First Start in 20 Years - MTD Riding Mower w/Briggs IC Engine

[@perrywesthaus1537]

I did not read all the comments so I don't know if anyone brought this up. The blade brake has been removed from the deck. It's a small part that uses a cable and spring to push against the blade pulley when disengaged, and then pull away from the blade pulley when the blade is engaged (spinning). Manuals and parts guides are available on-line and if you look at one you will see what I am talking about (MTD p/n 16053). I purchased this exact model in 1999 and used it for 14 years. When the tires were inflated properly and the the deck freshly leveled according to the manual, my lawn looked as smooth as a billiard table after I cut the grass. Man it looked good! The problem was that the deck did not remain level throughout the mowing season and needed quite a bit of adjustment the following Spring. I sold this mower in 2013 because the 4-foot long clutch rod (p/n 747-0560) broke off at the engine side and a replacement was not available. This clutch rod eventually wears out because there is no bearing or bushing at the pivot point near the engine and it "saws" its way through the pivot attaching bracket (p/n 15585). Also the differential leaked near the brake assembly and I removed it entirely (twice in 14 yrs) to replace copper bushings (p/n 741-0336 & 741-0337) for the aux axle shaft (the shaft with the disc brake attached to it). Not a big deal but still a PITA to replace the bushings. You might consider removing the engine/mower cover because it will rattle itself to death. The corners will crack and the aft end will vibrate like a paint shaker when the engine is running. This mower uses a twin-belt CVT drive system and is by far the smoothest mower I have ever used (except for a hydro drive). Keep some spare belts on hand cuz you will need them eventually. Nice job bringing this mower back to life! EDIT: One more thing - this mower could cut going in reverse just as fast as it could going forward and I liked that a LOT!

[@harpoon_bakery162]

Incredible detail and so much so that if I may ask you a question ,I'd certain like to run it by you and also perhaps James might know. But here goes. It's a Yard Machines 38" Shift-on-the-Go - Model 13AH660F352 (era 1999 to 2001), Briggs & Stratton 12.5HP - Model: 28T707 Type: 1154-E1 Code: 010302ZD. The unit runs great and cuts great but late in the season last year it started having problems moving up slight inclines or grades in the yard, pump the brakes and it would continue. Just got to the point where it wouldn't move forward. I looked underneath and noticed a leak at the main dual pulley attached to the engine shaft. Oil was all over both pulley's as it drips down and settles around the big pulley. Obviously the PTO Seal is bad and all the belts have oil on them and they get ruined or soaked with oil. If I remove the dual pulley from the shaft (with the mower jacked up using a floor-jack in front), can i get to the seal with a dental pick or other "Taryl fixes all" techniques, remove the seal, then have enough room to re-seat the seal with a PVC pipe or other trick? My goal is to NOT have to remove the engine to perform the seal repair, and I hope to heavens that the shaft is not bent, but I don't have any reason to believe it is, I think it's just a bad seal as good as the engine runs and as good as this thing cuts grass - even with a spindle that needs replacing on the right blade, this thing really performs well. Any help is appreciated. The mower looks exactly like this one at 02:11 in this Taryl fixes all video --->>> kzbin.info/www/bejne/pF7YnIppiqumbJo

[@perrywesthaus1537]

@@harpoon_bakery162 I think if you can remove the double drive pulley from the motor shaft without too much hassle and there is nothing blocking the path to the motor shaft you may be able to replace the main shaft oil seal without removing the motor. It’s worth a try anyways. At the 11:35 point in the Taryl video link you can see how difficult it may be to remove the drive pulley from the motor shaft. Taryl uses an air hammer to easily remove it but if you don’t have that tool it can be quite difficult. It’s best not to pry on the pulleys because they bend very easily. I don’t have an air hammer myself so the best way I found to remove the pulley is to remove the engine/drive pulley combo from the mower. I remove the bolt holding the pulley to the engine, then get a longer bolt and thread it into the motor shaft until it bottoms out, and then hammer on the bolt while holding the pulley by hand while the engine is suspended upside down (takes two people). I am aware that on some mowers the engine/drive pulley combo cannot be removed as a unit - they must be separated beforehand. If that is the case for this mower and the pulley is rusted to the engine shaft, you may be in a world of hurt if you don’t use an air hammer to separate them. From the Taryl video, it looks to me like there is room to access the oil seal from underneath the mower. However, don’t be too disappointed if you run out of space and have to remove the engine from the mower.

