Restoring an old riding mower - and adding TEETH!!

There is a lot of interest in recycling today, yet one of the most neglected forms of recycling is allowing old equipment to simply deteriorate and fade away.  One of my favorite activities is to find something old and neglected and restore it to a usable condition -- I guess this is my way of recycling.

  For this Instructable I am focusing on an old riding mower that I acquired.  The mower was not running, and had been sitting outside for quite some time.  The chassis was beginning to rust, although it was still structurally sound, and several parts were missing.  I'm not sure how old it is, but its an old Craftsman 10hp rear-engine riding mower, and I'm guessing it is around 12+ years old.

What's this stuff about TEETH, you say?  I'll get to that in a moment.....

Step 1 Tools required

The tools I used were pretty much standard mechanic's tools (sockets, wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, wire cutters, etc.), a welder,  volt meter, and a continuity tester.  I also used a motorcycle jack to raise the mower so I could work underneath, but a small scissor jack and a couple of jack stands would have worked just as well.

I also used wire brushes, sandpaper, various lubricants, primer & paint, and bandaids -- lots and lots of bandaids!

A lawn mower engine needs three items in order to run:  compression, a spark, and fuel.  This engine had good compression, which ruled out major problems with the rings, valves, block, and head.  Also, the engine bearings were good.  So, all my engine  trouble-shooting was centered on the electrical and fuel systems.

Comments

[mowerracing]

i made teeth out of wood but this better

[Goodluck]

Nice! Most people would have just bought a new mower. I once went looking for a mower deck. I was going to adapt it for use with my snowblower's engine. Instead, I bought an entire riding mower otherwise destined for the scrap yard for $25. After I disassembled, cleaned and reassembled the carburetor, I used it without trouble for several years. When I no longer needed it (I moved) I re-sold it for $20. I was just going to give it to the guy, but he insisted I take something for it. Keep up the good work!

[knife141]

It amazes me what people throw out rather than fix.  Lawn mowers are a classic example -- when something goes wrong, they go & buy a new one.  Mowers will last for many years with a little care, but deteriorate rapidly when left outside to rot & rust.

I just was given a broken Xerox desktop copier.  After $14 for a new fuser gear and 20 minutes of my time -- the copier is like new again.  What would have headed for the landfill, is now in my office!

[Phil B]

Yes, an engine needs compression, spark, and fuel.  It also needs plenty of clean air, unless you consider that part of the fuel (when properly mixed).  A dirty air filter will hinder the air needed for mixing with the gasoline. 

[knife141]

Phil, you are absolutely right.  I had already blown out the paper element (which was relatively clean), and cleaned the pre-filter.  Getting air was not an issue.  I think someone had tried to fix the original carb on this mower, because when you re-attached the bowl, the needle was pressed into the seat, which prevented fuel from flowing.  I don't know if it had the wrong float, or needle, or if the seat was not set in far enough.  I decided to just replace the carburetor rather than keep monkeying around with it.  Thanks for the comment.  By the way, I've enjoyed your Instructables.

[Phil B]

You did a good thing when you replaced the float, particularly if it might have been plastic.  Floats can appear good but are actually heavy, or even leak. 

Thank you for your Instructable.

Thank you also for looking at some of my Instructables.