My new to me '74 C-160 is running....sorta kinda....

[Hodge71 665]

Well My lil guy and I installed a new drive belt tonight and then tore the starter out and gave it the once over. Bendix was seized up and wouldn't engage the flywheel ring gear. So heres a link to the "tube".

 

 

 

As you can see its got the sound that I cant describe other than the engine seems to come up on compression and then stall the starter out.It barfs out of the carb when it does the stall pop thing. I hit the key again and it fires right up after a few cranks. I have never heard this issue and I'm baffled honestly. Valves? Compression release? Cam? Timing? Points? I can say it seems to run good once running. I pulled the deck of the 416 and threw it under the 160 and it doesn't even know it there when cutting.  Any ideas what could be going on here engine wise so I can delve deeper. I know my list of things it needs is growing very rapidly. It gonna be a lot to pick up before the winter resto she's going to be getting. I will elaborate on that a bit later tonight once I can get it written down. Glad I only paid $225 for it. 

 

Thanks in advance for any ideas on making it start and run better.

[rmaynard 16,301]

Sounds like you have a weak starter, a carburetor that needs to be cleaned and adjusted, and a loose baffle in the muffler.

[Callen 64]

Check your point gap. Will it spin over if you don't choke it?

[546cowboy 302]

That's a heck of a deal for a C-160. The one I got was stripped down and the PO was selling parts off it. It still cost me more than that. But I don't see many in my neck of the woods.

[Hodge71 665]

Well the carb was taken care of yesterday. I pulled it off, disassembled and cleaned it and reinstalled it. Reset to Kohler factory specs. I know the Nelson has a loose baffle. I'm not too concerned about it at this point because I don't think its causing the issue. My plan is to cut it apart and either reweld the baffle inside of make a new baffle for it and then reweld the case. The can is in great shape compared to some I have seen. It does turn over the same way whether its the first cold start of the day and its choked or I just ran it for 15 minutes and its hot without the choke.

 

How can I tell if its the starter or the battery? It has a brand new battery in it from the PO but honestly I'm concerned that A.) its too small because its got lotsa room around it in the box. B.) Its stamped SECOND right in the top. Sitting not running the battery has 12.9 volts. starting the tractor that drops to 11.1, but stays there. I'm also going to check for voltage drop across the solenoid today. It appears to be the original one and I'm thinking that after 39 years, the contacts may be a bit carboned up from arcing.  I have no idea how to test a starter though.

 

I guess I have to figure out checking the points and timing. I'll clean them and see whats happens.

 

Thanks for all the input. Hope theres more to come from other experts more knowledgable than myself. 

[Tankman 3,523]

Great deal on that Horse!

 

Very nice, won't take you too long and the Stallion'll be workin' for ya! 

[ol550 830]

For what it's worth today.  Yesterday when the carburetor was off would have been the best time to check the valve clearance.

Too much exhaust valve clearance will defeat the operation of the compression release.  The loose baffle just makes the neighbors

think it's going to blow at any time and things will be quiet again.

[Hodge71 665]

How do I check valve clearance?

[546cowboy 302]

Well I just did that on the one I have. I used a socket to turn the flywheel until the valve opens and then checked the clearance. You will have to move the flywheel back and forth to check them. Intake is .008 to .010 Exhaust was .017 to .019 if I remember correctly. See page 3.5 in the service manual for a picture and explanation.

Also make sure you pay attention on how the breather comes out so you can put it back in correctly.

Edited July 31, 2013 by 546cowboy

[Hodge71 665]

Thanks for the info on the breather Lynn. I did download that manual. Im going to study it very good before I tear into it. Still a little nervous because I've never tore into a small engine before but looks like this is a first.

[Hodge71 665]

Did some troubleshooting today in between rain storms and I have found that once it does the stall the starter trick, if I back the flywheel up from the compression stroke( where it seems to be stalling it) and hit the starter again, it turns completely over and continues to chug until it starts. I'm starting to lean toward valves..... Am I looking in the right direction or is there a chance that it could be the starter? The reason I don't think its the battery as much as I used to because if I put on my battery charger/200 amp starter it still stalls out on the compression stroke unless I spin it all the way back off compression and doesn't really spin any faster. 

[546cowboy 302]

You do realize that if the battery has a bad plate, a booster will not make it any better. In other words, if you want to eliminate the battery try one you know is good. From what you said about tat battery saying "second" on it I wouldn't trust it and you also said it is smaller than it should be. All that points to a battery problem.

I have done something like that before. Put a used battery in a tractor and the thing would not crank fast enough to start it even with the charger hooked up or jumper cables from a good battery. Put a new battery in and she starts right up.

[Hodge71 665]

Awesome Lynn...I did not know that about batteries. I'm a journeyman electrician but not super knowledgeable in batteries. I will check the battery deal in more detail tomorrow hopefully.

[oldredrider 2,553]

Worn bushings in the starter will cause it to "lope" over.

If you have a known good starter, try swapping it out; quicker

than checking/adjusting valves.

[Hodge71 665]

Thanks Paul. Another route for me to research.