A mechanic I'm not.

 

Is there a manual that is available for this motor or better yet for this wheel horse, 1990 310-10, the person I bought this unit from had d/l the info but the pics are not very good.

Thanks everyone.

Gary

 

The fuel cock and grommet are under the tank on the back of the tractor - the gas tank needs to be empty to change these unless you fell like playing Tom Thumb.

 

 

Part 24 and 25 here

 

http://www.partstree.com/parts/?lc=toro_consumer&mn=21-10K805%2C+310-8+Garden+Tractor%2C+1988&dn=810547R1-47R10048-00022

[JustinW.73 224]

Check the carb. Take it apart and clean. But first turn the high speed needle out two turns and try it again. After cleaning the carb, check the fuel pump is pumping gas out at a constant, good flow, if it does, then the tank should be good. Change the gas too. Not like it would hurt.

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 10,518]

Please explain what a you mean when you said remove the fuel cock & grommet, where are they located, I noticed a filter on the main line and there also seems to be another on under the carb. A mechanic I'm not.

 

Is there a manual that is available for this motor or better yet for this wheel horse, 1990 310-10, the person I bought this unit from had d/l the info but the pics are not very good.

Thanks everyone.

Gary

There are 2 different scans of the operator manual here

 

They do not go into much detail as far as service goes.

 

Go into the manuals section and do a search for

1990 310-8

Change the Submission Date to Title and then Descending order to Ascending order.

Let us know if you have trouble.

 

Garry

[stevasaurus 22,238]

It is possible that something got into the pet-cock and is blocking fuel flow...I found a white spider blocking gas flow in a "C" series horse a couple of years ago.  Got the spider out of there and it ran fine.    The difference is that once you get it started it runs OK (from what you stated)...you did not have to pull the choke out to make it run good with a blockage.  If you have to play with the choke,  makes me think you are sucking air somewhere...like was mentioned above.  Although, if you are sucking air, you would have to mess with the choke to make it run OK.  Is the engine surging at all??  Want to try something easy...before you start tearing things apart??  Drain the gas out of the tank...put in fresh gas mixed with a couple OZs of Sea Foam gas additive.  Half fill the tank, so if this does not work, you are not draining a full tank.  Get it started and let it run...see what happens.  The Sea Foam will do some of the cleaning of your carb.  This is what I would do if you do not have to mess with the choke and it runs good.  May just be old gas and gummed up a little. 

 

If you do not have to mess with the choke to make it run OK...you are not sucking air (hoses are OK)...probably just gummed up a little.  Here is the deal...get it running OK first...try the Sea Foam...do one thing at a time (or else you will not know what was wrong)...it is a process to go through to find out the real problem.  One thing at a time.

 

Question is here...do you have to mess with the choke to make it run OK...in other words...can you push the choke in all the way and it runs like it should??  If so...drain the gas and try the Sea Foam...about $6 for a can of gas treatment at your favorite auto parts store.  Read the directions...this would make a pizza taste good.    

 

Let us know and we will go from there.

Edited November 5, 2014 by stevasaurus

[squonk 39,008]

If you can get Seafoam for $6.00 a can send me a case!

[gary m 4]

Hi everyone,

                     Please except my thanks for all your input on this matter, and all my other posts, you guys are great.

I was able to clean most of the old grease around the carb. I found a person that works on these units and he was nice enough to come over to my home and look it over, he works on cars, trucks, whatever.

He looked over all item's you members mentioned, found that the hose from tank was fairly new, so, that was not needing to be changed, he blew all fuel lines out with his portable air tank.

 

The fuel line coming off of the fuel pump had a fuel filter on it ( that was upside down), he said no need for this filter and discarded and put in a new line. There is a filter in the main line which I had changed when I bought this unit, ( I put this in correctly, lucky I guess) he took off the carb, carb cup held some particles but was not that bad, he cleaned and readjusted everything, the new carb kit was not needed.

 

After putting everything back together, the "Beast" awakens, starts and runs great, This mechanic was at my home for 2 1/2 hrs, he charged me $ 60.00, if I have other problems I will call him.

 

Thanks everyone,

Gary