[@harpoon_bakery162]

@@perrywesthaus1537 ok, great information, that will help me. I will attempt to do this , it chilled back down so I'm waiting for it to warm back up. I will get that shaft off, I think I was able to get it off when I replaced the belt (can't remember), but I had followed the Tayrl video to a tee and got that belt replaced.... i might have got that sucker off last time but didn't realize the seal was going out.

[@dirtroadsailing6418]

This mower brought back memories. My first ever riding mower was the Sears Craftsman version of this mower that was made by MTD. It was essentially a cheap piece of junk, but it beat push mowing. After a few years of using it the engine would randomly shut off and sometimes would re-start, but usually not. The following week it would fire right up and once again randomly die somewhere in the yard. I finally got sick of it and started tracing down the magneto kill wire from the ignition switch and found the insulation slightly rubbed through where they had ran it down through the engine cooling fins. Vibration would cause the wire to occasionaly ground out and kill the engine.

[@mikekovacs8981]

I think we had a similar mower in the 80s, also a Craftsman

[@dontupdateifitworks.424]

Formula 303 & a Bycycle tube ,top glued & a 1%4 skirt. Get a " Gator" blade & mulch forever, bag was a HVAC" monster & deflector either fell off or piled?

[@jamesbrannon9594]

Probably AYP. Not MTD old craftsman were AYP

[@derpydog1008]

I think I have one like that. Did yours have a tecumseh motor on it?

[@M.TTT.]

@@jamesbrannon9594 AYP made both i thought

[@ijnfleetadmiral]

Those old MTDs are true workhorses. Glad you got it running, and I hope you give it a good home!

[@anthonyfesta5714]

Your remark regarding the mowers' lack of a blade brake led me to visit the MTD site. I was able to locate and download the owner's manual for this machine; In it I discovered that on page 14 of the manual it describes the adjustment of the blade brake. It appears that the brake is an assembly attached to the mower deck nearest the rear of the machine and that it pushes against the belt on main pulley. The brake appears to be activated by a cable connected to the 'brake assembly, (although I'm not certain where the cable attaches to the engine). You may wish to contact MTD to determine the availability of the brake assembly. Given the size of the blade on that machine I would be very leery of operating the machine with such a vital safety feature absent from the machine. As you say at the end of your videos "I hope this helps."

[@Cheez-Itz_Christ]

Any chance you can send me a link to that owners manual, Thanks 🤙

[@harpoon_bakery162]

great find, impressive. The blade brake is paramount and I too was surprised it didn't have one, even at 26 years old. Most major blade safety innovations were incorporated well before that.

[@andrewchristiansen8311]

Dude, you just engage the PTO when the engines off to stop the blade and use the belt as a brake... Duh..

[@elitecystuning]

Blade brake is absolutely not nessesary! On the deck … I just swapped a single to twin on a airens (craftsman lt1000) same machine .. It had the stupid brakes on the spindles previous owner couldn’t shit them off because the grove they slide in and make engage the spindle brakes was worn UNBOLT THEM AND TOSS UM IN TRASH !! U do not need them nor does any mower !

[@elitecystuning]

That “safety feature “ is the most unsafe method possible ! It’s irrelevant just like reverse safety switches and all the others ! If you’re not able to operate one without them u shouldn’t be riding Any mower lol ( no disrespect )

[@frankmaida4022]

James I have watched your videos now for 3 years. I must say that you have amazing skills to figure out and complete the repairs to what ever engine or generator comes to you.

[@sgtJOOSEcapeS]

James im glad you have a community with support and willing to help out is beatiful. 💯

[@jumpmaster82nd.]

I have my grandfathers1968 Massey Ferguson lawn tractor. Its only an 8 horse Briggs but it's a beast! 3 gear driven blades, hydrostatic transmission. Going to start on it soon.

[@somerandomguy3868]

The pressure washing alone is a very satisfying watch

[@SG-gc7mn]

For 10 years of use, this mower looks amazing!! I bought mine last year and it already has some rust spots.

[@hughpaton9062]

Solid simple machine that is showing little useage wear. Great to bring it back James, it has heaps of life yet.

[@Lawnmowerman02346]

A trick that works for me on the carburetor is use a piece of beveled brazing rod as a lapping stick with past to change the seat angle . Most of the time the seat needs to the needle in a different spot to seal . Long term leaking can cause pitting or ware on the seat . I also use a Q tip in a drill with past to polish the seat .Good Luck

[@watermanone7567]

Great job James. I have serviced many of those Briggs I/C engines over the years. They are great engines. Wish Briggs still made them. Thanks for the video.

