My splitter build

[Haywire Haywood]

Had a couple setbacks this morning. Apparently the last time I ran it, the float bowl jet stuck and filled the crank case with gasoline. I also found one of the nuts that attaches the suspension to the tank on the floor. One bolt completely missing. Guess those lock washers aren't doing the job. I'll be turning the hardware around so I can tighten them up and tack weld the nut to the bolt. No more coming loose.

Ian

 

[Rookie1]

Did the original setup on the tractor have the fueltank down low and the impulse fuelpump hooked up?

 

[jags]

Had a couple setbacks this morning. Apparently the last time I ran it, the float bowl jet stuck and filled the crank case with gasoline. I also found one of the nuts that attaches the suspension to the tank on the floor. One bolt completely missing. Guess those lock washers aren't doing the job. I'll be turning the hardware around so I can tighten them up and tack weld the nut to the bolt. No more coming loose.

Ian

Hey Ian, instead of a tack weld on the nut/bolt just give the threads a little whack with a chisel. It will seize the nut on the bolt, but you can still horse the nut loose if you have to.

A note on the purchased splitting wedges. When welding them on, it is pretty important to use low hydrogen rods (which requires reverse polarity on the welder). The wedges are a high tensile strength steel that will get brittle if using a standard stick.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I'll be turning the hardware around

Now I remember why I had the hardware like I did. No room for the nuts on the other side. Too close to the radius of a corner. I cleaned them one at a time with acetone and used red locktite to put them back together. Maybe as good as a weld... LOL

Did the original setup on the tractor have the fuel tank down low and the impulse fuel pump hooked up?

No, the tank that came with it was about even with the engine.. when full it was as high as the top of the engine and when empty, maybe 6" below the carburetor. Think I should put a petcock on it?

Jags, thanks for the heads up concerning the polarity of the welder. I knew it had to be low hydrogen rods, but didn't know about switching the welder around.

Ian

 

[Rookie1]

I thought maybe you mounted tank high for gravity flow. I would just rebuild the carb. That style should have a replacable needle and seat. A properly working carb shouldnt need a petcock. And the money keeps flowing...........

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I need to see if I can find a make and model on the carb so I can get the right kit.

You're right, the money does keep flowing it seems as does the hydraulic fluid. I've got some seepage around a couple of the pipe thread fittings. None of the JIC fittings, just the pipe thread. The guy that made my hoses said he hated pipe thread for just that reason.

Ian

 

[kevin j]

couple neighbors with Briggs on MTD had similar deals. one was poor fuel line filter and dirt in the seat. The other had the float level set too high and not sealing off. At least it had a brass float with the adjustable tang. I think the first one had molded plastic float.

I shut them off and run dry before roading it, to keep from bouncing the float, but otherwise should not be required. Good practice to keep from flooding the barn floor, but homeowners don't know enough to turnoff lawn tractors, so they should seal.

edit: meant that since most people would not use shutoffs even if the machine had them, the carb is certainly designed and intended to seal properly without one. I just find them nice to have for long storage.

 

[Rookie1]

I need to see if I can find a make and model on the carb so I can get the right kit.

You're right, the money does keep flowing it seems as does the hydraulic fluid. I've got some seepage around a couple of the pipe thread fittings. None of the JIC fittings, just the pipe thread. The guy that made my hoses said he hated pipe thread for just that reason.

Ian

What kind of thread "stuff" did you use? A retired mainenance man that I knew swore on teflon tape then pipe dope. Said he never had a leak in all his life. I would just use the dope. All teflon tape does is make it smoother to twist together not to seal the threads. The mechanical force of screwing them together seal pipe fittings. In short tighten the $hit out of em.

 

[Steve NW WI]

but homeowners don't know enough to turnoff lawn tractors, so they should seal.

Never turned the fuel off to a lawn tractor, real tractor, tiller, generator, anything here. Dang farmers must be luckier than homeowners.

Unless the carb is already in bad shape, you won't have a problem. I believe Ian already said his carb needs work, this is just another symptom. If shutting the fuel off was important, any car built before 85 would have a shutoff valve in the line.

NOTE: I do run small engines dry before storing, just for fuel related issues, but I also just started a tractor that had been sitting for 2 years on the gas in the tank, with no shutoff, so the carb had the same fuel as the tank. I call BS on needing to shut the fuel off.

