Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #1 Posted October 22, 2007 I got the itch for a big hp twin cylinder tractor. Sure enough one shows up in the local paper......520-H with a 48" deck, 42" sno-blower and a 5000watt(rare and hard to find) WH generator......only $1000 with 876 hours! Now my neighbor saw it first and all he wants is the generator and I allready have one so theres no problem there and off we go to see it. We get to the house and its in a big $$ neighborhood which is a good sign I think. Into the guys garage we go and there it is...a nice shiny 1988 520-H with the deck installed. Heres where the story gets crummy. He tells us its hard to start and runs real bad for awhile but then smooths out some after it gets warm. Hmmm.....not good I tell myself. He tries to fire it off but it wont start at all till he shoots some startin fluid down the carb and boy was it loud!!! Seems one of the valves is either hung up or the seat is loose but even after it got warm it was still just as loud and shakkin the whole tractor. You could feel with your hand that it was pushing air or fuel back up thru the carb. I dont need another project and the big Onans are famous for valvetrain issues so this one is definately not coming home with me. And I dont need a deck or sno-blower either. My neighbor however was able to score the generator with all mounting hardware for a good price. Mike.....still lookin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #2 Posted October 22, 2007 You had to go an ruin a perfect weekend now didn't you. Getting greedy will do it every time Don't blame you for not wanting an Onan project, like you said, the valve seat probably came loose which is never a good thing. 876 hours seems low to have valve problems though. I know that sometimes when cold, my 416 will try to run on 1 cyl, but that lasts for less than a minute then the other kicks in and then they run smoooooooth. Well, sorry it didn't work out for you, I'll keep an eye out for a nice 520. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Curmudgeon 28 #3 Posted October 22, 2007 Okay, it's not exactly a big twin, but I was hunting around in the Surplus Center today for something unrelated and found they have some nice 50HP Cats, $3700. Couple feet long, couple feet high, foot and a half across. Talk about a KICK BUTT Wheel Horse engine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dale, dreaming........... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kj4kicks 151 #4 Posted October 22, 2007 Don't worry Mike. If it was a 1988, you didn't want it anyhow. No gear reduction steering until 1991. Good things come to those who wait..... Eldon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #5 Posted October 27, 2007 Well I got one. Its a 1987 418-A. It has the Kohler Magnum 18 twin cylinder and an Eaton 1100 tranny with hydraulic lift. Came with a 42" side discharge deck and a 42" snow-blower with lift arm and flag. Also has the original WH hubcaps which are supposed to be in good shape. I should be picking it up next weekend so I will post pics then. Mike........with a full house Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #6 Posted October 27, 2007 That one was made for just one year right? That would probably make an excellent snow blowing tractor, plenty of power and hydraulic lift, or maybe put on that shinny new plow you got there.... Congratulations, looking forward to the pictures! With all your new toys, we need another play date! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #7 Posted October 27, 2007 I found a picture of a 418-A..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rollerman 290 #8 Posted October 27, 2007 Mike...don't let Eldon know it has hood louvers! Post some pics of yours Mike when you bring it home...it should pull the deck & blower without even working! Can't beat the Kohler twin or Eaton trans either. Does this mean the Economy PK will wait till next month? Stephen in northern IN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #9 Posted October 27, 2007 Thats it! Mine is probably not as nice lookin as that one, although I havent seen it in person yet. Its gonna get a snow-plow for the winter, but this spring we will have the driveway paved so it will be a dedicated snow-blower tractor next winter. I love what a snow-blower can do but my gravel/dirt driveway is a bit to rough on a blower. Anyone here have a twin Magnum Kohler? Just wondering if theres any horror stories out there about em. Mike........ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #10 Posted October 27, 2007 Hey Stephen. Well I only had enough cash for one tractor and I ended up with this one, but I gave the # of the Power Kings seller to my neighbor and when he called it was gone. I'm lookin forward to the louvered hood since the Kohler has a CHROME ...thats right....chrome air cleaner. Hopefully I can see it from the drivers seat thru the louvers. Totally cool! Mike...