nyquil junkie 225 #1 Posted August 16, 2017 So... My nephew gave me this thing the other day and I just got it home. My old 856 is such a good worker (raggedy as it may be) I thought this would make a good additional work horse, since the 856 is busy hauling manure and bulldozing pathways. Now I think its a 64 1054, but I'm not sure. The serial # is 34148. Can anyone tell me what it is.... exactly? It does run and drive ok. It has a different engine, no hood, no belt guard, and some fool welded the hubs on the axles and the steering linkage is a welded mess but it does work fine. The back tires are shot but they hold air long enough. The front tires were new when he parked it. They need resealed but are fine. He says the hydro pump and piston does work, I have not tested it as yet, but I'll probably rip that out and sell it. (if anyone is interested). I'm gonna need a hood and a belt cover...and a new belt. Once I get it running good and test the trans out and make sure its all in good working order, I'll know more what I'm dealing with. I'll replace those back tires last if it seems to be worth the investment. Here, have a look at my new hot mess. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 54,155 #2 Posted August 16, 2017 With a serial number lower than 42XXX it would be a 953. You can get the parts needed from A-z Tractor or post a wanted ad on here. http://a-ztractor.com/ In addition to the hood and belt cover you should get the correct engine pulley so you can drive the hydro. pump. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #3 Posted August 16, 2017 Thanks! It needs a new belt... the old one is sticky and grabby. I think they put that engine pully on there because it fit the engine, but he has 2 on there so, if the other had a belt the pump would probably run. But as I said, I won't have an need for the pump. Once I test it I'll probably sell it. I started it up, it leaks gas out of the bowl, runs on half choke and has a mouse nest under the cowling.... so I think the sputtering is the fluff shorting out the magneto or something. I'll have to take it apart and clean it.... and figure out what engine it is to get a new carb and whatnot. But now we know its a 953 so thats good. Oh and someone only welded half the steering plate down so.. it wiggles. I can put a bolt in there or..... go with the theme and weld it. How hard is it to take the fuel tank out? I wont need that either, it has the org. glass water trap on it, and seems clean inside. It might be worth a few bucks also. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 54,155 #4 Posted August 16, 2017 7 minutes ago, nyquil junkie said: needs a new belt... the old one is sticky and grabby. A fabric covered belt like the Kevlar belts sold at Tractor Supply is best.That piece of angle iron below the belt needs to be attached to the engine where it will let the belt ride on it when the clutch is depressed. The belt guard also helps stop the belt. 14 minutes ago, nyquil junkie said: won't have an need for the pump. Once I test it I'll probably sell it. Just put a for sale ad in our classified section and it will go fast; may even buy it myself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #5 Posted August 16, 2017 You wouldnt happen to know what size belts those are... If I can get both I can test that unit before I remove it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 54,155 #6 Posted August 17, 2017 If your 953 had the Kohler engine and the original pulley (yours looks a bit bigger) it would take a 4L-820 drive belt and 3L-480 pump belt. Best bet may be to take the belt presently on your tractor and match it up. Might need to try a measurement around the pump and engine pulley to find that length. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #7 Posted August 17, 2017 True.... the engine is on a home made bracket so stock belts are probably not going to line up right. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #8 Posted August 17, 2017 Is there a way to test the hydro pump without belting it up and running it? I read somewhere to not run them without checking the oil level/w clean oil/ or something. I wouldnt want to spin the thing up and ruin it. Is the lever suppose to return to center when you let it go? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 54,155 #9 Posted August 17, 2017 You could pull the pulley off and run it with a 1/2" drill. The lift lever should spring return to center, but lots of them have broken springs, no big deal. There is a plug on the pump near your gear shift lever, the pump should be filled to the plug. If the oil in it is amber use motor oil, if red use ATF. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #10 Posted August 17, 2017 I'll do that, it'll save me having to buy a belt. I discovered a new problem. They scabbed a steering gear/setup off another (unknown) tractor. In theory is seems to work ok, but they for some reason welded the tie rod end adjuster nuts.... and the steering really needs adjusted. It looks like a set of the correct length generic tie rods for a go cart will work, so long as they can be adjusted a few inches in or out. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TravelinJavelin 620 #11 Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) hello there nyquil junkie I have a 953 myself and your serial number is way earlier than mine yours is 34148 and mine is 34698 this is my beast anyways just went through some tranny issues myself and stevasaurus was awesome enough to send me a dog set screw which so far is holding up well ....you just can't get crazy on these shifter's..... Aand Z tractor does have a complete tractor .....which is crazy in my part of the woods I just come on to a deal in NH on C/L on 2 1054's with plows mowing decks and snow blowers for a $1000 or best offer....if I had all kinds of cash i'd hunt these right up and buy everyone if I could ...as much as I love the C series these 953/1054's are my favorite and after I took out the tranny and so fourth I kind of swore at the engineer designer a little but after I recently stripped a JD 112 I take back my swearing on the wheel horse team .......to work on a tractor there nothing more simple in design than a wheel horse Edited August 17, 2017 by TravelinJavelin 2 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #12 Posted August 17, 2017 They look better when they are all in one piece. Looks like I need a clutch side panel too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #13 Posted August 17, 2017 (edited) This morning I took the engine apart, cleaned out the mouse nest, taped a few wires, cleaned the rusty sludge out of the carb bowl. The engine is an old 10hp Tecumseh, surprisingly forgiving of dirty fuel needles and whatnot. It ran well enough to take it for a spin even though that rotten belt makes it hard to get into gear. It worked well enough. I moved the drive belt over a bit since it is sloppy, and let it ride over the hydro pump pully. The pump and piston seem to work fine, it goes in and out nice and smooth, I don't see any drips or dribbles while running. I stuck a piece of 2x4 under the lift arm, and it lifts the tractor off its wheels a little, not much. The other way that would lift an implement seems good and strong, (up is much stronger than down) so I assume the whole setup is healthy. I should take a video of that to show it works when I remove it to sell it. Or not, I assume as old as it is, it probably could use a good teardown and cleaning/Orings whatever. But, it does work. The lever doesnt auto return to center but... oh well. Edited August 17, 2017 by nyquil junkie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,379 #14 Posted August 17, 2017 @nyquil junkie I've actually been wondering where you've been recently. The last I remember, you had just replaced the Kohler in your 856 with a Harbor Freight engine. Is this the same 856 you mentioned in your first post here? