New Wheel Horse Owner 417-8 - mower and snowblower questions

[midpack 1,010]

will do Eric!

 

[midpack 1,010]

1 hour ago, Seth Powers said:

 

Nice tractors! It was on facebook marketplace and I got it from St. Albans, VT. 

 

Seth

thanks!

could have seen it on marketplace too. looked like a good deal

[Seth Powers 35]

2 hours ago, midpack said:

thanks!

could have seen it on marketplace too. looked like a good deal

I got it for $650 with the snowblower and mower. 

 

Seth

[ebinmaine 72,706]

44 minutes ago, Seth Powers said:

I got it for $650 with the snowblower and mower. 

 

Seth

You did very well at that price.

 

You hang around this website and bunch of crazy people and we will keep that thing running with you and you'll be very impressed with it. If you're not careful you might even make a friend or two.

 

 

[midpack 1,010]

2 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

You did very well at that price.

 

You hang around this website and bunch of crazy people and we will keep that thing running with you and you'll be very impressed with it. If you're not careful you might even make a friend or two.

 

 

agree, good price.

 

Eric, you didn't let him know the real danger from hanging around here. I started out with one machine... 

[ebinmaine 72,706]

6 minutes ago, midpack said:

agree, good price.

 

Eric, you didn't let him know the real danger from hanging around here. I started out with one machine... 

Oh yeah yeah.

 

So, Seth. Here's the thing.

 

You might want to start increasing your storage space.

 

You see, a hair covered horse like you might put a saddle on is a herd animal.

 

Many of us have found that these paint covered horses are also a herd animal.

 

Not quite four years ago I started out with one. I now have for that run and drive and five projects on the way.

 

My honey, Trina and I. We've done to full frame off restoration. Five or six mechanical restorations.

 

We got into them because we needed something that was physically heavy and very heavy duty as well. They are reliable. Easy to build. Easy to maintain. Parts availability is excellent. And the people on this site are something else....

[Seth Powers 35]

Well, I got all the belts, replaced the oil, transmission fluid, put in new spark plugs, new blades, changed the air filter, and put the deck back on. It ran great for about 35 minutes, cutting beautifully until it suddenly died and it won't start.  Not the inaugural run I wanted to experience. 

 

It seemed to lose power so I paused about 45 seconds before this happened so I stopped the pto and it seemed fine, so I continued until it died. 

 

Seth

[Seth Powers 35]

Here it is, minus the deck. 

[953 nut 60,057]

Take a look at the wires to the seat switch and PTO switch, could be a wire is not tight or has corrosion.

[midpack 1,010]

Are you getting fuel? If you have a clear filter you can see if it drys up as it's running. 

There's a screen in the valve on the tank, I've taken a couple off because they were blocked

[Seth Powers 35]

10 hours ago, midpack said:

Are you getting fuel? If you have a clear filter you can see if it drys up as it's running. 

There's a screen in the valve on the tank, I've taken a couple off because they were blocked

I do have a clear filter and there is fuel in it. 

 

Seth

[Seth Powers 35]

The engine turns over but won't start. I'll go check the wires. 

 

Seth

[ebinmaine 72,706]

That could be indicative of a safety switch acting up as suggested above

[Seth Powers 35]

3 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

That could be indicative of a safety switch acting up as suggested above

But would it lose power like that and then die? 

 

I looked the safety switch over and followed the wires and they seemed fine. All the wires I looked at and felt seemed fine. As I said before, I am not a mechanic, so I am not the best person to be looking it over.   I checked the spark plugs, but they were new and looked fine. 

 

Do those engines overheat? I had been mowing about 35 minutes - it was running like a champ, the new blades were cutting beautifully...and then...ugh. Thankfully, I was able to back up my Pilot and haul it up - love my new lawn because it is now all accessible to larger vehicles, which is quite unlike my last one. 

 

Any other thoughts? Take it to someone who understands engines? I hate to give up though.  

 

Seth

 

 

[ebinmaine 72,706]

 Trina and I would be happy to take a look at it for you but you're an hour and 30 or 40 minutes from our place.

 

All of our tractors are older and don't have any safety switches so we aren't accustomed to dealing with them being open or closed.

 

Given that you have basic mechanical knowledge you'll be able to figure it out with the help of the folks here.

