Had a little accident

[jsp_333 268]

Got a problem with an rj35 I'm restoring.  After almost 2 years I'm finally able to ride it.

So during that first ride I manage to get a rear wheel hooked on a cedar plant.

Next thing I know I'm doing donuts around this shrub because I can't disengage the transmission. 

Also my left leg is perilously close to getting caught under the rear wheel so I can't use the break.

After  about six laps I finally get the engine to stall - not sure how to be honest - and now of course I can't get the rj started again.

There is no spark.  I've pulled the fly wheel looking for any signs of trauma and there are none.

Spark plug wire shows no damage, coil looks good same for flywheel. 

I've spun the flywheel with a plug grounded on the block and there is definitely no spark.

Really not sure where to go from here. 

I could pull the coil from another K90 I guess but don't really want to as it's a complete engine too.

Thoughts??

 

[RedRanger 1,468]

Wish I would have been there to watch!  

 

Sorry for your misfortune.  As for your problem.....no idea.

[953 nut 55,769]

Is there a kill switch that grounds out the mag? Thinking you may have shorted it out. As for the wild ride; 

[SylvanLakeWH 25,927]

WOW!

Them early WH's were not - shall we say - OSHA Compliant...

Makes me think of the bumper sticker I got once at a work safety seminar:

 

"If you think OSHA is a small town in Wisconsin, your in trouble..."

 

I would check all the wire connections. From the sounds of it maybe a branch got in there and separated a connection, since you didn't "do" anything to stall it...just a thought...Good Luck!

 

[jsp_333 268]

Ya there is a connection for the kill switch leading from the mag but not hooked up.

If that touched the block could that short out the engine? 

And if it did, why has the engine - or magneto - lost the ability to produce a spark.

I'll try to get images up today but there is really nothing to see.

There is no visible damage.

And yes there is some video, very brief, but at this point its still too embarrassing to share

[wallfish 17,079]

25 minutes ago, jsp_333 said:

And yes there is some video, very brief, but at this point its still too embarrassing to share

No more advice until you share that video!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Just kidd'n around.

That kill wire is supposed to ground the spark if it touches any metal on the tractor!

Was it always disconnected?

If it was pulled on by any branches, something could've cut into the insulation of the wire.

Also check the points and the wire from the points. That will also ground out spark.

[AMC RULES 37,134]

32 minutes ago, wallfish said:

No more advice until you share that video!!!!!!!!!! 

 

 What he said.  

[jsp_333 268]

Yes the kill wire has always been disconnected.

Haven't gotten to the part where I feel comfortable mounting the hood and throttle wire and kill switch.

I'll check wires to to points.

I've been focusing on magneto at this point as I thought points were more involved with timing and keeping engine running after I've got a spark.

 

 

Also no video until it rides again!!!  and I have already said "very brief".  My wife is fired as a photojournalist as she didn't keep camera on me during "the troubles"

[SylvanLakeWH 25,927]

3 minutes ago, jsp_333 said:

... My wife is fired as a photojournalist as she didn't keep camera on me during "the troubles"

 

Now, could she have been laughing too hard to hold the camera steady???

 

[jsp_333 268]

Ok some photos of the engine.

Noticed some damage - insulation stripped - on both kill switch wire and lead to points.

Could I have fried the magneto by shorting out engine with exposed wire on kill switch

 

 

Oooops for got photos

[wallfish 17,079]

Nope, not going to fry a magneto that way as that's what that kill wire does. It grounds it to stop the spark for shutting down the engine. That kill wire and the points wire probably end up at the same connection under the flywheel.

You should probably just replace those wires since you should pull the flywheel again to check for other cracks or breaks in the insulation along the entire length of both wires. One or both could be grounding to plate where they pass through it to go the coil. 

 

And as hard as you seem to drive them around the shrubs, might as well attach that support to the bottom of that air cleaner before that breaks too!

 

[jsp_333 268]

Ya that's what I thought. The kill switch just kills the spark momentarily.

I think replacing both the wires is the logical next step. Thanks Wallfish.  After all they are 60 years old.

Is it just 12 gauge copper wire?

And about the air cleaner... the support seems to be sitting a little low.  Bend the suppport?

It just dawned on me; should the butterfly nut be beneath the support?

[DougC 2,641]

Just possible the copper wires are broken and the only thing holding the wires together is the insulation. Seen that happen all the time on cars and trucks at the dealership.  Collisions are tough on wiring looms, even if it's a shrub related accident.  

[jsp_333 268]

New wiring it is!

And for those of you with a morbid sense of humour...  the video.

I warned you it was brief. At least the part you all want to see.

rj35_rides_again.mov

[AMC RULES 37,134]

                             Fired...for this???  

                                       LOL!!!!           

               Why...she should get an Oscar for that clip.   

 

Edited May 2, 2016 by AMC RULES

[953 nut 55,769]

You need to send that into AFV!

[DougC 2,641]

That bush just reached out and touched ya....   BIG TIME.

 

I ran into a tree last October while pulling a borrowed lawn sweeper and bent the hell out of my snow thrower I was too lazy to remove before leaf duty. I was watching the leaves getting swept into the sweeper and not what was directly in front of me........

[wallfish 17,079]

Thanks for posting the video! 

Yes, just 12 wire and you may need to bend that support so the wing nut connects underneath.

That temporary gas tank explains the green carb. Old Bolens?

 

 

[N3PUY 1,031]

did the bush get into the flywheel ....stopping it ... and sheering the key?

[Pullstart 63,096]

Wow, there's an idea!  The "Cedarbush Turnbrake", starting at two easy payments of $19.95!  But wait!  There's more!  Order now and you can get a right side for free!  Just pay shipping and handling and $37.39 processing.

 

That thing sure did whip you quick like @jsp_333!

[953 nut 55,769]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

The "Cedarbush Turnbrake"

We could add that as an event at the Big Show right beside the Tractor Balance teeter totter!                      

[jsp_333 268]

Wall fish, ya picked up a couple of k90s off of old bolens'. 

Now about that key. 

I redo the wiring - put the flywheel back on - give it a few spins and I am definitely

Getting current through spark plug wire. However the flywheel won't stay on. 

Pull it off again and sure enough the key is sitting on the bench. 

It looks like it's made to come out but now I'm wondering Have I completely pooched my engine? Or is just a simple matter of applying some force to put the flywheel back on?

[squonk 41,321]

WOW Even I couldn't do that!  Good thing that wasn't a bigger bush. You might have lost a tractor but gained a ZERO TURN! 

Edited May 2, 2016 by squonk

[953 nut 55,769]

9 hours ago, jsp_333 said:

is just a simple matter of applying some force to put the flywheel back on?

Line up the key, slip it on and tighten to 45 foot pounds and you should be back in your spin-cycle in no time.  

[wallfish 17,079]

That's good news you got the spark back!

Just make sure the key doesn't slip in the slot as you put the flywheel on. You kind of "feel" it as it goes on. If the key slips a little, the flywheel doesn't go on the shaft enough so don't force it on or the key will get mangled up. The key does not help hold the flywheel on at all and just lines it up to the correct timing position. The taper of the shaft matches the flywheel and that is what locks the flywheel in position. You might need to put on the cup or rope pulley (not sure what you have for starting it) and the washer so not to run out of threads for the nut when tightening it.