551 Suburban Resto...

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

Not to be out done by the WI dudes ( @Achto, @WHX??), I've decided to start a restore on the 551 I brought back from the Big Show. Big thanks to @Pullstart and his crew for working with me and bringing to show for pick up. This will be my first Tecky motor restore and already miss my Kohlers . Just kidding motor seems solid without any unusual ticks, knocks, or smoke. Ordered a carb kit and will start there if and when I get steering wheel off. The throttle cable needs some attention fo sure cant hardly move it. Have had it running and drove it around and trans seems to be good. Haven't put a battery to it yet just used rope to start but wanting to have it both ways. I have a lauson 5.5 from the 550 I have and looks like a lot of stuff is the same ??? and it ran when took off years ago. May need some help on the electric when I get to it. One thing I can think of right now is what is the little box with the diode/fuses do thats on side of motor? just have one pic of it before I pulled it in shop but will post others asap

.

[Achto 30,593]

28 minutes ago, sqrlgtr said:

little box with the diode/fuses do thats on side of motor?

 

This is your voltage regulator / rectifier. 

 

Will be following along. 

Edited yesterday at 04:56 PM by Achto

[WHX?? 54,000]

Got bad news for ya Squirrels... Dan and I already had our grubby mitts on that tractor and had our way with it. 

Pullstart plow day last year or the year before CRS. He had just got it and the first thing I said to him is... Kev this is way too nice a rig for the looks of you 

In between furrows Dan and I got bored 😴 and fingered we couldn't mess it up any worse than Pullstart could. 

I don't remember what we all did maybe @Achto does but we got it running. Pretty sure Dan had to teabag it a couple times. 

I was gonna flash some cash on it just to keep the angle grinder off it but tractor heavy ya know. Don't need another project. 

If I recollect it didn't need a frame off resto. 

On the carb for 15 clams I wouldn't be afraid to try a off shore. One worked great on a 502 I had & cheaper than rebuild parts. 

On the electrical I can definitely help you out ther. I went through a couple of techies and got real intimate with them diodes. 

 

'24 it was... AC Dude and Sylvia supervised. Well Sylvia just stood around lookin stoopid and doled out the 🧀 curds 

Edited 23 hours ago by WHX??
speeling & gramma

[Achto 30,593]

2 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

don't remember what we all did

 

I think it was mainly some carb work & governor adjustments ?? Not entirely sure. Like I say, "I've slept since then" 

[SylvanLakeWH 30,247]

52 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Well Sylvia just stood around lookin stoopid and doled out the 🧀 curds 

I represent that...! 

 

53 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Dan and I already had our grubby mitts on that tractor and had our way with it.

It was awful... just awful... cheese curd crumbs everywhere... oh the humanity!!! 

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

First major hurdle is over.

 

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

Got bad news for ya Squirrels... Dan and I already had our grubby mitts on that tractor and had our way with it.

I knew I wasn't her first but DANG....

1 hour ago, SylvanLakeWH said:

It was awful... just awful... cheese curd crumbs everywhere... oh the humanity!!! 

I'm really unsure what a curd looks like but pretty sure that's what the dog was after or maybe a mouse just dont know...

 

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

On the electrical I can definitely help you out ther. I went through a couple of techies and got real intimate with them diodes. 

Is there any electrical documentation on these in manual section? I couldn't find anything but..... Found all kinds of stuff thats Kohler powered.

Edited 21 hours ago by sqrlgtr

[WHX?? 54,000]

A wiring diagram should be in the OM. 

There are some good tecky manuals in the files too and they cover the rectifier. I'll post what I have. 

There is no regulator on these motors. What you measure is what you get and they will overcharge a battery. To drop the charge voltage a diode gets removed. Make friends with your volt meter you will need it. 

Lots of good threads on the rectifier in the basement. 

[953 nut 63,683]

       Just can't turn your back on them there Wisconsin Garden Tractor Mafia members. A few years ago I bought a real nicer Wheel Horse at the Big Show, went to have lunch and came back to this      

 

[WHX?? 54,000]

Your rectifier page 51. Engine Tecumseh 3hp to 11hp L-Head SM _692509.pdf

 

Many more threads down there ... search tecumseh rectifier all words in topics & 551 in files 

Tractor 1961 551 Wiring Rev.pdf

 

Edited 16 hours ago by WHX??

