C120 Automatic Barn-ish Find

[Jrblanke 840]

Well, I wasn't planning on this purchase, but the listing was relatively close, and I thought it would be a quick fun project. I was also thinking it might be a good machine to leave up on some property to cut grass with once or twice a month. It came with an extra set of ag tires, wheel weights, a brinly cultivator, brinly moldboard plow, and snow plow. The 42" SD deck had new spindles put on it that are the newer style, so I'm pretty excited about that. 

 

I was excited to get it home and see what was under all that dirt! So I got the pressure washer out, and washed the dirt off. I accidentally blew the C120 stickers off with the pressure washer, but I contacted @Vinylguy and he is going to hook me up. 

 

It looks like a nice machine! It was repainted once before, but they didn't do a bad job. The new china carb should be here on Friday, so once it arrives, i'll start messing with it. I can't wait to hear it run!

 

I included pictures of it sitting at the previous owners house, loaded up on the trailer, and after it was pressure washed. 

[The Tuul Crib 7,332]

Wow !! Did you steal it?? Nice find!!

[Pullstart 59,571]

 Nice find!  Keep us updated on the progress 

[oliver2-44 8,837]

Quite a nice haul.  

[ebinmaine 62,982]

1 hour ago, pullstart said:

 Nice find!  Keep us updated on the progress 

 

[Jrblanke 840]

Thanks guys! I picked up some battery terminals tonight. I'm going to switch them from the car battery style to the lawn mower style terminals. I'll put them on tomorrow. Going to do a little bit of shopping for tires too. Front ones need to be replaced. 

 

[ebinmaine 62,982]

11 hours ago, Jrblanke said:

new china carb

I'm curious to know why you feel that it needs a new carburetor instead of cleaning the old one.

[Pollack Pete 2,273]

Nice tractor.What a  difference cleaned up.Lately,I stay away from the pressure washer.I've also blown too many decals off.Have fun with your new toy.

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,457]

 Not sure it needs a restoration. If it was mine I would install the missing decals, paint the rims, get the new tire(s) and go thru it mechanically and use it. 

[AHS 1,411]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

I'm curious to know why you feel that it needs a new carburetor instead of cleaning the old one.

Chinese carb? 

[Jrblanke 840]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

I'm curious to know why you feel that it needs a new carburetor instead of cleaning the old one.

 

Good question. I considered getting a kit because that’s what I normally do, but figured a new carb was 15 bucks, so I though I’d give it a try. Then I’d clean up the old one and have it for the next tractor that comes along. 

[Sparky-(Admin) 19,457]

4 minutes ago, Jrblanke said:

 

Good question. I considered getting a kit because that’s what I normally do, but figured a new carb was 15 bucks, so I though I’d give it a try. Then I’d clean up the old one and have it for the next tractor that comes along. 

I’ve used a couple of those “clone” carbs and both worked perfectly. 

[Ed Kennell 35,629]

Congrats James.   Really nice 120 auto. and well equipped.     My 120 auto was my first WH and after buying and selling 50+ tractors, I still have the 120.    Mine has the Tecky HH120, but it has been trouble free and always starts and runs strong.

[peter lena 8,038]

good looking rig, now that you have cleaned off the crud, you could give it an  oil rub down to trap the patina and stop the surface rust . i have been regularly using STABIL  in all my fuels and it has been doing a great job of eliminating fuel issues. good luck with it, pete

[ebinmaine 62,982]

10 minutes ago, Sparky said:

I’ve used a couple of those “clone” carbs and both worked perfectly. 

I wish I could say the same. I bought one for the Cinnamon Horse and it showed up with metal filings and black flakes in the bowl.

Cleaned it. Installed it. Same thing happened over again.

Keep in mind that the fuel system on this tractor is all new.

When I took it apart the third time I decided that was going to be the last one and I ordered another older Kohler carb and rebuilt that instead.

 

[Pullstart 59,571]

14 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

I wish I could say the same. I bought one for the Cinnamon Horse and it showed up with metal filings and black flakes in the bowl.

Cleaned it. Installed it. Same thing happened over again.

Keep in mind that the fuel system on this tractor is all new.

When I took it apart the third time I decided that was going to be the last one and I ordered another older Kohler carb and rebuilt that instead.

 

 

I had good luck with the rip off carb on Putt Putt, but I was in a time crunch June of last year and didn’t want to mess with the throttle shaft play.  If I had that much hassle from one or two, I’d be in the same boat.  Plus, nobody knows how long the cheap ones actually last... I’m sure the materials they use are a much poorer quality.

[ebinmaine 62,982]

3 minutes ago, pullstart said:

... I’m sure the materials they use are a much poorer quality.

 

 

One other thing I wanted to mention is that the bore size was substantially smaller even though it was clearly marketed for a 16 horse.

[Ed Kennell 35,629]

30 minutes ago, Sparky said:

I’ve used a couple of those “clone” carbs and both worked perfectly. 

I put one  on the K-321 in the low rider.    It has worked fine with the only issue being the reversed choke linkage.   It wasn't a problem for me as I installed custom throttle and choke linkage.

[bottjernat1 2,189]

2 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Congrats James.   Really nice 120 auto. and well equipped.     My 120 auto was my first WH and after buying and selling 50+ tractors, I still have the 120.    Mine has the Tecky HH120, but it has been trouble free and always starts and runs strong.

That motor is a great motor i put this same motor on my daughter workhorse 800. it is wore out and needs rebuilt but she starts right up. we have beat the crap out of it. the only issue i ever had was the carb i ended up putting a kohler carb on it. i got tired of messing with the tech carb. 

[Rfp55 33]

Might not help anybody in hurry, but on Kohler carb where steel throttle shaft eggs out pot metal/aluminum body to the extent the butterfly wears notch in throat & governor gets stuck; drill the carb body out to size the hole will be round (5/16) and epoxy in a brass nut that has 1/4" or right size hole for throttle shaft and you're good another 25 yr. This is how we dealt with it before internet and foreign carbs.

[Jrblanke 840]

3 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

Congrats James.   Really nice 120 auto. and well equipped.     My 120 auto was my first WH and after buying and selling 50+ tractors, I still have the 120.    Mine has the Tecky HH120, but it has been trouble free and always starts and runs strong.

 

 

 

I love that top picture!!

 

[Jrblanke 840]

Carb came in and I was so excited I cross threaded the fuel inlet (1st thread) Fortunately i had a tap that cleaned up the threads. 

 

I put it on, filled up the gas tank, and cleaned the points, but it still didn’t fire it up. I think I have a weak spark and no fuel. 

 

Next step is going to be to clean all the connections to make sure I get a good spark (currently I have some spark but it’s intermittent and inconsistent). I’ll also put on a new fuel line and filter. Hopefully the pump will work. That is yet to be seen.

 

Here are a couple pics of the carb. 

[Pullstart 59,571]

Did you say if it has new points?  It’s 6-8 bucks well spent in my opinion!

[Jrblanke 840]

44 minutes ago, pullstart said:

Did you say if it has new points?  It’s 6-8 bucks well spent in my opinion!

 

No, but I agree. New points will be in order. 

[Jrblanke 840]

Here is the update:

If you have followed my thread in the electrical section, you know I had a little hickup with the solenoid. I've gotten that straight, and the tractor runs! Woo hoo!

 

The problem I am having now is that it is running WAY to rich at wide open throttle, and it also will not idle. I have adjusted the mixture screws all the way closed at WOT and it will not cut off the machine. Before I purchase new points and condenser, I'm going to clean the OLD carb and put it back on to see if that will make it run better. Not impressed with the china carb so far.