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #11 Posted October 27, 2007 It looks like the louvers face the other way, even better your neighbor can see the chrome air cleaner! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rollerman 290 #12 Posted October 27, 2007 Mike my former 520 H had the Lovered hood & a chrome air cleaner too. But I could not see it from the seat...possibly from the wind hitting my eyes with that 20HP pulling me along? Stephen in northern IN Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kj4kicks 151 #13 Posted October 28, 2007 Don't worry Mike, my louvered hood will be here next week, so your's is safe ! Congrats on the new horse! Eldon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #14 Posted October 28, 2007 Is the Eaton 1100 the same as the Eaton 11? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T-Mo-(Moderator) 4,496 #15 Posted October 28, 2007 So are we going to get pics when you pick her up next week? Congratulations, btw. I have only heard good things, myself on the Kohler Magnums. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #16 Posted October 28, 2007 I'll definately have pics after I git her home. I'll be heading up to Massachusetts( thats right...not Connecticut ) to pick it up Saturday. If I get real motivated I'll get a couple shots of the 656 I got for free a couple of weeks back. Now Karl about that "play date".......are you bringing a chain !! Mike..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kpinnc 11,877 #17 Posted October 28, 2007 Karl, Yes, the Eaton 1100 and Eaton 11 are the same. Not sure why some people refer to them with or without the "00". Same goes for the 700 and 7 series. The Eaton 1100 comes with a seperate coaxial charge pump for hydraulic lift, the 700 does not. There is also an Eaton 600 that does not have hydraulic lift, nor does it have the internal valving to reduce vibrations like the 700 series. Otherwise, it will work as a replacement for a 700 in a pinch. The 1100 series bolt up directly to the newer Wheel Horse transaxles, and the 600/700s use a small (about 1/2 in thick) adapter. The adapter comes with the transaxle when the 600/700 series pump is used from the factory. I THINK this is the reason for the difference in a 312-A, 417-A (automatic, no hydraulics), etc.., as opposed to a 516-H, 520-H (auto with hydraulics). If you look at the parts diagram at the Toro site, you'll see the adapter plate I am talking about. It's just a cast iron spacer. Sorry for the BOOK response. I've been in alot of these pumps. They're great unless you get a little grit in them, then they become scrap metal... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #18 Posted October 28, 2007 Now this one is refered to as a 418-A but does have hydraulic lift. On anther note...I was able to borrow a 1987 dealers brochure(with the 420-LSE on the cover) and it has the 418-A as weighing in at a whopping 739#s. This is a shipping weight of the tractor only. Its gotta be my heaviest tractor! Mike...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #19 Posted October 29, 2007 Thank you for the explanation on the Eaton hydro's. For what ever reason Wheel Horse called them 1100's then later on dropped the 00 for just the 11. I suspected they were the same. I wondered what the difference between that and the 7, so thank you for that info. Mike, 739# wow that thing is heavy, same as the earlier 417-A's That's going to be some machine, probably be great for plowing! So I need to bring over a chain? We going into the woods :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #20 Posted November 4, 2007 Did you get yer biggen tractor today? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,300 #21 Posted November 4, 2007 Yes I did. But of course the weather here in Connecticut was crappy so I have no pics yet. Actually started to rain pretty hard on the way home so I stopped to tarp it in Palmer Massachusetts(hey Ben) and thats the way I left it on the trailer tonight. Tomorrow should be nice and I'll get it off the trailer and take some pics. The seat is shot and the battery is almost stone dead( as usual) but it runs and I did drive it up onto the trailer. The blower needs a bearing which the seller gave me, and the 42" side discharge deck needs an idler/tensioner pulley which the seller also gave me so I have stepped into another project tractor . But as a plow tractor this winter it should be fine. Mike..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nylyon-(Admin) 7,254 #22 Posted November 4, 2007 You must have gotten the rain that just missed us. Well congratulations on the new tractor. I bet that twin Kohler runs smooth, I haven't heard one myself, but bet it's nice. With the hydraulics, automatic and the big Kohler, snow plowing should be even more fun and much less of a work out, but you're not thinking of actually using that new plow of yers now are ya? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
