Dad passed away this past March, and I brought the B to my place last month.  I got it unstuck, went through the head, and generally adjusted repaired and replaced a few things.  The time came this past Saturday to try to start it.  This is a FMJ magneto fired ignition.

I initially static timed it to the "Fire" mark, but thanks to this forum, discovered that it needed to be timed to TDC.  That accomplished, it fired and sputtered, but no start.  The points were cleaned and gapped and it had new Autolite 295 spark plugs.  I adjusted the magneto a bit and got more sputtering than before, but no running.  Finally, based on something I read here, I took the spark plugs out and put 3 of the Champion J8s in it that it had when I got it.  One of the J8s was from the stuck cylinder and was rusty and pitted.  So, this morning, with 3 Champion J8s and one Autolite 295 (in #4), I tried it again, and it fired and ran quite well for a first start in 6 or 7 years.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrIgsqmttTM " rel="nofollow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrIgsqmttTM  ;

So my questions is this: Is there a logical reason why this old girl would prefer old Champion sparkplugs over new Autolight 295s?  It is coincidence and nothing to do with the spark plugs? Is it dumb luck?  Is it voodoo?

Thoughts?

Thanks for what you have done to keep a name I love alive.

If you can get pictures would love to see them

By the way the plug of choice is the Auto Light non resister plugs.  When we sold them new we used the AC45 - 48 and at that time they worked well.  However, it is my understanding that AC plugs are not so good anymore.

Good Luck!

Bill Long

Pics?  I have a few:

Here is my Dad in about 2005 mowing:

Here it is a few weeks ago after I rolled it off the trailer and pressure washed it:

Here is the way it has look for the last few weeks.  This was right after I bolted the head back on.  It now (as seen in the video linked above) has everything on it but the hood.

Anyhoo, the little B not only runs, but moves (which wasn't really in doubt once it was running.

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I had a problem with the Autolite 295 plugs recently in my WD.  I bought a new set a few months ago from Napa and installed them and the tractor ran terrible. Hard to start and lots of misfires.  I had a close look and the new ones had "made in china" on the boxes, but no mark on the plugs.  Also, the metal plug base was a silver color.

I went through my used plugs and got a decent set of 295's that were marked on the plug as "made in USA" and the metal base was black.  Installed these and the tractor has run fine ever since!

That's interesting. With all the Autolite plugs we've sold over the years, I've never seen a silver based plug. All the ones that I've ever seen were black base. Sometimes some plugs just don't work in a certain engine for whatever reason and another mfr. plug does. Weird, but it happens. Can't explain it. I've never had any luck with Champions in anything I own, so I just use other brands like Autolite, AC, or NGK. Just for the heck of it, I picked up a set of J8 Champs last summer and tossed em' in the B. Fired up okay, idled okay, but as soon as I started to bring the rpm's up, the engine didn't want to hear it! Spittin' sputterin', black smoke. Like I had my hand over the Carb inlet. I started to laugh and said to myself "I'm glad to see nothin's changed". Put the used Autolite 295's back in and it ran like a champ (no pun intended) again. RPM's came right up, revved great. I dunno, can't esssplain it....

Steve@B&B

Phil,

Nice looking snow removal equipment.... 

Every time I read a champion story, I think of three distinct times that the Champion plugs were at fault.

 There were certain places you use champions like in the older chrysler engines... But don't put them in a WD, WD45, D17, 170, for sure.

 First story tops the list was my uncle had a 66 impala and he took it in to have serviced and plugs changed at 60,000... Told the dealership that he wanted AC plugs.  Later he picked up the car and it just didn't run right and looked and seen they had put champions in, he went back and told them he specifically stated he wanted AC plugs and seen they put champs in. OK, they would check the plugs... took the champs out and found 3 of the 8 failed on the tester under pressure, then they went and got a new box of plugs and found several in there no good. The shop man said to the mechanic to go get the AC plugs from the parts store. tested them in the machine and they all were good. Those were the last plugs in it till the tranny went out.

  second one was dad was starting spring plowing and he came up for dinner and I did a 'tune-up' on the D17 with new points condenser rotor and champion plugs and set by ear and timing light. He went back out to plow and came back about 15 minutes later and was very disgusted and said "What the hell did you do to the tractor?" I told him and he said 'Put the old ones back in.' I did and he went back to plowing...

 Third one was I could hear the neighbor with his D17 spitting and sputtering  a quarter mile away, one day he came up to have his back blade welded and the loader frame too... and I said lets take a look at why it doesn't run right. Took the plugs out and said "Theres your problem, you got champions!". I put AC45 plugs in, then looked at the points and cleaned them up, pulled the valve cover and he cleaned the gunk out of that while I set the valves. Looked at the air cleaner and cleaned crap from that and put in new oil. Cleaned out the sediment bowl and fired the think up, man that thing ran nice. He was tickled pink...

I want a plug tester that I can check all the plugs in so I knew if they are good new or used. Don't trust the manufactures anymore for quality control.