I picked up an early 1960's Massey Ferguson 135 last year. It would start with ether, but wouldn't stay running. I thought it would be a good project for son and I, though I'm no mechanic.
So, my son started working on it a couple days ago. First thing we did was drain the gas and add fresh, changed fuel filter and cleaned the bowl. Figuring it was the carburetor, he cleaned and rebuilt it. No luck, so bought a new one. Changed plugs, then points. Thought maybe the fuel line was blocked, so changed that too. There's no sediment in bowl or filter.
Tractor will start and run good for 5 or 6 seconds, then choke out. Give it 30 secs and repeat. He cleaned air filter but didn't replace it yet.
So, has battery, fuel, air, plugs and points, fuel line and carb.. That's about the extent of my knowledge. Any ideas? Please and thank you.

fuel pump?

Try running it with the gas cap loose.

Also inspect inside of fuel tank for something that might be floating around to block the drain port. Like a chunk of rust.

Started a gas tractor with ether? That is cold diesel engine trick. Gas engines use a choke.

Try shutting the fuel valve off, then take the globe off, find a hose that will fit the nipple, open the fuel valve while forcing are into the hose to possibly blow any blockage off the tank port. It's not a permanent fix but will at least tell you if that's the cause of your problems.

Thanks Flint, will check it.


Did that, no change.


Don't see anything in tank. Previous owner did the ether to show it would run, but had issues.


Thanks TrapperDR, will try that.

Does it have one of those solenoid things in bottom of carburetor.?

Governor?

IDK, I'll ask my son.

Have you tried opening the mixture screw ? Maybe a quarter turn more than factory setting ? Maybe increase the idles speed too.


Is this and old Zenith updraft carb ?

Does your globe stay full or run dry when it kills?

Try gas in a spray bottle, with the nozzle adjusted to mist. Start tractor and spray mist into carb and keep misting to see if it will run until you stop misting. If so the new carb isn't getting gas through it. The float could be sticking on the new carb or the float could be very poorly adjusted even though its new.

I had those same thoughts Owen but if the problem is present with two different carbs that would be one heck of a coincidence.

Some of those older carbs had reversible linkage. I wonder if that might be an issue here

I know he tried adjusting the screw on carb, said it's hard to tune because it doesn't stay running long enough.
I don't know what kind of carb.


Stays full.


This is what we were thinking....



And this is the same thoughts we had too. I get that the old carb is gunked up and sticky, but new carb shouldn't be.

Thank you all for the helpful replies. My son just loaded it onto the trailer to bring to his old farmer friend, Henry.
Henry is really good at troubleshooting tractor and farm equipment issues. Will update if he figures it out, to let you know which of you were right.

Just went thru a similar issue on an old Allis I'm steward for. It would run OK with 1/4 tank or more of fuel, but below that, when under load, would stall out and die. Turns out I had installed an inline fuel filter in addition to sediment bowl. No fuel pump, so gravity fed fuel delivery. Once fuel level dropped below 1/4 tank, there was not enough weight to force the fuel thru the inline filter. Removed filter and it runs fine now.

You know HayDay, the Massey has no pump, and has the inline filter. My son said multiple times that he doesn't like that inline filter. I told him to take it off, but he didn't have a longer fuel line. I will tell him about the 1/4 tank part, because I know we only put a gallon or so in. Of course, we have to get it running before we put it under load. Thanks.

Runs for five seconds and quits? I can't see how it could suck fuel bowl in carb dry in five seconds.

I got one, an industrial 2135 gas . Good motor, starts like a champ.

See if IID tag on motor is Z134 continental.

Five or six seconds, it's probably running on the ether in the system. Pull drain plug from bottom of carb, make sure with fuel turned on you have good flow out the drain. It could be really low compression, but check fuel flow first.

What you describe tells me it is starving for fuel. There is a restriction somewhere or it is sucking air from somewhere. It could be a cracked bulb, cracked fuel line, fuel pump, carburetor ( but it's new, may need adjustment). When you shut it off there is a vacuum in the lines that subsides as fuel is drawn in to fill the vacuum. Once it starts it will run until that vacuum overcomes the engines ability to suck fuel into the combustion chamber.

Edit* if gravity fed fuel system comments above very well could be the solution.

white17 = I had those same thoughts Owen but if the problem is present with two different carbs that would be one heck of a coincidence.

Some of those older carbs had reversible linkage. I wonder if that might be an issue here. Mr. White I just had that problem a month ago, reversible linkage. Took a long time to figure that out........jk