'74 C160 Tecumseh engine tractor. Let's put it to use!

[ebinmaine 67,494]

17 minutes ago, JCM said:

We talking 2 rear hubs ? If so I would like to see that done. Give me some notice and I'll try to make that happen.

Lemme check with the Ball n Chain for scheduling.  

I'll be wanting to get this done soon. 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

Made some time for this again today. 

 

The plastic steering shaft cover on every other C160 I have here is ONE piece. The shaft on this one has two small pieces. 

 

 

This tractor may be original and different from the others or it may have been apart. I lean towards the latter.  

There are several things that have been changed in comparison to its brethren here. 

I decided to try to save the plastic if possible but not get to obsessive. 

Good thing because the top piece was wrecked during the cut-off process. 

 

 

Per suggestions above I cut a notch slot groove slice in the steering wheel hub. 

 

 

A few appropriate whacks with a couple punches and I was able to use a 3 jaw puller to remove it. 

 

 

 

After that I set to reversing the "adjustments" in the wiring done by a PO. 

This is how the PTO switch was bypassed. 

 

Add tape of course. 

 

Then I removed a glass tube type fuse holder that was so old it was yellowish and crunchy. 

 

 

I took the ignition switch out. Cleaned it up with various methods. 

Used dry lube to get it active again. 

Now it'll get some dielectric grease and be reinstalled.  

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

@peter lena approved dielectric grease. 

 

 

Repaired/ modified harness installed. 

 

 

Cheap 💩  fleeebay fuel tank valve bad after just 2 years.  

Aircraft Spruce Company brand fuel tank valve. Grommet was good. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

The clutch pedal has been able to go waaay too far forward since I've had this tractor. Turns out the roll pin in the clutch cross  shaft was a 3 piece model. Not standard. 

Took a bit of figurizing and I lined it up. Drove out fine once I had the right sized roll pin punch. 

 

 

 

 

Once the pin was out I was able to use a small sliding hammer to pop the lever end off. 

Then the brake shoe & band along with the drum. 

 

 

Wanting to check things out inside the belt guard I took that off. 

 

 

The clutch shaft itself is somewhat worn. I'm open to suggestions for bushings. I'll start a separate thread for that. 

 

 

Some time in the distant past the muffler was replaced with a Cub style. 

Likely I'll try to reuse that as I like the deepish quietish tone. What I didn't like is that the PO installation left the muffler outlet pointing directly into the bottom of the hood. 

Removed....

 

 

 

[Handy Don 12,222]

3 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

muffler outlet pointing directly into the bottom of the hood. 

Messy, for sure.

 

Those 3-piece roll pins are pesky rascals.

[ebinmaine 67,494]

14 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Messy, for sure.

 

Those 3-piece roll pins are pesky rascals.

 

I could probably use packing tape to hold all 3 pieces together right?

 

[Handy Don 12,222]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

could probably use packing tape to hold all 3 pieces together right?

 

Oughta work right up until you press the clutch!

[peter lena 8,627]

@ebinmaine  thanks for the reference , https://www.google.com/search?q=2+bolt+flange+bearing&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS866US866&oq=2+bolt+fl&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgAEAAYgAQyBwgAEAAYgAQ  think that cross shaft could use a 2 bolt flange bearing , shaft been scraping dry for years . looks like you are right on track , for getting back to use , pete

[ebinmaine 67,494]

On 6/9/2022 at 3:17 PM, ebinmaine said:

Definitely at least two bent rods on this tractor somehow. The one that goes to the brake shoe and the one that is the clutch are both curved and contacting each other.

 

 

Also found out why someone may have removed the clutch safety switch. Note the bracket that holds it is bent completely down. I wondered about this until I started messing with the clutch linkage and discovered that the pedal actually goes down PAST the point of flat

 

After gazing at and partially disassembling the tractor  it's obvious that someone has had this apart in the past and reassembled without proper reference materials. 

OR, it was assembled at 2:55 pm on a Friday. 

The 108035 clutch spring was in the wrong hole. 

The park brake mechanism is entirely missing. 

The clutch shaft roll pin was broken as mentioned above. 

The manual lift handle was very loose and missing a bolt... because the steering tower was creased not allowing the 3rd bolt to align. 

The Hi/Low shifter is even bent to go ABOVE the brake cross rod. 

That's particularly odd because it's accomplished by at least 3 separate bends instead of just installing right. 

Very interesting because it LOOKS right. It sets right coming up through the sheet metal panel. 

Another point of interest is that the place for the ID Tag appears to have not been touched for a VERY long time... maybe ever?

 

I've been wondering if the whole steering tower and transmission tunnel was replaced in the distant past. 🤔 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

There's a dealer tag on the top of the belt guard. 

 

 

 

I searched 

"Anderson Lawn Mower 322-1945"

 

and found this now closed repair shop. 

 

 

 

This was in New Jersey as was the Wheelhorse Dealership the PO widow said they once owned. 

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

Wicked busy doing many other things today so not much C160 time. 

 

The brake pedal was frozen nearly in place.  Effort required to move it either way. 

