My Free 310-8

[D_Mac 8,852]

So as many of you know i picked this up for free about a month ago. Gave me some trouble getting it running but it is now running and driving again. Previous owner didn't want to repair it. The throttle plate on the carb had come off and the carb was damaged. The starter was also sticking. Offered it to me for free if I just came to pick it up. Long story short after a couple of carburetor tries, new head gasket, cleaned and greased the bendix on starter, new battery, new fuel filter,  new gas it's running nice. Even came with a 48 inch deck. Seat was replaced last year. I still need to clean it all up but I am so happy to hear it running so well. I'll post more pics as I do more to it.

Edited June 17, 2023 by D_Mac

[squonk 41,604]

So. Are you going to tell us what was wrong? 

[Pullstart 63,174]

Look at the improvements you’re making working on these old tractors!  Two years ago, you wouldn’t have pulled a head without someone there walking you through it.  Now, you’re an all around small engine mechanic!  

[D_Mac 8,852]

16 minutes ago, squonk said:

So. Are you going to tell us what was wrong? 

I'm embarrassed to say. I told you I emptied the gas tank and put fresh gas in it. Well it seams you have to blow out the gas lines, and clean out the fuel pump and new carb as well. Full of water. Live and learn. Now I know. 

 

7 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

Look at the improvements you’re making working on these old tractors!  Two years ago, you wouldn’t have pulled a head without someone there walking you through it.  Now, you’re an all around small engine mechanic!  

Lol read above and I had help the whole way through. 

Edited June 17, 2023 by D_Mac

[Sparky-(Admin) 21,489]

8 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

I'm embarrassed to say. I told you I emptied the gas tank and put fresh gas in it. Well it seams you have to blow out the gas lines, and clean out the fuel pump and new carb as well. Full of water. Live and learn. Now I know. 

 

 Mistakes is how most of us learn!

  Congrats on getting her up and running 

[8ntruck 7,161]

What you just did by discovering that the rest of the fuel system was filled with water is known as gaining experience.

Edited June 17, 2023 by 8ntruck

[squonk 41,604]

Yup. In one of the other threads I not only mentioned water more than once but said it would be something that would produce an oH snap moment.

[D_Mac 8,852]

I thought when I emptied the gas tank and cleaned it out and put new fuel filter on it , it would eliminate a moisture problem. Apparently not. We took yhe fuel filter off again and that's when we noticed the water in the line. Next step is a good cleaning. I would like to get a smaller deck or a plow set up for it. No room for this 48. Got any you want to trade @squonk? I see you are trying to get rid of a 48 as well. If it had a bagger on it I would leave it at my mother's house to use there. 

[kpinnc 12,743]

2 hours ago, D_Mac said:

Live and learn. Now I know. 

 

Almost everything I know, I learned by breaking something! 

[Jon Paulsen 290]

No shame no blame, bro.  Good job nailing it, and look at all the stuff you learned along the way. Happy to see a happy horse! 

 

Heeeeeeey, why is the bro smiley's head shaped like an alien? 

[SylvanLakeWH 26,101]

[Handy Don 12,568]

14 hours ago, kpinnc said:

 

Almost everything I know, I learned by breaking something! 

Or by buying the wrong thing before realizing what the right thing was. 

Got boxes of “education” in my shop.

[D_Mac 8,852]

So this morning I brought it home from my buddies garage. Gave it a bath and added some chrome and a little paint. Painted the muffler black with some high temperature paint. Added a chrome heat shield to it. Then removed the debris screen and painted it with some chrome paint. I plan on removing the decals and painting the hood and seat pan / rear fenders with some Regal Red. They have been painted before and color does not match. I mentioned before I have a set of 416-8 decals I might use on it just cause I have them leftover from previous project. Put the deck in the shed will look it over another time. Seems solid and clean. Might have to pick up the rpms some . At full throttle I don't think it's at 3600 rims. Going to need all of that to turn that 48 inch trough some high grass.

[D_Mac 8,852]

Sooooo....Removed the decals, some Regal Red on the hood and rear fenders. Looks a lot better. Give it some clear tomorrow. Coming along nice. Done for the day now.

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by D_Mac

[D_Mac 8,852]

3 coats of clear. Got a little orange peel in a couple of spots. Overall it looks a lot better. After the clear I rubbed it down with some detailing wax. Poured some dry gas in the tank. Took it for a spin. Still thinking about decals. Noticed the volt meter isn't moving. Oh well, what do you expect for FREE !!!

[ineedanother 1,369]

Looking good  Your voltmeter has to have a good ground and those hood stands aren't great for that. On the back of the meter one terminal is 12v in and the other is ground.  

[D_Mac 8,852]

Thanks... any idea what that " test" switch does ?

30 minutes ago, ineedanother said:

 On the back of the meter one terminal is 12v in and the other is ground.  

 

[tunahead72 2,447]

Your tractor has a low oil safety switch that's supposed to prevent the engine from starting if the oil level is low.  The "engine oil" light is supposed to come on in that case, and you can test the light by moving the "test" switch up.

 

My personal preference is to pay a huge amount of attention to that "CHECK OIL BEFORE STARTING" sticker just below that, and follow that advice religiously.

 

[Jon Paulsen 290]

I dig it!  I don't get all three of my thumbs up for just anything... Happy for you and your nice machine. You saved a soul.

[D_Mac 8,852]

Yeah when I hit the switch no light comes on. Seems to do nothing. The push button start works. It also starts with the key. Not sure why you need both.

[tunahead72 2,447]

1 hour ago, D_Mac said:

... The push button start works. It also starts with the key. Not sure why you need both.

 

You don't, somebody was messing around in there before you got it.

 

I'm going to stay out of the (to me) difficult electrical discussion, you'll just hurt yourself if you listen to my advice on wiring. 

 

[D_Mac 8,852]

Ordered a set of decals from @Vinylguy. Haven't seen him on here in a while. Ordered off his website. Hope all well. Next step is I would like to change the front tires from 6 inch to 8 inch. I have a set if 8 inch on rims but they are to wide and the spindle dosnt go all the way through. To me the tractor just dosnt look right with 6 inch tires up front. Any advantages of having a smaller tire up front?

[SylvanLakeWH 26,101]

Geometry of the tractor / deck designed for 6". Would impact mower deck geometry I would think. Other than that, why not? I'm guessing it's been done before...

[RandyLittrell 3,885]

On 6/17/2023 at 7:18 PM, D_Mac said:

I'm embarrassed to say. I told you I emptied the gas tank and put fresh gas in it. Well it seams you have to blow out the gas lines, and clean out the fuel pump and new carb as well. Full of water. Live and learn. Now I know. 

 

Lol read above and I had help the whole way through. 

 

But you asked for help, listened and then fixed it! That is what we are here for!! 

 

 

Randy

[Rick3478 429]

46 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

Ordered a set of decals from @Vinylguy. Haven't seen him on here in a while. Ordered off his website. Hope all well. Next step is I would like to change the front tires from 6 inch to 8 inch. I have a set if 8 inch on rims but they are to wide and the spindle dosnt go all the way through. To me the tractor just dosnt look right with 6 inch tires up front. Any advantages of having a smaller tire up front?

 

The 6" wheels are necessary for the 37" two blade mower deck, with 8" you can't turn left.  AFAIK none of the other implements care.