[Achto 30,593]

I little thing that I just noticed. Your '61 Suburban has a rib all the way down the top center of the hood.

4 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

 

On the '61 Suburban that I am restoring that rib stops at the gas cap. Just like it does on my '60 Suburban.

 

You also have the cast foot pads just like my 701 has. Mine has the bent diamond plate pads. The serial number tag on mine is a cut off serial tag from a '60 Suburban that was bolted to the hood support. I'm guessing that mine is an early model that was built with left over '60 parts.

 

 

Edited 16 hours ago by Achto

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

 

46 minutes ago, Achto said:

I little thing that I just noticed. Your '61 Suburban has a rib all the way down the top center of the hood

Here is a pic of my 60 550 with that style hood???? Might be a 60 hood also same foot boards.

Edited 15 hours ago by sqrlgtr

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

@Achto My 60 has 3 piece trans and the 61 has 2 piece. I thought the 2 piece came on the 61's but may be wrong. Noticed yours is 3 piece also???

Edited 15 hours ago by sqrlgtr

[Racinbob 12,536]

9 hours ago, sqrlgtr said:

@Achto My 60 has 3 piece trans and the 61 has 2 piece. I thought the 2 piece came on the 61's but may be wrong. Noticed yours is 3 piece also???

 

 The 401's had the 3 piece, 551's has the 2 piece.

[Achto 30,593]

12 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

 The 401's had the 3 piece, 551's has the 2 piece.

[squonk 45,132]

11 hours ago, Achto said:

I little thing that I just noticed. Your '61 Suburban has a rib all the way down the top center of the hood.

 

On the '61 Suburban that I am restoring that rib stops at the gas cap. Just like it does on my '60 Suburban.

 

You also have the cast foot pads just like my 701 has. Mine has the bent diamond plate pads. The serial number tag on mine is a cut off serial tag from a '60 Suburban that was bolted to the hood support. I'm guessing that mine is an early model that was built with left over '60 parts.

 

 

My 551 has the full length rib.

 

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

1 hour ago, Racinbob said:

 

 The 401's had the 3 piece, 551's has the 2 piece.

i knew that duh forgot what we was working on .

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

27 minutes ago, squonk said:

My 551 has the full length rib.

has the cast footrest also.

[Pullstart 68,696]

Fun times!  When Dan was finished tea bagging and that didn’t work by the seventeenth time, he figured it had a grounded start switch.  It was weird, like the starter always had power but the ground was switched or something.  @Achto that ring a bell?  But not positive ground.  

[Achto 30,593]

2 minutes ago, Pullstart said:

 @Achto that ring a bell?

 

 Yes the starter relay is the same as a 701 relay. Positive power is present all the time, the relay is activated by a ground signal from the switch. This ground switched relay is also used on Western snow plows.

[WHX?? 54,000]

 

[squonk 45,132]

1 hour ago, Achto said:

 

 Yes the starter relay is the same as a 701 relay. Positive power is present all the time, the relay is activated by a ground signal from the switch. This ground switched relay is also used on Western snow plows.

Same internal design but the Snow plow relay (Solenoid) is supposed to be "Continuous Duty" to handle the long " on time " during operation

[sqrlgtr 1,934]

Happened across these while doing a little research and pulled the trigger on them $25 for four, probably a little step but NOS so...... If I checked mine right one was good and one was bad (current both ways). Checked with ohm meter. Works out to $6.25 a piece but figured time  I ran everything down and the time to redo mine I would have that much at least in them .

[WHX?? 54,000]

That's not the worst price. When I was searching for them found crazy prices. Then found that thread on them and how to replace the diode. 

These charging systems leave a bit to be desired. A guy could adapt a generic rectifier/regulator to these motors but in my stupid OCD analness to stay orginal. 

Just make sure they are electrically speced the same as the orginals. Or close to it. 

Keeping mind you may only need one. Output voltage depends on the RPM and condition of the stator. 

I put a voltmeter on the 502 to monitor the voltage and if it got too high just flipped on the bug eyes. So much for orginal but no cooked batteries. 

Edited 37 minutes ago by WHX??