I started by lubing the pedal pivot area. 

 

Better... but not it. 

 

I did get the brake pivot rod out of the transmission tunnel.  That was... rusty.  

Sandpaper. Lube. Reinstall.  

 

 

 

 

Brake pedal actually works now!!

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

Deleted the video. Possible bad information. 

 

Here's a picture showing more likely proper orientation of the spring: 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 28 by ebinmaine
Deleted the video. Added Pic.

[Handy Don 12,222]

12 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

correct orientation of the spring

Is the purpose of this spring different from the ones that link the float valve pin to the float in Tecumseh and Carter carbs I’m used to?

[ebinmaine 67,494]

4 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

Is the purpose of this spring different from the ones that link the float valve pin to the float in Tecumseh and Carter carbs I’m used to?

 

On these larger LMH carbs there is a link from float to needle but I would call it more of a clip than a spring. See pic. 

 

 

 

 

 

The spring I installed this morning appears to put very slight pressure on the float which would appear to assist in keeping the float more upward thereby closing the needle valve.

 

I have no way to gauge it but the pressure is next to nothing. I'm not sure I understand the logic but I'm used to Kohler carbs that don't have any of either one of the above-mentioned items.

 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

Assembly complete. 

I bashed the side Welch plug in place.

 

 

Fuel Inlet threaded back in.

 

 

 

In a previous post I had mentioned and pictorially noted that the choke blade was contacting a small casting piece inside the carburetor throat. While I had it all apart I straightened out the choke blade using a small hammer on the flat part of my big bench vise. When I put it back together I was careful to hold the blade away from that small casting and then triple checked operation. I don't understand how it got bent in the first place but it appears to clear just fine now.

 

 

[Handy Don 12,222]

5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

appears to put very slight pressure on the float which would appear to assist in keeping the float more upward

 

6 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I'm not sure I understand the logic

This is why I asked!

Could it be to keep the float from getting stuck at the bottom if the bowl empties out? The max tension would be if the float is below the “working” level.

[ebinmaine 67,494]

3 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

 

This is why I asked!

Could it be to keep the float from getting stuck at the bottom if the bowl empties out? The max tension would be if the float is below the “working” level.

 

 

There is certainly logic to that

[ebinmaine 67,494]

 

Got the carb on. 

 

 

 

 

 

I installed a Briggs labeled Mikuni vacuum pulse fuel pump. The pump came from a parts tractor and pile we picked up at @Maz91 's place. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exhaust as a whole was ... messy.  

I had removed the muffler from the stub pipe the other day. This afternoon I decided to replace the cobbled Cub muffler with a lightweight (though probably louder  ) pepper pot. 

My main concern is the aluminum cylinder head. 

 

 

There appears to be threads in that bore. 

 

 

 

Maybe I'll check out what sears did for their rigs with this engine or see about duplicating the original Wheelhorse design. 

 

[TractorEd 633]

That’s a lot of elbow grease there EB.  Looks like you’re making some good, thorough progress!  I’d like to get a new muffler for my c161. I don’t like the showered head on it that much, but I haven’t been able to focus on that, yet.

keep up the excellent work (both the tractor work and documentation of it).

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

10 hours ago, TractorEd said:

That’s a lot of elbow grease there EB.  Looks like you’re making some good, thorough progress!  I’d like to get a new muffler for my c161. I don’t like the showered head on it that much, but I haven’t been able to focus on that, yet.

keep up the excellent work (both the tractor work and documentation of it).

 

 

She's gettin'  there Ed. Appreciate the encouragement. 

 

I'm hoping to see this one drivable by Sept so it can go visit @JCM at his Meet n Greet. 

Seems reasonable if I can keep the pace. 

 

[ebinmaine 67,494]

22 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

Deleted the video. Possible bad information. 

 

Here's a picture showing more likely proper orientation of the spring: 

 

After having read and mulled over the information I was seeing yesterday and finally finding my own picture I've decided to take the time to reverse the spring back to how I found it. 

 

I DO believe it would work either way on a Wheelhorse but I also believe in doing things right as often as possible. 

 

In the pics the longer "tang" MAY have the ability to create SLIGHTLY more pressure than the shorter tang. 

This could/ would change the operation characteristics. 

 

INCORRECT: 

 

 

CORRECT: 

 

 

 

[TractorEd 633]

It looks more correct with the long tang on top (last pic).  Just my opinion, as I have no knowledge of that particular spring.  

if I was a bettor, I’d bet on it though 😃

Edited July 28 by TractorEd

[TractorEd 633]

Does seem strange that both tangs point the same direction.  Makes my brain ache, but I just need to try to think about something’ else. 😂 LOL

[Handy Don 12,222]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

CORRECT: 

 

I'd be more comfortable with this orientation if only because it keeps the spring clear of the gasket

Edited July 28 by Handy Don

[ebinmaine 67,494]

59 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

I'd be more comfortable with this orientation if only because it keeps the spring clear of the gasket

 

It doesn't though...

The short tang is still held in place by the gasket just as the opposite way round.