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Yavorcik

Bought Wheel Horse 312-8 today for $60.00!!

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elliot ness

Great price, great project, and welcome to red Square where you will find a world of knowledge about these wheel horse tractors, and many great people. Just ask and the info will come your way.

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rtfbg

If you're wondering about your deal, this "tractor" was posted here on Craigslist, as "Wheel Horse tractor, needs some work, $350.00"  LOL

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Yavorcik

@gulftane Holy smoke! Wow. Yea, I think I did really, really good. :D 

Update: It was a productive 4th of July. I removed the deck and got her up on some jack stands to remove the tires and do a good cleaning. 

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rtfbg
2 hours ago, Wheel-N-It said:

You got a good deal even if it does not run, which I think it will by the way. Here are some easy steps for bringing a wheel horse back to life that has sat a few years.

Take the spark plug out and put a little marvel mystery oil in the spark plug hole. Pour about 4oz in there and just let it sit. Then remove the air cleaner assembly and backing plate being careful not to break the PCV hose in the backing plate. Then remove the float bowl from the carb, throw out the bad junk in the bowl and clean the inside of the bowl until it shines. Do not put the bowl back on yet. Get all the old gas out of the fuel tank and put in some fresh gas. Blow through the fuel tank until you have fresh gas coming out the bottom of the carb. Then put the bowl back on but not the air cleaner . If gas does not come out let us know so we can walk you through what to do then. Next if the engine oil does not have water in it or does not look like molasses then don't change it just yet. Only change it if it looks worse than just old oil as you will need to change it a couple of times after you get the engine running. Then with the transmission in neutral move the PTO lever forward and with your hand rotate the engine over several times to work the rings through any rusty spots in the cylinder. Then disengage the PTO lever. Next install a new battery, close the hood, and sitting on the tractor spin the motor over about 10 seconds to get everything used to spinning without and compression and to blow all the MMO out of the spark plug hole. Remember you will have to set on the seat, push in the clutch, and have the PTO lever disengaged . Ok now you are ready to start the engine. Take a small wire brush and clean the old spark plug. Install the plug. The actual starting procedure is best done with two people. Have a trustworthy friend sit in the seat. You are at the left front of the tractor with a can of carb cleaner. Do not use the environmentaly friendly kind. You need the regular high explosive combustible kind. DO NOT use starting fluid. This will damage the engine. High explosive carb cleaner is calmer and more like gasoline. Have the choke completely open, do not close the choke. Give the engine about half to 2/3rd throttle Have your friend turn the key to get the engine spinning and with the engine spinning give 3 or 4 quick shots of carb cleaner directly into the carb intake, when the engine fires continue giving shots of carb cleaner until the engine runs by itself on gasoline. Let it run at 1/2-2/3rd throttle for about 15 - 20 minutes then change the oil. Just use some cheap stuff first time around. The restart the engine and let it run 2/3 throttle for 30 minutes and change the oil again. This time use a good quality straight 30weight oil. Install a fresh spark plug and reinstall the air cleaner assembly with a new air cleaner . Enjoy your 312-8. The one you see in my avatar is one I bought new 25 years ago, and is still the favorite of all I have owned since. 

Van

Print and save this.  I read it, and agree with just about everything, except I would have included 3 -4 breaks for Miller Lite!!!  Nice write-up!!!

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rtfbg
On 7/3/2016 at 4:43 PM, gulftane said:

Well, your local Harley shop, truck stops usually have some chrome stuff, and you can always just put "chrome" on ebay and let your imagination go!!

You have a great place .. Hubbard, only a few miles east ... lots of goodies there!!!

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Yavorcik

@Wheel-In-it I cannot thank you enough!!!! I am going to print this off and follow it to a T. The only problem I am having right now is the PTO lever is frozen and I think the parking brake is frozen on. I just put her up on jack stands and I am gonna crawl under there and find out how to release it. Any advice on that one? lol [You guys on here are amazing and dedicated. I have made such a great decision here! Thank you so much.] 

@gulftane yes they are close! I will go there for sure

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WHX??

Get lots of your favorite penetrant on the frozen stuff and keep at it over the next few days while slowly trying to free things up. Patience is the key here. WD 40 might work but many of use here prefer something a little more high test. Lots of good threads here on that subject.

 

:WRS:

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WheelHorseNut

Nice pick up!  Can't go wrong for that price, for sure!

 

Beware -- these things are addicting!  I picked up another tractor this past weekend and I haven't even finished up the resto on my first one! Hah!  My wife thinks I'm crazy...:wacko:

P.S.  I found this great penetrating fluid that I really like -- I'll get the name for you later on when I get home

Edited by WheelHorseNut
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rtfbg
48 minutes ago, Yavorcik said:

@Wheel-In-it I cannot thank you enough!!!! I am going to print this off and follow it to a T. The only problem I am having right now is the PTO lever is frozen and I think the parking brake is frozen on. I just put her up on jack stands and I am gonna crawl under there and find out how to release it. Any advice on that one? lol [You guys on here are amazing and dedicated. I have made such a great decision here! Thank you so much.] 

