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May 31, 1859, The famous tower clock known as Big Ben, located at the top of the 320-foot-high Elizabeth Tower, begins ticking over the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London, for the first time.

New tie rods new, spindle belt, new blades and deck adjusted today. Mowed a little spot behind shop that I missed with zero turn mower and it mowed like a champ..

I'm a tractor guy, and I am always open to new brands. I currently have a Cub Cadet 129, 1250, 1650 as well as a John Deere 212. I also have 4 Massey Ferguson tractors( 50, 130, GC2300, 1825E), a JI Case SC, a 1946 JD Model A, Farmall Cub, International 184. I was given a C-161 with the 8 speed Hi/Low transmission that was / is quite the basket case. When I picked up the tractor it had 4 flat tires, missing headlights, the hood was disconnected, gas smelled like varnish, clutch pedal stuck, steering mostly stuck, it looked like it sat outside for years, full of leaves, and moss of some kind growing in the cracks of the seat. This one is going to be fun. After digging into it, I found the coil was cracked, ammeter toast, battery toast, wiring was in shambles, mower deck is frozen, the hood was damaged and someone did a real rookie welding job on it :). But, the engine is not stuck!!!! I rewired the tractor, replaced the coil with one off one of my Cubs, cleaned and adjusted the points, changed the fuel filter, cleaned and gapped the spark plug, adjusted the governor and throttle cable, Grabbed an air filter and cover from a Cub cadet, swapped the battery. Now the old girl is running. I need to clean the carb, it's a little rough on the top end. I greased up the steering and it's a lot better, lubed up the clutch pedal and it's now working great. The brakes work as well as all 8 gears and the clutch seems good. Then I removed the mower deck so I can take a look at it and find out what is the cause of it not wanting to spin the blades. I have to admit, the Wheel Horse quick connect for the deck is pretty slick. What I need... Headlight assembly, points cover, air filter (this one is twice the size of my other Kohler filters), air filter cover (the big one), If anyone has any good tips on a good source or 2 for some of these parts that would be great. I wish I would have taken more pictures when I picked it up and to document the progress. I think I might try to make this tractor pretty again. Wish me luck. Eric W in NW Arkansas

My 312 had character like that too but my character builder was rolling down a gravel pit wall. I ended up just swapping the hood after trying to get the dent out. It’s still going years after the incident, much like yours. It is my go to rig as well, primarily being my mowing tractor. Wheel horse built them tough.

Was debating stripping the hood completely, but I'm glad I did. There were hundreds of little rust bubbles under the paint. All clean now and red oxide primed. Also I have looked for several days for my generator belt brackets. So I just made a set. Once I get them installed I'll probably find the originals. And I'm strongly considering using an electric fuel pump. I have for over a month now played phone and email tag with Newandoldparts. I'll decide tomorrow...

RJ-58 with a CBR-32

Never fear, Trina is here.

Got any fuses in the wire from the solenoid to the amp meter? Could have blown one while the spark show was going on.

This should give you a good diagram to go by.

Thank you Garry as all ways. Also thanks Erick and Mike. I will get the Napa on today.

Well yesterday I had a slight accident with that extra top wire that I don’t need slipped out of my hand and fell onto the positive side of the battery. Quite the spark show so I am thinking that something happened to that solenoid, cause it doesn’t turn over the engine anymore and yes, I did put my foot on the clutch to activate the safety switch kind of a head scratcher. So I only hear a nock sound coming from the solenoid. Does not turn over engine.

I saw a decent but rusty looking 3 or 400 series on Facebook Marketplace a few months back that a dealership was selling with a decent sized mowing deck for 3 grand. It must have been too high because it was on there for months. I think it got taken off as I haven’t seen it lately.

312-8 after mounting a 42” deck.

Eb is right on, it's a 1976 and yes it was originally a C160 8 speed

Fuel tank cap vent may be clogged. Try running it with the fuel cap loose. Screen in the tank may be clogged. Pull the line off at the tank to check for free flowing fuel. to the

I'm giving Penetrol a try on this and I'm okay with it so far. I'll let you know what the verdict is after a few treatments

TRIP 2 consisted of some NOS parts, buckets of used parts, numerous Kohlers, and some more tractors including some little tractor with some kind of cutting attachment on the front of it. Not sure if that's worth anything or not? Best part is that it was 2 tenths of a mile from my house.