[@jcondon1]

Thanks. They are great engines.

[@ginamiller6015]

Same! I have a generator and a mower that are both over 20 years old that have the Briggs I/C engines. They always start easily and run perfectly. These engines came from the time before extreme cost cutting measures were introduced.

[@thomasfiedler5176]

Breaks an scrap em lol. Will stick to my kohlers,onans, kawasaki engines. Got few john deeres from early 70s that put most the newer stuff out to pasture real quick. The old 140 h3 is as reliable as they come

[@JoeLewis-j4n]

12:36 ​@@ginamiller6015

[@JoeLewis-j4n]

​@@ginamiller6015count in the horse I don't want them that's not me send back

[@Willy12927]

Watching your videos reminds me of when I was a kid 60 years ago, before OSHA, Insurance regulations and legal issues, I would go down to the local car repair shop sit back in the repair bay and watch the mechanic work on the cars. It was a great experience as he would take the time to explain to me every thing he was doing and why. Too bad those days are gone.

[@steverogers2551]

My grandpa bought one just like that. It was his first brand new mower and I would cut his lawn on it for several years before he passed. Such a great memory!

[@peteg1756]

As a retired die _sel mechanic I have enjoyed your videos !

[@philliphall5198]

Me too 😊

[@rogerwinterley]

The best advice presentation I have seen on KZbin for fixing an an old mower

[@jonminer9891]

Hi, James. That was a new challenge for you. You were lucky to be able to get the parts you needed or to be able to make the parts yourself. I found it very satisfying to see that old mower running again. They don't build them that way anymore, But they built them well back in the day. Thanks for sharing! Stay healthy!

[@hattrick5076]

Use to work for MTD building these mow ers on the assembly line. Brought back fond memories.

[@alanwelch6594]

You can polish the needle seat with a q-tip chucked up in a drill and some aluminum polish to achieve much better results. I've seen a lot of small engine repairmen use this technique. Nice job.

[@freakyfreerider]

Damn just wrote this comment, didn't see yours lol.

[@tommieriddolls]

yeah i think a lot of us showed up here to give that advice!

[@JohnSmith-l7c]

I was sitting down looking through KZbin, and clicked on this video. Then you said that you will get it started, next I knew I heard the sound of an engine starting! I wass blown away for I thought you had it working! Then I realized it was the pressure washer engine I was hearing . 😁

[@oldsranch]

While not the pinnacle of mowing technology at the time it was made, it is tremendously adequate and dependable. Changing tires on one of them is a complete pain. The smaller the tire, the harder it is to do. I'd rather do a dozen car tires. Glad you got it worked out!

[@jcondon1]

It seems counter intuitive, but true. The smaller the tire the more difficult it is. Would be so much easier with split rims and tubes.

[@JohnnieBravo1]

Thank you for this. This one has inspired me to go drag that 35+ year old Snapper riding mower I've had stored under the house for near 30 years, and see if I can get that thing going again. It may qualify for Antique Vehicle status by now. Oh, one thing I meant to mention, cleaning and buffing or de-burring needle seats, I use Cratex rubberized abrasives very successfully. They look like pencil erasers with a 1/8" arbor that fits in a drill, or a dremel. They have all sorts of different tips and shapes. I use them for porting and polishing heads. Pricey a bit, but they work.

[@ericvaughn1126]

Thanks, AGAIN, to Stanley for the donation to the channel! The machine cleaned up great and the engine ran very well it seems. Would have been great to see where the new blade aligned relative to the bottom of the deck and I agree that no blade brake is a safety hazard. Truly shocking that the spindle and bearing spun as well as they did though! As you stated, equally as shocking was how well it mowed through your very high grass. Will be a great machine for Stanley or someone else for years to come. Top quality content as always! 👍👍

[@jcondon1]

Thanks Eric

[@406god]

For someone who doesn’t know a lot about fixing mowers I learned a few things and enjoyed the video! Very informative! 👍🏼

[@ramongonzalez2909]

I wish I had more room in my garage to buy stuff like this to fix I love doing stuff like that, great channel 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@ladykoh4678]

I bought a new Ariens riding mower in 1982 that had the Briggs IC engine that was longer than yours, but narrow enough to fit through a standard walk gate. It ran flawless for 10 years cutting 1.25 acres, twice a week, in Florida. I swear by the IC engine. It cut any grass I threw at it. When we moved from FL we moved to a much smaller yard, so we put it up for sale. Just about got what we paid for it new from a Lawn service company. Since it had a rear double garbage can sized bagger on it, the purchaser was thrilled with it, just like I was. Sure wished Ariens still made smaller mowers like that one! Now that I have a hard time using even my self propelled Honda Harmony (which I bought in 1992, and still runs fantastic) due to my old age. I sure wish I still had that Ariens rider!

