Now project

[Gregor 4,846]

I am still waiting on a new fuel pump for my C 141. After it's installed, it will go to storage for the winter. BUT..... Today I went on a road trip and picked up another project for next spring. A 656. It has a 6 hp. Tecumseh on it that is currently stuck. I don't know anymore about it than that. If the motor is beyond saving, this might turn into my "custom fun" tractor. I usually like to restore things back to original, but sometimes that simply isn't practical. I may re-power this with anything I can find, and simply turn the tractor into a LEAN MEAN RUNNING MACHINE. It has no deck, but I did get a Wheel Horse dump cart with it. It seems to be a very simple tractor, and could be a lot of fun. It has new tires and wheels all the way around, and it has been sanded and primed. It will go to storage for now, and I will hunt for parts over the winter.

[953 nut 55,394]

6 minutes ago, Gregor said:

I may re-power this with anything I can find, and simply turn the tractor into a LEAN MEAN RUNNING MACHINE.

                     We love FUN projects!                  

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

VERY nice tractor.Nice wheels and tires.A 656 is what started this Wheel Horse lunacy for me a little over 10 yrs ago.I still have it in one of my sea boxes.Have fun with your new toy.

[cschannuth 3,816]

I bid on that a couple times but it was a little trip so I didn’t get too serious.  Glad someone on here got it.  That would make a great repowered fun tractor. 

[Gregor 4,846]

7 hour round trip for me, but I have nothing else to do.

[Gregor 4,846]

Curiosity got the better of me. It always does. I put my 20" pipe wrench on the PTO pulley, and it turns out this motor is not near as stuck as one might think. I pulled the head. Piston moved up and down freely, but the valves simply stayed open. I put my drill on the flywheel nut, and spun it over. A little PB Blaster in the valves, a little coaxing, and now they too move up and down freely. This motor might be saved. I have never tore into a single cylinder 4 stroke in my life. (rebuilt a couple of small block chevys about 100 years ago) How much tougher can this be? Some carbon build up, some slight scratching in the cylinder walls, I believe will hone out. It just might go again.

[Gregor 4,846]

I forgot to add. According to my spark tester, it even has spark.

[WheelhorseBob 1,549]

I restored a 1956 Economy that spun over with zero compression. Stuck exhaust valve. Freed it up with penetrating oil and put a rod, piston and rings in it. Runs perfect! Good luck, looks like a fine specimen!

[ebinmaine 67,766]

28 minutes ago, Gregor said:

(rebuilt a couple of small block chevys about 100 years ago) How much tougher can this be?

Roughly 1/8 the difficulty. 

 

 

 

27 minutes ago, Gregor said:

, it even has spark.

 

That's a primary concern with the small techies. 

If the carb isn't happy you can graft a Kohler carb on. @pullstart has had success with it. 

 

 

[WHNJ701 4,165]

1 hour ago, WheelhorseBob said:

I restored a 1956 Economy that spun over with zero compression. Stuck exhaust valve. Freed it up with penetrating oil and put a rod, piston and rings in it. Runs perfect! Good luck, looks like a fine specimen!

My one 854 had a stuck exhaust valve when I got it, I freed it up with pb and never touched the engine since.  Great running kohler

[oliver2-44 9,787]

Before you pull it down to hone and rings, try getting it running as is.  

While you have the head off, soak the top of the piston with carb cleaner, let set, soak again, wiggle the engine pulley just enough to wiggle the rings in their grooves, soak again and repeat. The idea is to free up the rings a little from years of varnish etc.

Before you rotate engine enough to move the piston and distance, wipe some oil on the cylinder walls since the carb clearer will have washed it off.  For just a trial run you can get by reusing the head gasket.  I don't know if this really helps  (but it can't hurt) sometimes for just a trial run I will do what and old farmer showed me.  He would clean the head gasket, then soak it in water a few hours then freeze it. Let it thaw and reuse it.  His theory was it would soak a little water inside and freezing it would expand the two layers so they had some "crush" back in them.

But I would be sure and replace it if it runs and your going to keep running it.  

Edited November 21, 2020 by oliver2-44

[Pullstart 62,950]

That head gasket trick is slightly off kilter and genius!

[953 nut 55,394]

6 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

soak the top of the piston with carb cleaner, let set, soak again, wiggle the engine pulley just enough to wiggle the rings in their grooves, soak again and repeat. The idea is to free up the rings a little from years of varnish etc.

