Grandad's Sk-486 needs help.

[Kwa1ski 1]

Hello. I am new to the site but I have been reading from it for awhile to get info on my Sk-486. I am hoping that i will be able to get some more detailed info about my horse. My family got it from my Grandad and we really didn't know what to do with it for awhile. It sat in the shed for a few years then came out to do some landscaping with the snow blade. It then went back for a few years till I pulled it out last fall and got it working with my dad. It has lots of problems which I will list below.

 

-Carburetor needs ajusting (I have to run with the choke most of the way up)

-Carburetor bowl needs new gasket

-Top of engine seems to be leaking oil

-Needs new dipstick (handle is broken off)

-New Paint

-New Decals

-New wheels on mower deck

-Scalps grass when mowing on third highest setting

 

Here are some pictures.

 

This side decal is fine but the others are not so.

 

Here she is all decked out for the St. Patrick's Parade.

 

Can anyone tell me what the "ignition" switch does? It will start no matter which way it is flipped.

 

Well this concludes the first post. Please share any info you might have on this tractor. I will be sharing what I have already found after long hours of searching on the internet. I am sure Mr. Garry (gwest_ca) will be around sson. He seems to be posting in almost everything.

I forgot to mention that she is not I repeat not for sale!

[AMC RULES 37,130]

Nice looking  there. 

[Kwa1ski 1]

Why Thank you. Grandpa always took good care of it as far as I know. He kept it inside.

[Tankman 3,518]

Welcome to the forums, nice Horse you have there.

 

Never owned an SK anything but, surely forum members will zoom to your aid.

 

You might also check out the Yahoo Groups, Wheel Horse of course! 

[Racinbob 11,048]

That switch below the word 'ignition' isn't the ignition. Or at least isn't supposed to be. All that work is handled in the key switch. Trace out the wires and there's probably something else that the toggle switch is controlling. Very nice tractor and welcome to the forum.

[Kwa1ski 1]

Thanks Tankman.

 

@Racinbob: I traced it and it seems that it shuts off the power from the battery to the key ignition. Although I can start it regardless of the way it is flipped. I will have to take another look at it. If I can get some pictures of it I will. I'm not sure if I will take it out today b/c its rainy, but I get the best light for pictures outside the garage.

 

 

 

I was the only red tractor in the Parade. I got put between a 1969 diesel John Deere and a 2013 John Deere. I was however proud to represent WH in what is called "Deere Country."

[chazm 413]

WELCOME TO   

[Racinbob 11,048]

It must have been wired in by somebody that may have wanted a 'quick kill' just in case. It could be wired wrong or the switch may be bad and won't open. In any case it's not factory. I could have used one of those a while back when my brother in law couldn't find the key fast enough. Had it not been for my Dad I likely would have had my arm torn off at the shoulder but that's another story. I still have 10 fingers so I guess my arm is still in place.

You did Wheel Horse proud by showing up those green machines . The next time one of those guys says 'nothing runs like a Deere' just ask them why do they use Horses in the Kentucky Derby?

I gotta laugh at my own jokes. Nobody else does

[Kwa1ski 1]

@Racinbob: Lol. I like that one. I actually found some one else near me that is a big WH guru. As I drove by his house I saw he had like 2-3 horses on a trailer. A couple sitting out and a big WH sign on his barn. I said "I'm gonna have to visit him soon." Does anyone on here know of any WH person in Western Ohio?

 

@Chasm: Thanks!

Edited May 14, 2014 by Kwa1ski

[Racinbob 11,048]

I'm sure there are quite a few around you. There's even a few down here but most folks in this state don't even know what a Wheel Horse is. We lived a short distance from South bend, IN for 45 years before moving down here in 2000. I had a red herd up there.

[Kwa1ski 1]

@Racinbob" Thanks I will keep my eyes open for them.

 

I think I figured out the wiring of the "ignition" switch. It appears to be a switch to run power to lights on a trailer. It was added by a past owner. *Project Idea!* Here are some pictures below.

 

The switch in the middle is the unknown "ignition' switch.

 

The yellow wire with my finger on it goes directly to the + side of the battery.

 

I traced the other end to the back where is was wrapped with electrical tape to keep it from coming in contact with the frame. The negative side of the battery runs through the metal frame of the WH. As is the case with the lights.

 

Traced wire.

 

Lights wiring.

 

If I get funds for it I will fix up and paint our trailer and put lights on it.

 

[Racinbob 11,048]

Now that makes better sense. That would be cool to have your trailer lights on in a parade. When we lived in Indiana we would load up the utility trailer with family members and drive about 2 miles to North Liberty to watch the 4th of July parade. I pulled it with my restored 854. The streets were lined up with folks on blankets and lawn chairs but they always left our 'parking' spot under a shade tree open for us. Loads of fun!!

[Kwa1ski 1]

@Racinbob: Sounds like fun! That's nice that they saved you a spot each year.

[Kwa1ski 1]

Okay so I have a problem with the start up and run. My usual starting procedure goes like this.

 

From a cold start.

1. Open gas valve

2. Push in clutch

3. Put choke at the top (Choke flap is closed all the way in carburetor)

4. Put throttle up about 3/4 of the way

5. Turn key and let the engine turn over a few times

6. Engine almost starts but not quite (strong cranking and almost firing)

7. Left off the key and do it again

8. As I am turning the key I move the throttle down to the lowest point till it fires then quickly up to the middle

9. It usually starts about now

 

If I turn the choke down to off or even half it looses power and dies. If I put the throttle all the way it dies. My dad and I tried to adjust the carb according to this manual. Kohler K341. Pages 10-13 I think. We fiddled with it for awhile then finally gave up and put it where we could at least start it. I know that the gasket seal on the bowl underneath the carb is bad and I found out where to get a new one. Here. We also redid the main seal on the carb with some stuff in a tube. I haven't had any problem with it so far. The spark plug gives a good shock. My dad can attest to that. The fuel also pumps strong. The air filter is dirty though and one day I took it off the look at it and it was wet and some gas poured out of the carb. I don't think that is good.

 

Could someone share some knowledge in the subject?

[whc160 74]

 From another Buckeye!  On the Eastern side.

 

Nice   you got there.  A good friend of mine has an SK-486 and they are a good machine.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2014 by whc160

[Kwa1ski 1]

@whc160: Thanks! I am on the other side.   It is a good machine indeed. It puts up with all the abuse. I am trying to take better care of it now and fix it up though. The Sk's and the C160's have a lot in common. I looked at the mounting mechanism of a C160 and found out how to mount it on my Sk. The Sk was a model that used up extra pieces from the other models. You seem to have a lot of C160's. I don't know much about those.