[@leecarroll1817]

Hello James, As always enjoyed your unhurried careful presentation and the use of the pressure washer. I stated prev as a contractor Supporting our Great Military we lived with/by pressure washer function. Everything just about got the treatment, Abrams tanks, Bradley's, 155 howitzers, bull dozers and last but not least "generators". The shop foreman would run us off with a stick if dirty stuff was in the shop. Yes we were subject to inspection by the customer at any time.(US Army) Keep up the good material as I thoroughly enjoy your presentation.

[@markyoung7470]

James for 27 years old the machine it is in very good condition it's a bit ugly but it works just fine and gets the job done! Nice job of bringing it back to Life!

[@tombauer7330]

I wouldn't have expected a good outcome for an MTD but looks like they built a better machine 30 years ago. Good video. thanks!

[@iandennis7836]

Just what I was thinking as it cleaned up quite well. Guess they built them better than they knew back in the day....

[@Dirtyharry70585]

Finally troybilt 2002 wide cut I/c Briggs is slapping - been a great mower Reincarnated as a cub cadet now

[@budsodalsky]

This mower restore made me cry. My momma bought that same mower and I inherited it when she died. I gave it a way a few years ago for a new murray. Mine even backfired like yours when you shut it off! every time! Our engine cover was black instead of red tho

[@WayneTheSeine]

Great job. You always amaze me with your thorough step by step process. Although a bit pricey you might want to pick up a can of rim bead sealer....great stuff. Just swab around the bead and it lays a fine layer of rubber that seals the most stuborn leaking beads. Low volume, low pressure tires have more of a tendency to have leaky beads. That incorrect blade also has the added problem of not providing a good suction thereby contributing to insufficient discharge and grass buildup under the deck as well as a serious safety issue. I remember those little flat-deck mowers well. I think Snapper and Toro had them as well. I would fully expect to see it in at lawnmower race track....yea, that is a thing here in the south.

[@rayshutsa6690]

James you have magical hands when you restore old machinery. Thank you for another great video. Love your channel and content. Always waiting for your next video. ❤🇨🇦

[@kingwood4357]

Very good job bringing this old machine back to life, I think I would have replaced the deck belt just because of age and possible dry rot or maybe I missed that in the video. I wonder if the check valve on the oil drain was designed to use with an extension hose with a coupler on it to drain the oil. Something like the newer riding mowers have today. 👍

[@ValePlace]

No he didn't replace the belt. But it looked good.

[@Guido_Sarducci007]

What a cool little mower! Always wanted one when my Grandmother took me to the Western Auto Store. Its great this machine made it to your shop and now running as new. Good job! Again!

[@kennyball6897]

I really enjoy your videos you are very knowledgeable when it comes to small engine repair I owned a small engine shop for nearly 20 years and you work on things the way I used to and the same way in the same patterns I'm retired now because of disability I am 57 years old not too far from regular retirement anyway you're the only small engine mechanic I've seen on the internet that actually knows what they're doing I get so frustrated watching other mechanics make huge mistakes so far you're decent mechanic I really good mechanic in fact keep making them I enjoyed it a lot I'm as I miss working on small engines

[@jcondon1]

Thanks. I am always learning an do make mistakes, but try to get it right.

[@chrisssmallengines7163]

This is a good quality machine . Like you said , it had no problem cutting the long grass . they do not make them like this any more . these machines should be cherished and loved and maintained and used . Hopefully this machine is owned by someone who appreciates it for what it is and uses it but also takes care of it .

[@kd5byb]

The leaf blower after pressure washing is a great idea! I've always used compressed air, but the leaf blower goes a lot farther than does my air hose! NICE. :)

[@jeffclark2725]

Always fun to bring an old machine back to life,Great video

[@er1073]

Your skills and patients always show how to get it done. Great job as usual James. Thank you. Ed

[@daverose8772]

Very nice little machine, superbly reconditioned by the best small engine expert on YT. You almost busted your tush getting that tank leak repaired, glad you didnt get hurt... Love the surgeon like hand movement, keep your amazing vids coming.