I shut them off and run dry before roading it, to keep from bouncing the float

If you don't want to "bounce the float"...whatever that means, leave the carb full of fuel. The float will be at the top of it's travel, and not bounce. A float sitting at the bottom of a dry carb will be a lot easier to "bounce".

 

[Haywire Haywood]

What kind of thread "stuff" did you use? A retired mainenance man that I knew swore on teflon tape then pipe dope. Said he never had a leak in all his life. I would just use the dope. All teflon tape does is make it smoother to twist together not to seal the threads. The mechanical force of screwing them together seal pipe fittings. In short tighten the $hit out of em.

I used teflon, no pipe dope. I'm just going to let it seep. Since I didn't have the forethought to put a drain in the tank, emptying it involves removing a cylinder hose and starting the engine. Ever try to fill a 5 gallon buck from a hose spurting hydraulic fluid under pressure? LOL. You lose more in 5 seconds than it would seep in a year.

I took the carb off and cleaned it, no markings whatsoever. I wrote the engine model down in case the shop needs it.

Ian

 

[Rookie1]

Haywood I believe you should find the engine model number on the sheetmetal. Three long numbers, model,production and serial numbers. I used those to get a kit for the mower I worked on. I used aftermarket. On a positive note,where its seeping it will never rust.

 

[fishercat]

if it's a Briggs............

Haywood I believe you should find the engine model number on the sheetmetal. Three long numbers, model,production and serial numbers. I used those to get a kit for the mower I worked on. I used aftermarket. On a positive note,where its seeping it will never rust.

it should be model,code,serial #s

 

[SWI Don]

If you do decide to redo some of your fittings you can do what I do, tilt the tank to get the fitting in question above the oil level. You may be tilting the whole log splitter in your case but that is what loaders, backhoes, engine hoists, come alongs etc are for. My tank is separate so I just have to unbolt it so it is a little easier for me.

Don

 

[Haywire Haywood]

I got the kit installed.... I think. I hate those carb kits where they give you everything to rebuild 5 different carbs and you have left over parts. I never know if the ones left over are supposed to be in the carb or in the garbage.

Ian

edit.. can't believe it freekin' worked. Runs without the choke now and doesn't spew gas. Had to tweak the float bowl tab a little. Hooked it up the first time and the gas went right through and onto the floor.

 

[Rookie1]

Good deal on the rebuild Haywood. I know what you mean about the "universal" rebuild kits. Im ready for the next installment. What do you have for us?

 

[Haywire Haywood]

The next and semi-final installment to this saga is going to be the exhaust. The old 1-into-1 exhaust is rotted out. We tacked it back together but it broke again, so the exhaust upgrade has been pushed to the front burner. I bought a replacement muffler for a small tractor.. the can is about 3.25" in diameter and 13" long. Now I just have to figure out how to do it. The pipes on the stock mufflers are 3/4" and the inlet to the muffler is 1-5/8". The goal is a 2-into-1 quiet exhaust. 3/4" pipe from each cylinder into a Y of some kind and then into the muffler. Don't know where to get thin wall pipe that small, so I was looking at 3/4" EMT conduit today... The rigid conduit on the same rack is thicker walled so I would think it would last longer.

The muffler is designed for a 172 CI gas engine, so it may flow a bit too much for this engine. I may have to weld a big fender washer into the outlet to provide some back pressure. I don't know. Still figuring it out. --Ian

EDIT: If anyone has any ideas, don't be shy...

 

[Rookie1]

Why not come up with dual mufflers like whats on it now. Maybe different pies or routing but same style muffs. That way the sixzes should be similar.

 

[super3]

You can get 3/4 and 1" thin wall tubing at most hardware stores around here in the racks with all the flats and angle iron. Don't know about your area.

 

[Haywire Haywood]

Thanks, I'll have another look. Seems like all the thin wall stuff on those racks was brass and on the short side.

The old exhaust is mounted with a flange, but the block is also tapped for 3/4" pipe thread. It sure is tempting just to buy a couple screw in mufflers and hang them on 6" pipe nipples to get them away from the block, but I want the big muffler to quieten it down.

Ian

 

[Rookie1]

I can dig the quiet factor. Im trying to remember the setup on that craftsman. I think it would be too loud though. I just thought it would be easier. Only other thing I may do is go to muffler shop and see what they have. I knew a guy who used to go to the local muff shop and dig through the dumpster for misbent pipes. He said there was all sorts of sizes. Maybe they could bend it and you could weld it.