Gilson ST522 Time Capsule

[D_Mac 8,618]

Picked this up at an estate sale today for 20 bucks. Looks like it just rolled out of the showroom. I have owed one of these before and I must say Gilson must have had a really good paint department because of the two I have seen the paint holds up great for the years. Although this one looks great it needs big help. First of all the inside of the gas tank is the worst I have ever seen. Not sure it could be saved. Second it is missing the throttle speed adjustment lever. We'll it's not really a lever. If you are familiar with these it's a knob that sticks straight up from the top of the engine. Pull up for full throttle,  push down for idle. 5hp Briggs engine. Carb mounts to the tank. If anyone has a source for replacement parts let me know. I would like to get it running again. Does start with starting fluid. Thanks

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

Jeffrey is probably thinking I wonder what those tires taste like 

but anyways nice find.

[Achto 27,571]

2 hours ago, D_Mac said:

 

The stamped numbers on the shroud are all you need to get info on the Briggs parts.

 

 

Great looking walk behind. 

Edited November 4, 2022 by Achto

[D_Mac 8,618]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

 

The stamped numbers on the shroud are all you need to get info on the Briggs parts.

 

 

Great looking walk behind. 

Yes I ordered the rebuild kit for the carb. I will try to clean the tank. What's missing is the throttle adjusting level. Not sure if it is a Gilson part. When I loom up Briggs carb linkage it is different set up.

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,297]

@D_Mac Once you get it running , sell it to squonk . He need something to play with the snow.

[wh500special 2,179]

1984 model I’d guess.  I had its older sibling when I lived in Indiana. I think mine was an ‘81 but was almost identical and had the 120V electric starter on it.  Over summer one year the compression ring stuck and it lost compression but it was an easy fix.  I want to say it was less than $25 for the rings and a couple of gaskets. 
 

Gilsons are well regarded snow machines.  I really enjoyed mine. It worked beautifully and after I added tire chains to the solid rubber drive tires it would have climbed every mountain. 
 

Perhaps in lieu of the original throttle linkage you can substitute a universal remote throttle cable from the hardware store?  Might be handy to be able to set it at an idle from the operator’s position when you need to move something out of the way. 
 

They did use great paint.  I think most L&G manufacturers used much better paint systems than we are used to on Wheel Horses…
 

Steve

[D_Mac 8,618]

Brought it to my buddies house yesterday. Gave it a good look over. I can not believe how nice it is. Zero rust on it anywhere.  Puzzles me that it's in such good shape but couple parts missing. I can understand the poor condition of the inside of the gas tank, but not missing parts. Anyways this morning I ordered carb rebuild kit and what I hope is the missing throttle linkage. Fingers crossed I can get the tank clean. My plan is to soak it in vinegar for a week rinse and repeat. If you blow up the pics you can see the condition it's in. No rust on any nut or bolt. The chrome on the rods are still chrome. Cream puff I tell ya!!!

[c-series don 8,707]

Looks brand new! Can’t wait to see it in action, since it will probably be snowing up there very soon!! 

Edited November 6, 2022 by c-series don

[D_Mac 8,618]

Pictures don't do it justice. The gas tank is so bad not sure it can be saved. I'm going  to try Evapo-Rust. Anyone have any experience with this product ?

[D_Mac 8,618]

Smell is so foul. Have a new carb for it. Attempting to clean the tank out. I tried to get the power washer wand in there to blast some crud out. Chunks of junk came out. Did that several times. Now I poured some Evaporust in there. Letting it soak for a few days. Fingers crossed.

[The Freightliner Guy 1,327]

Kinda looks like my rjs tank 

[davem1111 2,030]

On 11/6/2022 at 1:14 PM, The Freightliner Guy said:

Kinda looks like my rjs tank 

 

and like the tank and carb on the B-100 I picked up for $50 that I haven't messed with much yet.  It still stinks where I dumped that old rotten gasoline several months ago. 

[Zeek 2,286]

That's a pretty cool find for $20! I'm allergic to snow so I can't in good conscience like anything related to it 

[D_Mac 8,618]

Well the tank has been soaking. It's way better then it was but isn't perfect. I purchased a brand new carb and the missing throttle linkage for it

 Will be putting it back together this weekend. Hopefully the tank won't be an issue. It has a small little chamber inside the tank towards the top. With that in there keeps me from being able to stuff something in there to try and wipe it. So much junk came out but there is still some scales inside.

[squonk 41,104]

Same engine for sale in Syr. CL with the tank $40

[953 nut 55,220]

On 11/10/2022 at 12:12 PM, D_Mac said:

. Hopefully the tank won't be an issue. It has a small little chamber inside the tank towards the top. With that in there keeps me from being able to stuff something in there to try and wipe it. So much junk came out but there is still some scales inside.

Buy a box (100) of 1/4-20 nuts, put them in the tank, put the cap on the tank, bungy the tank to the rear wheel of one of your  and take a rather noisy drive around the neighborhood. When you get back home all that stuff you couldn't get at will have been knocked loose. This method is @Pullstart approved!

[Pullstart 62,851]

‘Cept when I have done it in the past, with some mineral spirits in the agitation, I never thought to strap it to something.  I just shook the bejebus out of it!

[D_Mac 8,618]

the tank i got pretty clean is it perfect ? no. The issues I am having now are with the parts I ordered for it. I ordered the throttle rod and the knob that goes with it. Well the rod is wrong it is to short and the knob that is supposed to screw on top of that rod dosnt. Clearly I got the wrong rod. Trying to make it work but havnt been able to get out there to work on it. The new carb and tank are installed. Rod is put on, muffler back on. Just trying to figure a way to extend that rod about an inch. Worst set up I have ever seen.

Edited November 19, 2022 by D_Mac

[8ntruck 6,999]

Maybe get some welding rod of the proper diameter and try your hand bending up your own linkage?  A MAAP gas torch should get small diameter steel rod to cherry red to ease bending on the short segments.

[D_Mac 8,618]

The problem is is that everything has to come off again to remove that rod. Like I said, I never seen such a stupid design. Sooooo I'm going to try to get a rod coupler to extend it a little. If that fails I will start from beginning again.