[@naknakacknak]

Excellent video. I watched the entire video and followed you through all your steps. You have a ton of patience and know when to back off to avoid causing damage. I was mowing lawns in grade school and eventually bought a Lawn Boy 2-cycle commercial mower for my yard. It was a beast but eventually gave out after 17 years of use. Sadly, they don't make the 2-cycle engines anymore for the mowers. The only issue seemed to be the magneto would fail every couple of years. It was an easy fix, but the pat got progressively more expensive as the years went on. They seem to know the weak spots and failure points and adjust the prices accordingly.

[@1959Aeroflyte]

I must also say I do like it when you put in a timer period bit of text - '30 min later'. It really demonstrates some of the tasks are not easily accomplished. Great job!

[@paulanthony978]

I have the same engine on my Toro tractor from mid 1990's. Couple times it has flooded the crankcase with gas. Fuel shutoff is a good idea. Surprised you also didn't replace the seat (along w needle). I tried cleaning the needle/seat once but it flooded the crankcase again month later with gas. Got a new needle 231855 and seat 690577 and problem solved. Simple drywall screw and prybar will leverage out the seat. Good engine for me...20+ years.

[@lnk4328]

My local Ace Hardware had both in stock.

[@jctoad]

Last month I had the same problem with my 1998 Simplicity 30" that I bought a couple of years ago. Same engine and fuel system. I wish this video would have been uploaded sooner.

[@noahnoah5268]

They known for flooding

[@FluffyTheGryphon]

These engines are practically bulletproof. I've got this same engine in an '89 Murray lawn tractor and that engine runs like it's new.

[@ron827]

The oil drain may have been designed for a hose to be connected and run out to a pan and then the screw opened thus preventing a mess. The backfire when you shut it down was caused by a very hot engine after working so hard, a fast idle and not giving it sufficient time to cool down. The fast spinning engine pulled lots of unburned fuel through the engine and into a hot exhaust manifold. "BANG"

[@dontupdateifitworks.424]

IF YOU LOST/ COULDN'T FIND THE BOOK? DIDN'T EVERYONE ADD A TUBE ? ( MY BRASS VALVE GOT TO HOT: before I found that plastic/ composite valve with 3 points of attach MENTOR KEEP IT SECURE & A. DRIP OR TWO : MEH? RIGHT INTO THE PAN, TANK ,HAZ MAT DUMP : FLUSH - REPEAT! PURE BLOOD & WATER = clean pol & real gasoline, OR De- ethanol , de- other crap & NO WATER! ( Yes there is three drain points but , not for every time unless~~~ look at the air cleaner: add a coffee filter & take a plug reading? All good? Start the fires & bring the food, beer & music!😋

[@larryehrlich57]

My Sears & Roebuck riding lawn mower is 22 years old and still works great.

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

I have the same model Ultrasonic cleaner but the next size up. I can put the cylinder heads in it and it's amazing how they turn out. Thanks James!

[@woodhonky3890]

Wow. That one has done a lot more time in a garage than it has ever been used. Nice of that guy to donate it to you.

[@Farm_fab]

Jim, I used to have a wagon with air tires, and they used to go flat over the course of a few days. I cleaned them up like you did, but put dish soap on the beads, and they finally stopped leaking. The wheels were plastic, so it was likely just dirt in between. Worst case scenario, one can get bead sealer and apply it to the wheel, and that will usually do the trick.

[@jameshedrick605]

That's what I do is put bead sealer on and it works great

[@jimmydean8007]

"Worst case scenario"... I was always told wcs was to put fill-a-foam in and you will never have to air it up again ;-)

[@Farm_fab]

@@jimmydean8007 expandable foam is great for cracks and crevices, but is inadvisable in tires Why, you might ask? It's because the foam is open cell, unlike what dealers use in tires. The other reason is that once you have foam in a tire, it's virtually impossible to dismount the tire. One would be better off getting a new assembly and start over.

[@jimmydean8007]

@@Farm_fab I've never seen a dealer put foam in a tire (fix-a-flat maybe?), but I have witnessed individuals with it on 2 different occasions. I don't know if they used open cell, closed cell, or window and door non-expanding but in both "wcs" the tires had dry rotted to the point they were leaking air through the sidewall due to sitting flat (I'm guesstimating that's what caused the sidewall cracks, don't quote me on that part). The lawn guy said he had no issues but the atv driver said the ride was a little rougher per no give. As tires were doomed anyway I seen no issue in giving life to something that would be in the dump anyway. A sawzall will remove that tire quickly when the time comes due.

[@Roy_Tellason]

We had issues with the tires on our riding mower going flat. Solved it by putting inner tubes in them....