Unless it's a legal or licensing issue I have a serious tendency to purchase a tool that I need instead of paying somebody else to do the work.

 

I greatly enjoy the satisfaction of figuring something out even if it takes me 38 tries.  

 

 

@953 nut can you or someone else more familiar with the newer machines help out?

 

[ebinmaine 72,706]

@Seth Powers

I'm assuming you want to get that thing running as soon as possible like I would but if you don't have it going by the day of the meet and greet, bring it down and there's about a 99% chance it'll be running in no time.

 

[Seth Powers 35]

Is there a way to disable the safety switch? Someone did that for me with another tractor I had. 

[ebinmaine 72,706]

6 minutes ago, Seth Powers said:

Is there a way to disable the safety switch? Someone did that for me with another tractor I had. 

We don't generally condone that as a group.

I'm not sure to be honest. One of the others might be able to answer.

 

 

A couple things that you could do ...

Pick up an inexpensive spark plug tester. Verify that you do actually have spark.

Also, get a small clear container like a peanut butter jar or something and remove the fuel line at the carburetor. Have someone crank the engine and verify that your fuel pump is working okay.

 

[Seth Powers 35]

On 8/19/2020 at 12:37 AM, Joe Warren said:

I may have new chains. What size are your tires?

Hi Joe, the rear tires are 23 x 9.5 -12. 

 

I will need chains for winter. 

Seth

[Joe Warren 80]

Hi Seth.

My apology, I missed your earlier reply. I do have have a set of chains for your 23 x 9.5 -12 tires. Email me at joeww121@gmail.com if you are still interested.

thank you,

Joe

[953 nut 60,057]

On 8/28/2020 at 11:23 AM, Seth Powers said:

Is there a way to disable the safety switch? Someone did that for me with another tractor I had. 

For testing purposes to eliminate any and all electrical components (except the points/condenser/coil) you could make up a small jumper wire directly from the coil "+" to the battery "+" to see if that allows dependable operation.

[Seth Powers 35]

On 9/16/2020 at 7:33 AM, 953 nut said:

For testing purposes to eliminate any and all electrical components (except the points/condenser/coil) you could make up a small jumper wire directly from the coil "+" to the battery "+" to see if that allows dependable operation.

 

Okay, so I replaced the points, the condenser, and the thing with three metal things (AC/?/?) that has something to do with electrical...sorry, I can't remember the part now. Anyway, when the tractor is running it shows a smidge under 12 volts which explains why it dies after about 30 minutes of use, because it is draining the battery. Now, we rigged up a wire directly from that thing with the metal things that has something to do with electrical (sits on the left side of the engine, up top on mine) from there to the battery, it actually showed between 13-14 volts. Aside from that, I am at a loss. The problem is electrical, but what is wrong? 

 

[ebinmaine 72,706]

Pics would help a lot with the descriptions. I'm thinking you may be working with the voltage regulator?

 

Do you have an amp gauge?

Have you tried physically following the wires from the engine to the VR to see if there's a break or a bad connection?

 

I ask about the ammeter because it could be at fault. 

[953 nut 60,057]

On 9/26/2020 at 10:29 PM, Seth Powers said:

 

Okay, so I replaced the points, the condenser, and the thing with three metal things (AC/?/?) that has something to do with electrical...sorry, I can't remember the part now. Anyway, when the tractor is running it shows a smidge under 12 volts which explains why it dies after about 30 minutes of use, because it is draining the battery. Now, we rigged up a wire directly from that thing with the metal things that has something to do with electrical (sits on the left side of the engine, up top on mine) from there to the battery, it actually showed between 13-14 volts. Aside from that, I am at a loss. The problem is electrical, but what is wrong? 

 

The component you have described is the Voltage Regulator/Rectifier. The wire from the center terminal of the R/R is probably a White wire and should go to the "R" terminal on the ignition switch.

[ebinmaine 72,706]

@Seth Powers

If you have a YouTube account you're welcome to take a video showing the things that you're looking at so we can all see it.

I've been known to do that myself on several occasions.

 

I'm quite confident we'll all get this figured out together and 

I know it's kind of a long drive but the offer is on the table for you to bring that over and Trina and I will take a look at it.

 

Don't be scared off by electricity at all. Water and electrons act in much the same way but the terminology is a little different.