very hard starting

[hdbooner53]

for the past couple months my 184 has been very hard starting, I used starting fluid and what ever to get it started, I thought the coil was weak but it tested good, I checked the points and the dwell and they were good, and the plug wires were good, the one thing I didn't exspect was the plugs were so old the would not always spark, so with all that testing, and not having to even adjust anything, all I had to do is change the spark plugs, and now its starts in less than one revolution of the engine, that's was a easy fix, and dumb on my part for waiting so long to do it, F.Y.I.

[PVF1799]

Glad you got your 184 starting and running well. I've victimized myself by over complicating the solution. Bet you'll start with the plugs.

Have a great day - Ken

[gitractorman]

Yep, plugs on these C60 engines are pretty bad about failing. The engines run really rich, which makes a lot of carbon on the plugs, and I don't think they're very hot plugs to begin with. Every Cub or lo-boy I've ever owned, the very first thing I do is put a set of plugs in it, just because they're so bad about failing it's just an easy place to start.

Glad you got her going!

[Larry B]

What plugs are you using? If you are fouling plugs you may want to use a plug with a hotter heat range.

This shows a champion D15Y and a D21 difference in the center electrode

There is a huge heat range difference between a D15Y and a D21 plug. They are pretty much at both ends of what will work in a C60. A sprk plug needs to operate between 950 degrees F and 1350 degrees F to be in the self cleaning temperature range. Any lower and it will carbon foul regardless of brand. Above about 1400 degrees and the plug will overheat and be damaged. For mowing in the summer my 184 likes a D18Y and if just working in the yard with a lot of idleing and moving a wagon around I use D21 plugs. There are a lot of charts out there that say D15's are the plug to use in a 184 but I have never seen one not foul them from being too cold.

D18Y from my 184

A plug of the proper heat range will not have black on the center electrode and insulator. My 184 uses some oil but as long as I use plugs it likes they don't foul. Way back when all I had was some D15's I could run it for hours and shut it off and the next time I tried to start it the plugs would be fouled and wouldn't start. Luckily they do well with a sand blast cleaner and a plug file.

Larry B

[BigBill]

I never had plugs foul yet nor fail. It's been about six years since the tune up. Are U getting oil fouling?
Seafood seems to foul plugs but running it cutting grass it clears.
Running it at the higher rpms the plugs clean themselves if there not oil fouled. Seafood frees stuck rings and repeats the rings. I use the Mobil delvac 15/40 motor oil. My 154 doesn't use a drop of oil. These engines were built to mow at 2,200 rpm.
Check the float level on your carb and the fuel bowl for water and dirt. Make sure the fuel system is clean just to eliminate that problem. Clean the points with a point file, regap, clean or change the plugs, set the timing. Adjust the idle mixture screw.

[BigBill]

I never had plugs foul yet nor fail. It's been about six years since the tune up. Are U getting oil fouling?
Seafoam seems to foul plugs but running it cutting grass it clears.
Running it at the higher rpms the plugs clean themselves if there not oil fouled. Seafoam frees stuck rings and repeats the rings. I use the Mobil delvac 15/40 motor oil. My 154 doesn't use a drop of oil. These engines were built to mow at 2,200 rpm.
Check the float level on your carb and the fuel bowl for water and dirt. Make sure the fuel system is clean just to eliminate that problem. Clean the points with a point file, regap, clean or change the plugs, set the timing. Adjust the idle mixture screw.

[Mike H]

not to hi jack the thread but
what plug do you suggest for cold weather operation [-20 f]
the main use is for snow removal

Mike

[Larry B]

I would start wIth champIon D21. after a dozen hours see how they look. you can block off most the radIator o get the heat up.

Larry B