[@lloydparfait259]

Thanks for such a detailed and comprehensive video that just happened to be my nearly exact situation. I have owned a Murray 10hp rear engine mower since 1990 that I parked in my shed around 2000 becauce it wouldn't start. About a month ago I decided to get it working again and have gone thru more frustration, starting with the tires. I wasn't as lucky as you. After that I progressed to the mechanical. I added a new spark plug, carburetor, air filter, battery, washed out the gas tank , changed the fuel line, but not in the order I should have. So, because my engine kept racing (hunting?) and misfiring I thought about washing the tank, but I didn't put gas through the old fuel line into the new carb, but wondered if I contaminated the new carb somehow, so took it apart and squirted carb cleaner and wire thru the pin holes and reinstalled it. After that, no racing or misfiring, except it seems to run steadier at idle speed,. But when I begin to throttle up, first it starts to race real high then it starts to choke up and wants to kill, unless I throttle back down again. I didn't know how to remove the emulsion tube, so didn't address it when I had the carb out . I was hoping you could advise me whether that might be the problem or not? It's befuddling how it runs at what seems to be high enough RPMs throttling down, but not up? Can you help? Thanks! LP

[@benhowe5506]

Hi James I'm a new subscriber to your channel here and wanted to say I really enjoyed your project and I can see your attention to detail which I really like. I also noticed you have great problem solving skills which is extremely handy working on old iron. Thankyou for your time taking us along for the ride. Take care and cheers from Australia. 🤠🤝🇦🇺

[@matthewdove3520]

Don’t look bad condition for 27 years old, I’m new to the channel look forward to new content and go back and watch older ones

[@rayvoorhies7180]

Nice repair. That mower still has another 10 years of service. It's a nice size for a large yard.

[@dochubbell]

The ol girl runs good thanks to your efforts. Did a good job of mowing that tall thick grass. Notice it was not easy to turn the steering wheel and it looked like it was hard to steer re turning around. Bet it had a wide turn radius too. Still if you keep it, sell or give it away, it will give someone a good job at maintaining their lawn. Good for you for sticking at it to get it looking good and running again.

[@anandawijesinghe6298]

Great Video ! It makes me immensely happy to see you restore old, temporarily sick, but essentially good machines !

[@johnsmccullough9431]

The drain valve for the oil you can get an adapter to screw into there and put a hose on it give me three inches is all you need and you be able to use a bigger drain pan. I know you have a pressure washer or at least the garden nose would have cleaned up the underside of that blade guard had you could have given it another coating of rust preventive spray of some kind that way you can get another 20 years out of it. It was a heck of a good video the sound and is always in focus great job😊😊😊

[@mcarroll598]

Those were great engines. Easy to work on I worked in a mower shop in the mid to late 90’s there were a ton of these we worked on.

[@thomasfiedler5176]

You worked on so many cuz they made cheap an really aint that great lol. Breaks an scrap em lol. That should b their brand names lmao

[@mcarroll598]

@@thomasfiedler5176 just like Taryl calls them!

[@scotthelm9328]

Thanks James. I have one almost exactly like this one. Mine is an 11hp twin blade and missing the motor shroud. I have been using it for about 8 years and cannot complain about it at all. I will use some of your content for future repairs.

[@stazeII]

That old blade. Wow. Someone must have been scalping the heck out of their lawn… The backfire when you shut off just added to the “I live!” Great vid James, as always!

[@FishFind3000]

Dull and damaged blades don’t cut well so they keep going lower and lower to actually cut the grass. Who wants to sharpen blades anyway….

[@lot27a]

@@FishFind3000 Yep, just run it up on the sidewalk for a quick sharpening. Just beware of sparks :)))

[@davidwinkle4168]

There's always something satisfying watching a dirty old machine being pressure washed.

[@WalterGreenIII]

Another option. Instead of the foam on the hold down bar. There is Performix Plasti Dip or RUST-OLEUM Rubberized Dip Coating just drill slightly over sized holes for the hold down bolt, dip one side, let it dry, then dip the other. You then have a totally rubberized steel bar.

