Rylee’s Screamin’ Jimmy

[Pullstart 62,781]

I had done some work for Barry on his trailer and he rewarded me with some shopping money on Thursday.  I picked up this complete Commando 800 from @12 hp Kohler Robbie for the same amount as Barry gave me, so I've got a few hours of work into it.  The tractor would not run when we were jumping it, so I ran to Walmart Thursday night and grabbed a battery and some random chemicals, sealants and supplies to see if I could get it going on Friday.  I ended up getting the 656 and playing with that, so I started on the Commando tonight.  I've been up 20 hrs, time to come in from the garage for the night.

 

But first, an update.  On Friday I did figure out that the intake valve keeper cup had split, and the valve was just bouncing around in the block when it was rolling over, so no compression and firing/backfiring out the carb and exhaust simultaneously.  I found a valve set for $5 from one of the vendors and put the spares in the truck.  The engine was pulled along with the wheels and tires and it was tossed on the tailgate of the Colorado.  Thanks random guys that I stopped and asked for help!  

 

I dragged it into the garage tonight in hopes of making it back into a roller, but I got to work on the engine instead.  The long block is assembled, I just need to torque the head bolts and put the cooling tin on the top.  Then I'll have to get it back in the frame, then try to give it a whirl! 

[ebinmaine 67,251]

Love how you randomly switch from - task you intended to do- to task you actually do- 

I do that A LOT !!!!

Nice to see I'm not the only one.

 

I've mostly given up on deciding what I'm gonna do.... Now it's just puttering.

 

 

I'll be here following along on this one.....

 

 

 

Or whatever you turn out to do that day.

Hehehe....

 

 

[rjg854 11,349]

Good luck Kevin, I'm sure you'll have it running in no time.  Glad to see you made home with no incidents with that load.

[19richie66 17,500]

Well no matter what you do or get done, you should have enough to keep you busy for a while. Better post up some smile pics when the kids get to drive them. 👍

[Pullstart 62,781]

I'm heading this morning to pick up the kids, they'll end up seeing the haul tonight, and I'm sure they'll be all smiles.  I better finish cleaning out my truck... where's @stevebo when you need him?  (Inside joke, before we came back from dinner on Wednesday night, he had to toss some garbage from the road trip... or who knows when before he'd get back in the truck.  It was bugging him way too much to see it on the floor!)

 

The 1276 hood I got for free when I bought the last tractor, it is cracked pretty good and is missing the hardware.  I think I'm gonna play with turning it into a short hood so the Commando will fit in with the other short frame square hoods of the bunch.  I'll be another good learning experience and if it doesn't turn out perfect it won't matter too much.

[Pullstart 62,781]

Doing some clean up with the pressure washer and some inventory this morning, I realized that I ended up with 3 sets of original front Wheel Horse and 2 sets of original rear Wheel Horse tires.  The 857 has so much compression I about broke my wrist trying to roll it over!  I'm excited about the starter/generator... even if I am Pullstart.

[ebinmaine 67,251]

3 hours ago, pullstart said:

I'm excited about the starter/generator... even if I am Pullstart.

 

 

You could potentially change your name to something like electric pull start

[19richie66 17,500]

Keystart 

[Pullstart 62,781]

mightstart

[19richie66 17,500]

Thought of that but I have faith in you that they will all run. 

[ebinmaine 67,251]

4 minutes ago, pullstart said:

mightstart

That's A LOT of us.....

[Pullstart 62,781]

Took last night off any forward progress in the shop, first time my family has been together for a week... movie night!  The girls are excited about the new toys, my loving wife Taylor just smiled and laughed... like she didn't expect any less or something!

[ebinmaine 67,251]

22 minutes ago, pullstart said:

my loving wife Taylor just smiled and laughed... like she didn't expect any less or something!

That's a keeper

[clueless 2,975]

11 hours ago, pullstart said:

mightstart

Are, Chris.

[Pullstart 62,781]

It's a runner!  Smokes a tad, now that it's running I'll have to get a new head gasket and change the fluids.  The gas, I don't know how old it is.... but it doesn't quite run without the choke partially on.  It might be a carb adjustment, it might be the fuel condition.

 

[Pullstart 62,781]

 

[19richie66 17,500]

Smile says it all!

[Pullstart 62,781]

Yeah, no fun here!  Nope not a bit!  On a whim, I tried cleaning up the head on a flat plate with some 400 grit sand paper, then I put a film of copper RTV on each side of the head gasket and set it all back together with the bolts in place, but not tight... for about an hour.  Then I torqued it and fired it up.  Runs great, no head gasket leak and the smoke is starting to clean up after her running around the field for a while.  

 

Best part - really the best is that both the girls told me they love me at random today, playing on the tractors!  Gotta love a girl who loves Wheel Horse

 

Right now we're working on that shorter pedal and Rylee is painting the Wheel Horse logos on her front tires.

[rjg854 11,349]

That's great Kevin, 2 happy girls, that doesn't happen often with girls 

Nothing like a Wheel Horse to put a smile on any one's face 

[Pullstart 62,781]

Finished up the dual pedal yesterday, now Rylee can start/shift without having to slide totally off the seat!  

 

 

[Pullstart 62,781]

Jada on "Putt Putt", Rylee on "Screamin' Jimmy".  That 8 horse Kohler sings them rpm's just like an old Detroit Diesel.  I tuned the governors the same on both engines, but the Commando just plain runs.  I might tune it down one way or another so we don't throw a rod.

 

 

 

[Sarge 3,463]

Great pics, nice to see young kids getting into the hobby. That last pic shows a bit of jealousy - evidently one is faster than the other or something?

 

Sarge

[Pullstart 62,781]

Yeah, Putt Putt likes to idle down, Screamin' Jimmy... well you can imagine how it got that name!  It's like a run-away once you start bumping up the throttle.  But all in all, that's just Jada's focus face, not anger face.  They were both having a blast, drag racing in the driveway and exploring the field.

 

2 minutes ago, Sarge said:

Great pics, nice to see young kids getting into the hobby. That last pic shows a bit of jealousy - evidently one is faster than the other or something?

 

Sarge

 

[19richie66 17,500]

Just plain awesome there. That pedal setup is just too cool! 

Edited June 27, 2018 by 19richie66

[Pullstart 62,781]

1 minute ago, 19richie66 said:

Just plain awesome there. That pedal setup is just too cool! 

 

It's all C-101 donor parts.  I told her that some day when she is big enough to reach the far pedal, we'll take off the pusher setup but probably leave the hole in the floorboard - and some day far away when she has her own little kid wanting to drive her tractor, then she can put it back on for him/her.  She was all smiles, plus it keeps her foot away from that recoil cup for now.