Terry Harper 2 Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 At the museum we have a Red Diamond in one of our pieces of equipment. Its not the original engine but a re-power performed decades ago when the chassis got separated from its original engine. A year ago we performed a tune-up - new plugs, cap, points, condenser, wires, coil etc. and it was purring like a kitten. This winter it started miss behaving - dropping a cylinder or two. When we pulled the plugs they are fouled. We ran a compression test and all is spot on. We again gave it a tune-up. It ran great for a less than an hour and fouled up again. Last time we ran it it was popping and missing. I am thinking too lean? Its also always the same plugs fouling 4, 5 & 6 Its running a Holley 2140-G carb. It seems like a carb issue ? Am I barking up the wrong tree?? Thanks! terry Here is the beast its in. The original engine was a massive six cylinder Wisconsin D4 (1,013 cid) If you know where we can find one of those ...............😁 When they re-powered it back in the 1970's they installed a auxiliary transmission in front of the original unit which is a massive 3 speed made by Cotta. We run the auxiliary locked in 2nd. Note the funky exhaust pipe. It was installed that way so the original exhaust cut-out in the hood could be used. That Red Diamond is a little lost in there but it moves it along just fine. And the original engine. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rustred 302 Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 what is the compression? that is important to post. might have intake leak. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Weapon 149 Posted September 13, 2020 Share Posted September 13, 2020 Just a thought but you may want to install hotter spark plugs to help with the fouling especially if it’s lightly used and not run under a decent load. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Terry Harper 2 Posted September 13, 2020 Author Share Posted September 13, 2020 If I remember correctly compression was around 130 but I would have to check. In regards to hotter plugs it does seem to clear-up and run better when it working - problem is that's not often. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
snoshoe 394 Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 Is there anything vacuum plugged into that manifold that could be leaking at the other end. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
supermechanic 48 Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 I viewed one of those in person at Churchill Dam, on the Allagash River in Maine, maybe 45 years ago. I believe that one was fitted with skis, rather than wheels in front. The engine was the original, a huge beast. The tractor may still be there, Google earth shows a pavillion structure at the site, maybe it is under cover. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
R Pope 276 Posted October 10, 2020 Share Posted October 10, 2020 That's a Lombard logging tractor, about a 1932 or so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
supermechanic 48 Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 To which one are you referring? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mmi 360 Posted October 11, 2020 Share Posted October 11, 2020 champion plugs..... go 2 hotter and swap to another brand ,then use only fresh non ethanol or av fuel if you can get it engine was designed to run on real gas not water goo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
R190 174 Posted October 12, 2020 Share Posted October 12, 2020 Its every other cylinder in the firing order maybe a bad condenser? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
czech 2 Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 Gasoline with ethanol will ruin any rubber gaskets in the carb. The exhaust valve seat are designed for lead in the gasoline. The exhaust seats will burn if ran for an extended length of time. When lead was taken out of gasoline, the exhaust seats had stellte seats installed in subsequent engines. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moodnacreek 3 Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 Old 7/8" head tap engines like 2 cylinder John Deere's run great on diesel starting spark plugs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Terry Harper 2 Posted December 28, 2020 Author Share Posted December 28, 2020 Hi Guys its been awhile and I apologize for that. I appreciate all your responses. This week I will be heading back to the museum. We are going to do a complete diagnostics of the ignition system - could a be a bad condenser etc. We will check. Also looking at the intake to see if there could be a leak. (hate the idea of taking that apart!) We have been running non-ethenol fuel for a while. Early in the winter and in early spring we can have wide temp fluctuations with it being above freezing then dropping to below freezing in a few hours or visa versa which isn't good for a large fuel tank with not much fuel in it. Supermechanic yes there were a number of these beasts at Churchill. The one you probably saw is now in the State Museum. I have an original engine in my shop that came out of Churchill: These were big six cylinder Wisconsin T-heads (5-3/4" x 7") 104 hp at 1200 rpm but massive amounts of torque. The crankcase is a 500 lb manganese bronze casting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Terry Harper 2 Posted January 14 Author Share Posted January 14 Well we figured out the problem. The distributor shaft bushings are worn. In addition at some point someone turned the shaft down so it wobbles around playing heck with everything. Replacement distributor is on its way. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hardtail 534 Posted January 14 Share Posted January 14 Great news Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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