[@dloregon]

I am glad to see that you actually washed it before working on it,, Have seen some people that say they are going to restore and find the dirtiest nastiest thing they can find and then work on it while dirty, saying it draws more people in to watch it. LOL

[@johnwaller2333]

As always you never disappoint me with the magic you perform on these old machines,outstanding work 👏 👌

[@ivorjones1540]

good old mowers

[@davidmonteil6340]

Another excellent video James! For the first time that I know of something went flying (the tank) across your work area....lol Not your fault, as that tank seal was a real bear and it took that much force to free it. You really care about the quality of you work and we see it every time. My dad was a machinist and had extreme hand skill like you do. Also he could fix almost everything. Had both arc and acetylene welders at home etc. He made a trailer for our Penn (engine in the rear) riding lawn mower and attached a stainless steel bed in that trailer. I bet someone is still using that trailer today. That Penn mower rode and cut very smoothly on our acre in Kansas decades ago. Good times and many good memories growing up, and the 3 speed 2 cycle scooter motor he mounted on a go cart was one of my favorites...

[@ThacMan]

Awesome little mower. Great video! Perfect for going through back yard gates. Your gonna have to get out the hay baler now.🙂

[@billabernathy1541]

Nice change up, James. Glad you did not have to do any major repairs to the motor. That will make someone a great mower. Thanks for sharing.

[@TheCrittercam001]

That was an excellent repair video and enjoyable to watch all the way through.

[@kevinlsims7330]

I Have Never Been Lucky Enough To Repair A Lawn Mower Tire That Others Have Owned!! It's Always Been My Luck That They Have Slimed The Tires To Stop The Leak Thus Gluing The Tire To The Rim And Creating Tons Of Interior Rust! Also With The Ridiculously Low Price Of Carbs It's Easier Just To Throw One On Than To Spend The Time To Screw Around With A May Work After Wasting Hours Trying To Rebuild One Only To Find It Is Scrap Metal! Great Videos I Have Wasted Days Watching Them!

[@somerandomguy3868]

What a jewel that mower turned out to be

[@808airgunsbackyardaz6]

Thank you, wonderful world of reclaiming this fine machine,,,,,great Video, got my eye on some in my area that don't start, maybe get a deal

[@johnbell6956]

Great videos. I do have one unasked for suggestion. I’ve installed probably 500,000 cable ties in my life. After cutting off the tail end, use a flat file for 10 seconds on the cut end. They are razor sharp and will cut you in a second, usually on the back of your hand or arm. Happy mowing.

[@darwynehourie6111]

We had to use flush cut cuters to avoid safty defect faults.

[@johnbell6956]

@@darwynehourie6111 We used a tool that tensioned the tie and then flush cut the end. No need to file. He was using side cutters, leaves a wicked edge. Cheers.

[@adnacraigo6590]

You laid the healing hands and superior technological mind on it.

[@ShainAndrews]

I always thought that form factor was superior to the engine in front ride on mowers. They always had a wicked narrow turning radius, and the visibility... can't be beat.

[@mjg263]

Nicely done James, great resurrection! I’ll bet your grass doesn’t look like that anymore, we haven’t had rain in well over a month and everyone’s lawn is completely brown and dried up. I haven’t had to cut the grass in a couple of weeks, I really miss that lush green lawn we had last Spring!

[@generessler6282]

Super helpful as usual. I wonder if you could work around a rough needle by chucking it in a drill and holding some 2000 grit sandpaper against the cone surface to polish it up. Nice grass!

[@harshtimes23]

I had this exact mower and when you took the side of the mower to get to the battery and motor I was kicking myself in the head. I literally worked in those tight spaces. Work smarter not harder. Lol

[@JustMe-pp8mn]

Excellent job as always . Appreciated that you updated on how long it took for the parts to come in. Gives an idea on how long the job actually took. Just subscribed. Kudos

[@brianhind6149]

The term "emulsion tube" is a term I have never encountered before. I submit that there should NEVER be emulsion of any kind in a carburetor , so I am at a loss to understand how the name came about. Care to enlighten me ? Your videos are absolutely excellent, & your little "techniques" for making the job at hand easier, are also excellent. . Great series of videos, & an old guy like me learns something from each video. When I was a teen ager, I would not have watched these videos, because I knew everything . My thanks to you as always.

[@r8118830]

Here is a cut from an archive page of a site called High Power Media - The fixed-jet carburettor works by pulling fuel from a reservoir in response to a pressure signal from the venturi in the engine intake air. The depression thus created causes fuel to flow from the fuel reservoir in the carburettor while at the same time encouraging a small flow of air at atmospheric pressure to mix with the fuel. The fuel is metered through the main jet while the air is controlled through what is generally called the ‘air correction jet’. Somewhere in between, the fuel and air are intermixed to form an emulsion - a fine dispersant of the air inside the fuel. This assists the atomisation of the fuel as it eventually enters the engine airstream.