OK umm big question - ho do you know the engine is seized? Did you pull the motor and pop the blower shroud off the front and check for mouse nests or jammed starter or some debris fell down and jammed flywheel up against shroud? I've seen many such issues with engines mounted like that that came in deemed "junk for parts" that the person simply did not or could not be bothered to spend the time and effort to pull the engine and actually look .....

2 The C-161 is a great machine, and that 16 hp is a beast. Enjoy your time bringing up to snuff, it will be well worth it. A wet sanding and a coat of Flood finish should be all it needs if you like a patina finish. It's only original once.

About the ID tag, some times when they are hard to read, take a lead pencil and rub the numbers then lightly rub it off. The lead will fill the numbers and make it easier to see.

from another Eric. You've managed to trip over one of the most desirable and best worker models Wheelhorse made. Best idea here is to clean the WHOLE fuel system. Remove, clean, and replace the tank, ALL rubber fuel line, filter, pump, and of course carburetor. Check the carb top shaft for excessive wear. For parts: 1. Place an ad in our classifieds. 2. PM @76c12091520h Brian. 3. CALL Lincoln at A to Z Tractor in PA. There are several other places to get general maintenance items. Luck!

Kinda sounds to me like the knock you hear is the solenoid working but there another issue with the starter, bad wiring or?

OK, check the fuel supply to the carb. Pull the line off at the carb. and crank the engine while you hold the line in a container. You should see a strong spurting supply. If not install an electric pump as low as possible near the tank. Do not let the pump run dry. You need a 2-3.5 PSI pump. I have had good results with Carbole. They come with a inlet filter to protect the pump. Amazon.com: CarBole Gasoline Electric Fuel Pump Universal 5/16 Inch Inlet and Outlet Inline 12V 1-2A 28GPH 2-3.5P.S.I. Operating Fuel Pressure : Automotive

Yet another project I'm in to this spring is my sisters garage. Their house was built in the early 70's. My dad (another life long electrician) wired it so I knew it was done right. Since then they added a garage with a workshop. My dad passed over 20 years ago and I was living in Florida we had no part in that wiring. Since being back up here I've been in their garage many times and cringed every time. Fluorescent fixtures crudely hung with tie wire. Not only are fluorescents a bad idea in northern Indiana (try getting them to work in the winter) but all the wiring was extension cords and what romex I could see was shoddy. After fixing a couple things inside the house (a couple of 50 year old switches were acting up) I told them I wanted to clean up the garage. About a week ago I did the demo and made a material list. Over a dozen extension cords with multiple cube taps slung through the trusses. I found other potentially serious screwups as well. I didn't say much until I pulled the garage panel cover. A 100 amp main breaker panel, a Homeline, not QO but that was OK. BUT, the feeder was #14. I said a few things but figured it was probably still safe as the breaker in the house panel was protecting it. I went inside. A two pole 50 amp breaker was feeding the #14 romex feeling the garage. I could no longer keep my mouth shut. I asked them who wired this and couldn't get a real answer so I stopped pushing. Now just try to explain to two people well into their 80's and electrically ignorant why this is dangerous when it's worked fine for almost 30 years. To make the story shorter I'm just going to say I'm not running a new feeder. It would require trenching and they no longer use the workshop out there. They need lights and the door openers to work. I haven't finished it yet but they are getting a two pole 15 in the house panel, four keyless lamp holders with led bulbs and receptacles for the openers. That's all they need and want at this point. The extension cords showed their age and were trashed as well as the fluorescent fixtures. Their garage will work as they need it, it will be properly protected. They will also get a stern warning about who touches wiring in the future.

Napa ST81SB Use the "s terminal. Dis-regard the 2nd terminal.

I thought that tractor runs good? If that solenoid works I'd leave it on. But that main ground cable should NOT be attached to the bracket. Ground cables should be bolted to a more substantial point. Sheet metal isn't a great path for electricity.

