VEHICLES > TRACTORS/MOWERS/HEAVY EQUIPMENT

Small Engine scores

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m_fumich:
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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bmwrd0:
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.

bonneyman:
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.

ken w.:
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.

DeadNutz:
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.

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