@gulftane yes they are close! I will go there for sure

Don't know that model, but if it's an external drum with a band style brake, just remove the whole assembly, put it on your workbench, and beat the crap out of it ... you will want to replace the lining anyways!!

One thing you need to get straight right away .. and it's important!!!   YOU need to enjoy this!!  So take all the advice you can get, but bottom line, is if today you feel like polishing the steering wheel, well, thats what you do today!!  Get my drift!!!!

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Wheel-N-It
5 hours ago, gulftane said:

Don't know that model, but if it's an external drum with a band style brake, just remove the whole assembly, put it on your workbench, and beat the crap out of it ... you will want to replace the lining anyways!!

One thing you need to get straight right away .. and it's important!!!   YOU need to enjoy this!!  So take all the advice you can get, but bottom line, is if today you feel like polishing the steering wheel, well, thats what you do today!!  Get my drift!!!!

DITTO Gulftane. This has got to be fun! If not, then why do it?, You are so right!

Man I apologize for not introducing myself at the Big Show. I feel bad about it, but now that you've been there you see there is a large number of us attending, and hundreds of Tractors, tons of parts and accessories, and unfortunately too little time for it all. Hopefully I will see you there next year.

Edited by Wheel-N-It
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Yavorcik

Got into the tear down last night. I am very impressed with the enginerring of her. I am taking my time and using copious amounts of PB Blaster to loosen all the frozen parts. The parking brake is still frozen solid and hopefully I will make some progress on that today. Crawling under her and really taking the time to understand hiow she works is both educational and entertaining. This is fun and my girl thinks I have lost my mind....which is fun in itself B)

Thank you to enreyone who has offered thier advice. I really appreciate it! 

Marty

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WheelHorseNut

Nice headway!!!  Really getting after it!

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Wheel-N-It

Yeah boy, that's looking good !:D

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rtfbg
13 hours ago, Wheel-N-It said:

DITTO Gulftane. This has got to be fun! If not, then why do it?, You are so right!

Man I apologize for not introducing myself at the Big Show. I feel bad about it, but now that you've been there you see there is a large number of us attending, and hundreds of Tractors, tons of parts and accessories, and unfortunately too little time for it all. Hopefully I will see you there next year.

I'm sorry you didn't visit with me too!!  LOL  But I have to tell you, there was a ton of guys that did.  One was ACMan, who I believe is confined to a wheel chair, and had a real cool track style chair at the show.  Why do I mention him??  'Cause he's the only one I remember!!!   LOL!!!  If all the guys I met came to my house today, some may look familiar, but would have NO IDEA who they were!!  It's so fun being old and dumb!!  Thank God for the manuals download page!!!!!!

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tunahead72
10 hours ago, Yavorcik said:

... The parking brake is still frozen solid ...

 

What does that mean exactly?  From your photos, it looks like the parking brake lever is in the forward/unlocked position, does it move at all?  And does the brake pedal on the right side move, or is it stuck too?

 

Did you get your PTO lever loose?

 

PB Blaster is good stuff!  Others here will recommend Kroil, which I've never used but wouldn't hesitate to try some day.

 

One other thought...  One of the few weaknesses on the 300 series tractors is the bushing where the steering wheel passes through the vertical cover plate in front of the gear shifters.  If you can hold your steering wheel and move it a lot side to side or forward and backward, that's something you'll have to address at some point.  The very good news is that there are several fixes discussed here on RedSquare.

 

And finally, have you found manuals here yet?

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Yavorcik

Progress was made on the parking brake situation. I had to use a sledge and hit it a few times to break it free of the grime but it worked. Now the brake is moving freely and can be engaged quit nicely. The little spring that brings the parking lever back in place needs replaced but that is an asey fix for sure. I bought a new battery and am prepared to attempt a start. The issue now is the PTO interlock switch I think. When I turn key to see if she is prepared to start the indicator light is on for the PTO, howwever, it is disengaged so it should not be sensing it to be in the "on" position. Any advice on this besides tearing the switch out would be greatly appreciated.  

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Wheel-N-It

There are two safety switches on the PTO. Those things will fail and may need to be bypassed to get the engine running. I've had that situation before.

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Yavorcik

How do I bypass them? I think that is exactly what is going on. 

 

Thanks

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midpack

Just unplug them

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Yavorcik

i unplugged the seat switch and it defaulted to the open position? So if I unplug it won't it default to open as a safty mechinism?

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Wheel-N-It

Unplugging the seat switch or not sitting on the seat opens the circuit 

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Yavorcik

Update: I got her running and working! I changed the oil/ flushed all the old gas out/ cleaned everything and put her back together and bingo she runs like a dream! She is a beast. Now I need to replace the PTO clutch belt and reattach the mower deck. On the look out for a brinly plow now to expand the garden! 

 

Thank you guys for all your help and advice. This place is great.

 

Marty

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Horse46

Hey Marty good work, I missed this earlier :WRS: 

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