312-08 didnt like sitting

[ANTPER 207]

Here we go. Last month I used my 312-08 and ran great and parked in shed and havent used in a month. Now click click no start. Even with a jump start. I tried spinning engine from front protection screen and will not turn? I removed the spark plug to reduce the compression factor and didnt matter. Said to myself... man engine seized?? It has oil and ran great when I parked it. After further review I see a mice built a great bedding around flywheel and in the top cover of the koller. I'm thinking how can mouse bedding keep the engine from spinning with starter help? 12Vs is getting to the starter with turn of key and do hear click. I may try turn engine with a breaker bar on top nut and go from there. Also going to remove the very top cover and finish clearing out the bedding I cant get through the front. I'd leaning toward the mice in there had a lot to do with this mishap. I'll dig deeper today into this mystery and get back.

Anthony

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,041]

You have determined the cause so just dismantle and clean.

Forcing it to turn can cause more damage.

[Rick3478 428]

They love to pack the space full of nesting material, food, and babies.  Often chew on coil wiring, too.  So yeah, take off the covers, then clean and fix whatever you find.

[ANTPER 207]

44 minutes ago, gwest_ca said:

You have determined the cause so just dismantle and clean.

Forcing it to turn can cause more damage.

I"m still puzzled by the power of a mouse lol. Ok Yea your right. I'll take baby steps and remove the top cover and go from there. Thanks

Anthony

[ANTPER 207]

I wrecked the front spindle on my 310 Tues and my 312 is my back up go to. Well you all know how that worked out.

[Achto 27,571]

Besides bedding, mice like to carry other objects in engines. Dog food, nuts, sticks, etc. Many of these things are solid enough to wedge in and around the fly wheel causing it not to be able to move. 

[ri702bill 8,319]

"Ah hates meeses to pieces"...

[ANTPER 207]

Ok I'm back in action. The bedding was so wedged in and on and behind enough to create a great wedge. About enough to fill a gallon jug of water. I guess what might of happened is when I first tried to crank without knowing about the nesting.. it probable nudged the flywheel just enough to wedge the nesting in behind flywheel. Engine wouldn't turn till I got every bit out and still I had to give it a good nudge to move. Now its all freed up. Guess gotta keep it simple and check the basics before you go asses and elbows on repair. What threw me a curve ball is I underestimated the strength of the nesting to keep me from turning the engine.

Thanks Folks

Anthony

[Pullstart 62,854]

 

[ANTPER 207]

3 hours ago, Pullstart said:

 

I use the mouse water park system. Catches loads of mice and dont have too unload traps every day. 5 gallon pal half full of H2O with a tin can with a wire going through it with peanut butter on it. have a ramp they go up jump onto the Can which will spin and the water park ride begins. I just having had it out there. I have a few different W.H.tractors and this one sat for a month and I paid for it.

[EB-80/8inPA 1,641]

2 hours ago, ANTPER said:

I use the mouse water park system. Catches loads of mice and dont have too unload traps every day. 5 gallon pal half full of H2O with a tin can with a wire going through it with peanut butter on it. have a ramp they go up jump onto the Can which will spin and the water park ride begins. I just having had it out there. I have a few different W.H.tractors and this one sat for a month and I paid for it.

Sounds like you might need a snake or two, too!

[953 nut 55,224]

9 hours ago, ANTPER said:

remove the top cover

You need to remove the flywheel cover and all engine shrouds. Your cooling fins all NEED to be cleaned, if any nesting material is not removed your engine could overheat or catch fire and the stench will be horrible.

[Blasterdad 2,692]

Air blast under flywheel too, spray motor down with bleach.

Mouse urine will attract more, I had to sandblast & paint the inside of these tins to get rid of the stench.

When storing put a bar of Irish Spring soap on top of the engine, mice hate it.

 

 

[Rick3478 428]

1 hour ago, Blasterdad said:

When storing put a bar of Irish Spring soap on top of the engine, mice hate it.

 

I heard that wives' tale, too, and tried it.  Mice loved the Irish Spring, ate the entire bar, helluva mess.

 

[ANTPER 207]

4 hours ago, Rick3478 said:

I heard that wives' tale, too, and tried it.  Mice loved the Irish Spring, ate the entire bar, helluva mess.

 

I used Irish Spring for years with good results for years also in my mobile home but this past winter in one my drawers the culprit pretty much ate most of the bar

[ANTPER 207]

6 hours ago, Blasterdad said:

Air blast under flywheel too, spray motor down with bleach.

Mouse urine will attract more, I had to sandblast & paint the inside of these tins to get rid of the stench.

When storing put a bar of Irish Spring soap on top of the engine, mice hate it.

 

 

Great tip. I did not now that. I actually hit the engine and chassis with Gunk and water pressure and gotter all prettied up.

[Blasterdad 2,692]

1 hour ago, ANTPER said:

I used Irish Spring for years with good results for years also in my mobile home but this past winter in one my drawers the culprit pretty much ate most of the bar

 

5 hours ago, Rick3478 said:

I heard that wives' tale, too, and tried it.  Mice loved the Irish Spring, ate the entire bar, helluva mess.

 

It seems the mice are on to us! Or maybe Irish Spring changed their ingredients & put something in it they like now...

I've heard peppermint oil works really good & all the other "wive's tales" too. 

I use good 'ol wood snap traps & poison in my shop & barn, I know they work! 

[Blasterdad 2,692]

 

[ANTPER 207]

Ok that video says it all. I will no longer go through the effort of putting that soap in every drawer or compartment of my RV again. It probably attracted it.