Try pouring some marvel mystery oil in the cylinders

Are all the fuel hoses new. New hose is soft and will seal on the nipples. Hard hose will likely leak and allow the fuel pump to suck in air at the nipples. And the same will will not allow fuel to leak when not under vacuum so makes it hard to diagnose. The fuel pump will suck air if it gets a chance because it is easier to pump air than fuel. Air can be compressed and expanded so a short vacuum pulse from the pump just plays with the air. The pulse does not have enough duration to pull a bit of fuel with it. That is why electric pumps located near the tank are a good choice. Most of the fuel line is under pressure. It is normal to see a fuel filter half full but they should never go empty. At half full the inside of the cartridge will have fuel in it at the filter outlet but you can not see that.

Seen it before. One man's perceived fortune is another man's...hard pass.

I’ve got a nice headlight bucket. PM me if interested.

Nice haul. One of the local hardware stores has a C 160 with a snowblower and a C 101 with a deck on consignment. They want $1,500 each. Nice looking tractors, but......

Well, it's been almost a month and it's back together. I wouldn't call it a restoration but I got the hydro/uni-drive replaced and the balance gears removed which were the primary objectives. I got seat springs and an old Nelson on it this afternoon and will do a few more things as I get time, but for now I'll call it good and move on to another project that's been waiting...

Yes, and due to the tight clearance to the starter 12v. lug, I install a rubber sleeve on the fill tube to provide insulation.

Yep gas tank was pulled and cleaned out. Fan was removed to make sure all the crud was removed. This was one of the crudest tractors I’ve ever seen. After I was finished with the pressure washer I ended up throwing my shirt and shorts away. They were beyond cleaning.

I suppose if it were left open and the run was under the max length required it would be okay. Here we have to be under three feet max to the breaker when it enters the house. Maybe that got inspected before the wall covering was installed? At least your going to be okay, sounds like a redo for the generator switch anyway, and a new inspection.

Nah. I've been in the trade since the 70's and it's never been legal. The house was built in the late 90's. The problem here in Starke county is they either don't know or don't care. Does it work? Yes. OK, it's passed.

Not a problem. I started with a small hand size hole to verify I was in the right spot and what could be in the way then I was holding those wires aside as I cut the access panel size. Not my first rodeo. I was concerned about the possible safety issue when I didn't know what was in the wall. Turns out it wasn't an issue but still a code violation. I'm sure the next stud void to the right has ALL the house wires. The guy ran all the branch circuits from the basement panel to the attic. Then he set a box over each room and ran separate wires to each device in that room. Virtually all the shallow blue plastic 4x4's were overfilled and the plastic covers were bulging. I basically lived in the attic as I changed everything to deep 4-11/16" boxes and redid every joint. Opened up and checked every switch and recep in the house too.

The 312 got a bath today! Interesting story about this tractor is that I never intended to own it but it came non-running in a package deal with a c-165 I was in search of. It eventually got repowered when I swapped one from a 12 Auto. A huge limb fell across its hood so that's been pounded out. No Purple Heart ceremony for that yet but it's got character and surprisingly my "preferred" machine depending on what I'm doing.

You went that far I hope you pulled the gas tank and cleaned the crud under there. You can clean the cooling fins easier and the dirt between the seat mount and gas tank causes rust.

If it just the seal that is leaking, to change that is not a big deal. Sometimes the hub will come off easily because it been saturated with oil because of the leak. Then there are times when removing the hub can be a bane to your existence, we call it a right of passage. You won't know until you get into it. There are threads here on how to remove a stuck hub. A 3-claw puller usually ends up breaking the hub, so check those threads.

Not necessarily. My 76 has both of them

I put some paint on the wheels

Another C160 in NC? Well done. I hope you can get it! Do NOT let @ebinmaine drive down and beat you to it. He has plenty of C160s!

Mebbe so but it looks great from Maine.

Grabbed a couple side shots this weekend...

Here’s a few more I found, with guest appearances too! @stevasaurus @WHX24 @PeacemakerJack @Coulter Caleb @Shynon