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #15 Posted August 19, 2017 (edited) Yep.... still chugging away every day, hauling cow poop and leveling off pathways. The HF engine surprisingly has never yet given us any grief. I might put one on this 953. There are some places that 856 just won't go, I'm hoping this 953 with some chains will. It'll have a long useful life again. Edited August 19, 2017 by nyquil junkie 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #16 Posted August 25, 2017 I messed with the engine today. I kinda hate old persnickety engines. Sure, it fires up fine. Runs at half throttle just fine. An idle? It acts like an old hit and miss engine. I did take the carb apart down to the last piece. Cleaned it. Inspected it with an 8x lupe. flushed it. left it to soak in B12. Put it all back together, reset the high screw, the low screw, the float level. No change. Grrrr. One weird thing I don't have the memory to remember why it would do this, but you can remove the idle air screw.... no change. screw it in all the way closed.... no change. I assumed it was sucking air somewhere, but I have no idea where, its all tight w/new gaskets. It would be fine on a log splitter or something that likes to run at half throttle all day. Shut it off, push the button it pops right back to life. But it doesn't idle or run on a low throttle smooth enough to not get on my nerves. A perfectly running engine is only a trip to Harbor Freight away. Life is too short to fret over $250 bucks. Besides, the tractor was free, right? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #17 Posted August 25, 2017 (edited) I just had a thought... or a memory, who can say... I bet my nephew took the main jet out. IIRC you can't to that in these carbs, or they go all wonky and need a new jet. I didn't remove it to clean it, I just knew not to. If he took the jet out and cleaned it and put it back in, I'll never make this thing idle right. That, and one of those pesky idle circuit passages might be clogged. Where's that 20% off coupon..... Edited August 25, 2017 by nyquil junkie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 54,155 #18 Posted August 26, 2017 Have you used Seafoam in the fuel to clean some of the crud from the carburetor? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #19 Posted August 26, 2017 yup... It ran for a good 15min with a good dose on seafoam in the little bit of gas in the tank. I'm going to run it hauling manure for a few days once I get the belt & pulley put on, I want to check the transmission out good before I sink money into tires and an engine. It might ungunk itself while doing some hard work. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tunahead72 2,379 #20 Posted August 26, 2017 Just a couple of thoughts off the top of my head: How fresh is the gas in the tank, and is the tank and all the fuel lines and filter clean? I'm not real familiar with the Tecumseh engines, but does it have something like a throttle shaft that might be loose and letting excess air into the mixture? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #21 Posted August 26, 2017 Clean tank fresh gas, new filter. It is an old carb, it is possible the throttle plate and shaft is worn.... I did'nt really notice while cleaning it. I know it doesn't take a whole lot of slop to make a problem. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #22 Posted August 27, 2017 (edited) This eve we ran it for a few hours, hauling manure once I got the belt on right, It was a bit long so I had to stick an adjustable idler on it to take the slack out. Seems to work fine that way. Well it did once I figured out why the shifter was so odd. Seems somebody welded an extension on it with a piece of pipe.... so it shifts in an odd pattern. Also, for some reason when its in neutral, you have to keep the clutch in or it will burn the belt, as neutral seems to lock the rear end up like a brake. Go figure. So you leave it in gear, set the parking brake and the slack in the belt lets the engine pulley spin free. Otherwise is seems to go into all 4 gears ok, and pull nicely. In the mud as I expected, the ag tires pack up and it spins like it has bald tires. Once I dug it out of the mud, it did its job fine so long as the ground was solid. The engine seems to be somewhat better. It starts easy and runs strong.... just doesn't idle smooth. So.... its a good extra manure mover. Otherwise its no better than the smaller 856. I'm gonna take the hydro pump out and sell it. I'll never use it. If I can get it out. This tractor seems to be more of a hodgepodge of welded pieces of other models. I'm not sure the trans is the right one since someone welded that strange 90 degree bend in it. The engine is on a customized base (welded on of course) the rear hubs are not the same and of course... welded on. And as I said before.... the steering gears and shafts look like they cut up and made fit, and work sufficiently.... its not what the manual shows at all. But it pulls a wagon and runs ok. I guess the price was right. (free). Edited August 27, 2017 by nyquil junkie 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nyquil junkie 225 #23 Posted August 29, 2017 (edited) Today I discovered it has a little more potential than I thought. The more you shift the better the pattern/gears get. The engine is fairly reliable, it runs better the more seafoam I put thru it. And, the larger aggressive wheels does mean it goes better over torn up cow yards than the smaller turf tires. Not pulling anything its pretty unstoppable, over field brush and cow hoof torn up trails. It does pull a SMALL wagon loaded down very well thru these places. Using it as a farmyard taxi is compacting the trails much better than a wide turf tire. I may gift it with a new engine and tires after all. Edited August 29, 2017 by nyquil junkie 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites