Author Topic: Small Engine scores  (Read 6816 times)

Offline m_fumich

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Small Engine scores
« on: June 15, 2019, 01:16:45 PM »
I scored two freebies and vintage mower for cheap.

First, my brother gave me a Troy-Bilt TB225 mini cultivator. I spent $20 and put a new carb on it. It runs except I can’t get the idle to drop. It runs so fast at idle that the blades turn all the time. That’s not really a problem but I’d like it to work the way it’s supposed to. The interesting thing is that the power head is identical to the power head on my Murray M2510 string trimmer. I already knew they were built by the same company.

Second, my neighbor gave me his mower that wouldn’t start. It was built in 2013. He said he last used it 2 years ago. He said it worked fine the last he used it then it just wouldn’t start one day. Someone gave him another mower so he never messed with this one. It’s a 22” Murray with a Briggs 500E engine. The blade was badly bent so I replaced it. There were 4 bolts missing holding the sump in place causing oil to leak around the sump gasket. I replaced that and the shaft seal in the sump although it was fine. Since it sat for 2 years, I pulled the carb and cleaned it. I just used soap and water. It really wasn’t dirty. I put it all back together and it starts with one pull. Not bad for $30 in parts.

Finally, I wanted a small riding mower to cut the grass in my dog pens. My gates are about 32” wide. Too small for my regular riding mower to fit through. The 22” Murray push mower works just fine but I’ve got BIG pens and I’m lazy. I’d rather ride a mower than push one. Yesterday I came across this Snapper Comet II SR75 25” riding mower for $60. It starts with one pull but only runs on full choke. Not a hard problem to fix. The guy I got it from said the guy he bought it from claimed to have bought it in the mid 70’s. He also said the Tecumseh engine has been replaced but was replaced with the same kind of engine. The only big issue with it is the top of the mower deck is rotted out. The sides are solid so I think this will be easy to patch. The deck doesn’t have the contours the mower decks have today so that will help even if I have to replace the bulk of the top plate of the mower deck. When it’s fixed, I’ll look like Forrest Gump mowing the football field.

BTW, the plastic discharge guard on this thing is about 3x as thick as the ones that come on mowers today. There’s not crack one in it. These were obviously built to last. Fuqua owned Snapper back then and Snapper mowers were meant to be the last mower you ever owned, or one of the last. I think mowers like my 22” Murray were meant to be used for 3-5 years then scrapped. I see no reason this Snapper can’t cut grass for the next 40 years.

Oh, I hauled the Snapper home in the back of my Prius. We laid the back seat down and the whole thing fit. I could have closed the hatch if we had been able to get the handlebars off. They were kinda stuck in place.












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« Last Edit: June 16, 2019, 10:17:07 PM by m_fumich »

Offline bmwrd0

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2019, 01:43:47 PM »
I like that Snapper, I might have to keep my eyes open for one of them. The last mower I got for free fired up, but the number of parts it needed, along with a rusty deck, made it go to the scraper.

Offline bonneyman

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2019, 07:25:54 PM »
Many many times the problem with older small gas engines is bad gas/water in the gas/old gas - and thus carb problems. You clean the carb - 90% of the time the thing runs great.

I found my lawn mower next to a dumpster behind one of my older regular pawn shops. Gave the cord a pull and it turned over. So, I knew it wasn't seized, and I brought it home. Drained and refilled the crankcase, cleaned the carb and fuel tank, and adjusted the clearance on the magneto. Started right up. Welded up a crack on the body, repainted. That was about 10 years ago.

It's a 1985 3 HP B&S - actually managed to find a factory manual for a couple of bucks at a used store. Oh, I did put on a new blade. One of the best freebies I'v had in my entire life.

Offline ken w.

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #3 on: June 15, 2019, 08:04:14 PM »
I've had a couple of Snapper Comets. They seem to run forever. They aren't made for hilly yards like mine tho. Not too much goes wrong with them. Nice find.

Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #4 on: June 15, 2019, 09:16:17 PM »
Nice scores on those. The biggest killer on the mower decks is leaving wet grass clippings on the inside of the deck. You can patch that up just fine.

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #5 on: June 15, 2019, 09:33:23 PM »
Nice scores on those. The biggest killer on the mower decks is leaving wet grass clippings on the inside of the deck. You can patch that up just fine.

The guy I bought it from said he thought the deck needed to be replaced. I turned it up on its side after I got home to get a good look underneath. He’s pretty much right about the deck. It wouldn’t take much to rip the spindle right off the deck from the underside. It’s rusted through almost all the way around the spindle so the whole thing flops when you move it. Fortunately, the outer part is solid. I’ve got someone that’s going to try and help me reconstruct the deck. I’ll pull it off this next week and see if I can get the spindle off while leaving the deck intact as much as possible. Then I’ll make 6.02 x 10^23 measurements so we can fabricate what needs to be replaced and drill holes where they need to be. Turns out there is a dished section in the center but I don’t think it will be too complicated to reproduce. That’s not to say it will be cheap. I think the seat pan is too damaged to be saved but I’m not certain about that. Getting a new seat isn’t a problem as long as I don’t care about it saying Snapper like the original. The problem is that I do care. I’m certain the mower decks are the first things to fall apart on these old mowers so finding a good replacement deck that’s not attached to a good mower is next to impossible. The seats are probably the second thing to go.


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Offline bonneyman

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2019, 10:31:44 AM »
Nice scores on those. The biggest killer on the mower decks is leaving wet grass clippings on the inside of the deck. You can patch that up just fine.

The guy I bought it from said he thought the deck needed to be replaced. I turned it up on its side after I got home to get a good look underneath. He’s pretty much right about the deck. It wouldn’t take much to rip the spindle right off the deck from the underside. It’s rusted through almost all the way around the spindle so the whole thing flops when you move it. Fortunately, the outer part is solid. I’ve got someone that’s going to try and help me reconstruct the deck. I’ll pull it off this next week and see if I can get the spindle off while leaving the deck intact as much as possible. Then I’ll make 6.02 x 10^23 measurements so we can fabricate what needs to be replaced and drill holes where they need to be. Turns out there is a dished section in the center but I don’t think it will be too complicated to reproduce. That’s not to say it will be cheap. I think the seat pan is too damaged to be saved but I’m not certain about that. Getting a new seat isn’t a problem as long as I don’t care about it saying Snapper like the original. The problem is that I do care. I’m certain the mower decks are the first things to fall apart on these old mowers so finding a good replacement deck that’s not attached to a good mower is next to impossible. The seats are probably the second thing to go.


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If it were me, I'd remove the deck, sandblast the whole thing, then spot weld strips or pieces of metal onto the underside where it needs the reinforcement. Be alot easier to curve strips to the concave shape then one solid piece. Just an over the phone suggestion.

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2019, 12:46:24 PM »
It’s gonna take some serious reconstruction. I’ve never seen a blade like that before.








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Offline DeadNutz

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #8 on: June 16, 2019, 01:19:33 PM »
That deck is in really bad shape. Might be easier to find a deck in better shape that needs less work. Not much good steel left to weld to.

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #9 on: June 16, 2019, 01:42:49 PM »
That deck is in really bad shape. Might be easier to find a deck in better shape that needs less work. Not much good steel left to weld to.

All the good decks will be attached to good mowers. The sides of the deck are good and solid and even the rounded edges at the top. I think that will give me the foundation I need to reconstruct the rest. The finished product may not look original but it will be functional.

It’s obvious that one design flaw is that it’s not easy to get the grass clippings from around the top side of the spindle. I’ll just have to be diligent about cleaning it out.


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Offline muddy

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #10 on: June 16, 2019, 07:37:26 PM »
My snapper is the best $200 I've spent on lawn equipment.

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Offline slip knot

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #11 on: June 16, 2019, 10:16:12 PM »
I learned many years ago to clean mower decks with compressed air instead of washing them down with water. I've got a EGO cordless leaf blower that works great too.

I believe that's a Snapper mulching blade. The old Snappers will run forever if you take care of them. I would look for a new deck. I'm betting they're still available. That small deck may not be too spendy. Rebuilding a mower deck is much harder than it seems. BTDT.

Offline m_fumich

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Small Engine scores
« Reply #12 on: June 16, 2019, 10:22:17 PM »
I just picked up a Toro self propelled for $50. Couldn’t pass this up. A good used push mower normally sells for $100 around here.

My youngest son is looking to rent a house of his own. When my wife and I bought this house in August, our boys stayed in the house we’ve been renting for the last 12 years. My boys are tired of living with each other so my youngest is moving and he will need a mower.

« Last Edit: June 16, 2019, 10:27:33 PM by m_fumich »

Offline m_fumich

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #13 on: June 16, 2019, 10:26:04 PM »
I learned many years ago to clean mower decks with compressed air instead of washing them down with water. I've got a EGO cordless leaf blower that works great too.

I believe that's a Snapper mulching blade. The old Snappers will run forever if you take care of them. I would look for a new deck. I'm betting they're still available. That small deck may not be too spendy. Rebuilding a mower deck is much harder than it seems. BTDT.

I discovered it’s a mulching blade by searching Amazon. I can’t find that style blade in 25” though.

Whether I get a replacement deck or rebuild this one, I’m going to add one of those hose fittings the new mowers have that help clean under the deck. All it will take is drilling 2 holes. Great little upgrade for an old machine.



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Offline muddy

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Re: Small Engine scores
« Reply #14 on: June 19, 2019, 09:10:37 PM »


I learned many years ago to clean mower decks with compressed air instead of washing them down with water. I've got a EGO cordless leaf blower that works great too.

I believe that's a Snapper mulching blade. The old Snappers will run forever if you take care of them. I would look for a new deck. I'm betting they're still available. That small deck may not be too spendy. Rebuilding a mower deck is much harder than it seems. BTDT.

Yep, unless you get all the grass off water is just going to keep moisture in the deck and rust quicker the a 3rd gen dodge pickup.

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