Well, once again it’s like one step forward and two steps back but not quite.
I did make some progress on the little bastard but in the process discovered some more issues.
No surprise there.
I did manage to get it cleaned up some, that whole engine was just a dirty, greasy, filthy PIG.
Then I made a huge mess trying to drain the gas that had a little oil in it out of the crankcase.
Thin?
Oh yeah. You can see the oil drain tube sticking out over that hole in the middle at the bottom. It has a push and twist valve that allows the oil to drain out.
Ostensibly through that little hole they put there just for that purpose.
OH HELL NO.
That shit started shooting out of that tube all over the mower, the trailer it is sitting on and me.
Then it ran all down under the cowling and down the side step, dripped through that hole and ran all over the mower deck too.
The little drain pan I had under there maybe, MAYBE, got two fucking tablespoons full of oil in it before I grabbed ahold of that damn valve and cranked it shut.
What a mess.
Dirty bastards.
After I cleaned all that up I changed the oil filter and filled it back up.
I had the gas tank off cleaning it up, the previous owner had yanked the fuel line out from under it for some reason.
I bought some new fuel hose, clamps and an inline filter and put all that back together.
While I was scrubbing scraping and cleaning the engine I noticed a couple of problems that I am going to have to take care of.
That ain’t good and neither is this,
The starter seemed to work when I jumped the solenoid the other day so I am going to hold off on that.
That smoked out voltage regulator is another story.
I got online and checked the local John Deere outfit and had another laughing fit when I saw what they wanted for one of those.
$105 plus tax.
Yeah FUCK THAT.
FleaBay here I come.
This is more like it.
Can you say MARK UP??!!
Holy shit.
I already had to order the switch that controls the electro-magnetic clutch for the mower blade assembly. The starter circuit also goes through that S.O.B .
The clutch circuit appeared to be working but I was getting juice from the Start position on the key switch going in but nothing coming out.
I see I got burned on that bitch too, I paid $40 something for it and they are less than $15 on FleaBay for cheap knock off’s.
Ah well.
While I was cleaning up all that oil I happened to have to take a look underneath the damn thing and found a pin missing that holds an arm for the height adjustment of the mower deck under the ass end,
More Fiddle Fartin’ but I managed to find a nut and a bolt that fit for now until I can find the right pin and retaining clip.
That will be easy enough.
Getting the deck lined up again took care of the problem with it interfering with the left front tire when turning.
Oh there is lots and lots more to do to this thing, trust me.
As much as it scares me, I am going to take a look see as to the availability of either e REPRO or a used hood for it too eventually.
The one on it is too fucked up to try and fix.
Not only is it broke to shit, there is a big hunk missing out of it and the mounting hardware and fixtures are gone too.
I figure if I can get this thing running and get the trailer fixed both for under $500 I will be doing good.
Even used John Deere tractors like that are expensive as hell around here and that trailer would run ya anywhere from $300 to $450 easy.
A comparable new JD riding mower isn’t going anywhere for less than $2,000.
Minimum.
It still remains to be seen if I can get that engine running but if it has decent compression then I will win eventually.
My buddy told me again earlier today that he saw it mowing the lawn next door to him last Summer so we shall see.
Shall we call it Shrek? 😁
Take the starter off, clean the cracked area inside and out, and butter it up with JB Weld. Put a hose clamp around it to clamp it together until the JB sets up. And if it’ll fit back in with the hose clamp on, leave it on….
Good advice. And good on ya Phil, for rustproofing the mower deck.
A few possibilities here.
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=john+deere+stx+38+hood&_sacat=0&_stpos=97232&_fcid=1&_sop=15
Zip-ties are cheap at Harbor Fright.
https://i.redd.it/96603nmg4s531.jpg
You can sometimes find “for parts only” stuff on craigslist. Housing from a different mower may work just as well. Also check with your local mower repair joint, they may have an inside track.
You have to find a place like this one near you. I frequent LTP when I need parts for my mower or small engines, there are closer places for car parts but he has those too. I can get what you need and mail it to you but freight nowadays is a killer. Of course we have to wait until it gets above 30F…..
http://www.ltpkz.com
Name it The Green Gobblin’, because it eats your time and money!
Is there a way to attach some tubing to the oil drain that would pass through that hole and to your drain pan ? I don’t have a Deere, but that’s what I have to do. PITA, but less than cleaning up oil….
Oh it’s coming.
I usually go to DB Electrical for my mower starters. Though, I see that their prices have gone up dramatically since the last time I used them. Still less than half the cost of an OEM starter.
https://www.dbelectrical.com/starters/lawn-and-garden/kohler-engines/
Typically I go to https://www.greenpartstore.com/ to find the part number of what I need. Then I plug that number into a search engine to find an aftermarket equivalent.
Some suppliers I use:
https://www.jackssmallengines.com/
https://www.partselect.com/Lawn-Mower-Parts.htm
https://www.ereplacementparts.com/lawn-mower-parts-c-18715_18763.html
https://www.agrisupply.com/lawn-mower-blades-parts/c/5600000/
Once again; I wish we were closer, Bud. I have a STX38 I’d give ya. I’d swap you even up for that Windsor.
Leigh
Whitehall, NY
I don’t have a Windsor, I have a SB350 Chebby.
Damn, if shipping wasn’t such a killer these days I’d be buying some of those mower parts off of ya.
Everytime I have to ship anything at all I get a major dose of sticker shock.
It costs more to ship stuff than it does to buy it.
I found that Greenparts store outfit on my own already, that’s where I got the part number for that voltage regulator.
I’ll be checking these other places out too.
Thanks a bunch!
Oh, yeah, that’s right. You offered it for the nephew’s El Gay-mino.
BTW : He finally found a transmission for it. It is just a 4 speed Saginaw, but it is better than a busted Borg Warner. Now to get a 621 bellhousing, 10 spline friction disc, and a shifter. Of course, that’s after having to finish the Hemi transmission replacement.
It never ends.
Like I said, if you were closer, I’d give the damn thing to you. Might cost you all of a beer, otherwise.
Good luck, Bud.
Leigh
Whitehall, NY
I think I’d just go buy a cow to keep the lawn short. Then when fall comes, or WWIII starts you can eat it. —ken
Based on the look of the cleaned up mower and the repairs done, or gonna be done you’ll be able to sell it at a profit and warranty the damn thing…
Check out Taryl Fixes All on youtube. He owns a mower shop and makes learning fun. Helped me out bigtime with my JD mower.
🤣
I’ve watched a lot of that goofy bastards videos in the past.
I have a rebuildable 327 Chevy I can sell you for a good price.
A set of zoomie pipes and slide that baby in there and have a legendary lawn mower.
Phil
I’ve got one of those mowers you can have. We’re getting ready to throw it away to scrap otherwise. Probably doesn’t have hood, carb has been attacked by less than mechanical individuals. But starter, deck, and other parts should be good enough to get some value from.
I could bring it down next weekend if you like.
That would be AWESOME!
Yeah! More Phil treasure!