I have done the same with MMO, works great.      

[Gregor 4,846]

My dad was an airplane mechanic in the war. He thought MMO was worth it's weght in gold. I have it soaking now with a mixture of MMO and acetone.

[Pullstart 62,950]

As far as your carb goes, I have had good luck with the Kohler style carb on the 6 horse Tecky...  If you have any issues, a swap will be your easiest fix!

 

 

[JoeM 7,874]

I like transmission fluid for cleaning up and soaking. I even dumped some in the carb when first started a couple times. It has tons of detergent and will lubricate as well. 

[Pullstart 62,950]

5 hours ago, JoeM said:

I like transmission fluid for cleaning up and soaking. I even dumped some in the carb when first started a couple times. It has tons of detergent and will lubricate as well. 

Yep, auto shop teacher taught us that too, dump it in engine oil, fuel systems, intake, etc.  

[tom2p 2,394]

9 hours ago, pullstart said:

That head gasket trick is slightly off kilter and genius!

hmmm ... sounds a little but like you !

 

lol

[sqrlgtr 552]

21 hours ago, jabelman said:

My one 854 had a stuck exhaust valve when I got it, I freed it up with pb and never touched the engine since.  Great running kohler

I done the same thing on my 701,pulled head unstuck exhaust valve cleaned everything up real good and even reused  old head gasket put it all back together fired it up and its been running great for close to 10 years now .... I think thats the only reason I got to trade for it PO was scared of it and didn’t realize what he had.If I remember correctly I swapped him a little riding mower for it don’t remember what it was but it had a vertical shaft motor and was a cute little thing. 

[Retired Wrencher 5,469]

Gregor: These can be a fun tractors. I have a had a few. It is all in the engine if an HH6 engine please save getting hard to find these. The H`s are easier to find. The rest is simple in design but tuff little tractors. Enjoy.

[sqrlgtr 552]

Just noticed @tom2p avatar pic looks alot like the mower I swapped for the 701 but think mine had mustang on hood instead of huffy but could be wrong. @Gregor Nothing wrong with the techys if you can get them running properly....BTW my choice for penetrating oil is kroil Ive never found anything that works any better but it is kinda expensive...

[ebinmaine 67,766]

11 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

kroil

I'd agree with that for the most part. 

I'm too cheap to buy that so I did some searching on da interwebs. 

Turns out good old fashioned Liquid Wrench is very comparable in capability and sells for $4 to $6 per can as opposed to $18 to $22 for Kroil. 

 

 

I've also experimented with WD-40 BRAND PENETRATING SPRAY.

 

NOT the old WD-40 original. 

 

Seems to work quite well but Liquid Wrench smells better. 

[DennisThornton 4,769]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

I'd agree with that for the most part. 

I'm too cheap to buy that so I did some searching on da interwebs. 

Turns out good old fashioned Liquid Wrench is very comparable in capability and sells for $4 to $6 per can as opposed to $18 to $22 for Kroil. 

 

 

I've also experimented with WD-40 BRAND PENETRATING SPRAY.

 

NOT the old WD-40 original. 

 

Seems to work quite well but Liquid Wrench smells better. 

I've heard it's poor manners to discuss money, politics, religion or penetrants in a group but we're all friends here...

 

I think I have a can of most every penetrating spray on the market around here somewhere and I really don't know which is best even though I've read every review I can find.  BUT, there is one can I try not to use ($$$!) unless it's on something that I just can't allow to fail and I use Kroil in it FIRST!  Not after something else has penetrated enough to fill the voids but still not release the offending item and also prevent Kroil from doing its job.  It's not a fair test to flood the item with all kinds of stuff and then expect Kroil to work it's way past all the other stuff.  My most used is PB-Blaster but there's a new one to me that is giving Kroil a race, Free-All.  

 

Of course the torch is a favorite but can't be used on everything and often not necessary.

[ebinmaine 67,766]

6 minutes ago, DennisThornton said:

I've heard it's poor manners to discuss *************** or penetrants in a group but we're all friends here...

[Bill D 1,927]

If that engine turns out to have some kind of major issue, find an old 10 HP Tecumseh Snowking and put that in.  Bill

Edited November 24, 2020 by Bill D