[@r8118830]

A lot of us are old timers Brian. You can never be too old to learn.

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

Nice work Jim, I always wondered why those didn’t have a recoil start as well as electric to use in times of a dead battery.

[@jcondon1]

They definitely should have. A 10.5 hp engine can be started no problem with a recoil.

[@crazzywolfie]

i got an 11hp that is slightly older than this that has both electric and pull start. i would guess it was a cost saving thing to ditch it since most people likely rarely use it when they got a perfectly good electric start

[@BruceBoschek]

Looks, runs and mows like new! Of course, I'm feeling smug since my 60" Yazoo with Wisconsin AGND from 1954 would run circles around it! 🙂 Always enjoy your videos. Greetings from Germany.

[@JefferyAshmore]

Yahoo made a good mower.

[@YukonHawk1]

Very cool mower. Man that emulsion tube gave you a fight. You won😂👍👍

[@jcondon1]

Usually they win. The heat did it. Will have to do that next going forward.

[@Andy-nm9dw]

I have had these issues with needle/seat in the past but I found that polishing the seat and repointing the needle will fix it without having to wait on parts. Double wide 6 has a great KZbin video on it. I love your videos and your channel has helped me fix many machines.TY

[@justonnie]

Hint. When cutting a six foot zip tie you've just applied by mistake do so just before the locking head. This will give you a 3 foot zip tie to use again later.

[@whitesapphire5865]

You beat me to it! - And, you can get several uses out of a single tie!

[@Farm_fab]

The white zip ties are for indoor use, but the black ones are UV protected, and are better than the white. In all likelihood, it should last you quite a while.

[@brendahall7483]

Rather than cutting the zip tie at all… simply use a small pick to release the tiny tab and unzip it. This method allows unlimited uses.

[@LessonsLearned67]

Re the tttt HHI uuuyyyyyy

[@hanssjolander1217]

@@Farm_fab no uv there it is covered up.

[@InquisiitorWH44K]

Won one of these in a Fire Department raffle many years ago. It was fine for the size of the lawn I had at the time and was nice not to be push mowing. Moved and the new yard was much, much larger and needed so moved up to a garden tractor with a 54" deck. It was a good little machine and it was given to a friend who had a smaller lawn.

[@BenJandrell]

Great video James...always nice to have some variation in the machines being fixed. I'd love to see you tackle a small Honda bike of some kind, a Cub C50 for example, although they are becoming more and more expensive and rare these days in the UK particularly.

[@jcondon1]

Would love to tackle a quad or bike. Unfortunately not many in my area. I think Harvey Spooner grabbed them all.

[@georgena9773]

Excellent job. I have an over-30-year-old Toro riding mower with 8-HP BS engine that's kind of similar to yours. It still works fine. I learned a lot from your work! Thanks.

[@homebuilthorsepower3207]

I've got a Toro 8/32 and it's one of the best mowers that I've used

[@georgena9773]

Yes, a local service guy, an old timer, commented "They don't make it like that anymore."

[@KensSmallEngineRepair]

Keep the blade engaged then shut off the engine to stop the rotation.

[@napoleon1235438743]

i seldom see people wash their old project before tinkering with it...your doing the right thing because you will see more what is wrong with it when the dirt is off.

[@jamescharlesl7662]

People will be kicking themselves in few weeks if they miss the opportunity to buy and invest in bitcoin..Now is the best time to buy the Dip and invest🚀🚀🏆

[@kriswright1022]

Spam, spam, spam! GTFOOH!

[@butler386]

What a dirty looking machine in the beginning. But you cleaned it up and got it running in fantastic condition. The mower was in fantastic condition under all the grime and dust. Great tire and total repairs. I loved the clamps to help break the beads. I would buy that one in a second. Thanks for the videos.

[@oldodger]

Yup, the older stuff is far superior to any junk that is for sale today. Good job...maybe this one is a keeper for your lawn requirements.

[@oldgrizzlygamer]

I actually held my breath when you were attempting to remove that emulsion tube.

[@notsofast5495]

I have this same machine. Mine is a 1986 model. I removed the deck installed a couple different hitches in the back and some lights. I installed different throttle and choke cables. I got it free from a lady that had it in her driveway for several years with a flat tire. I use it to pull a 5.5’ x 9’ trailer around the yard. It pulls like a horse. Ive pulled this trailer with a half yard of wet sand on it which is about 1400 lbs.

[@williamcox1709]

Another great video. I was surprised at how well that mower was designed. As you mentioned, the time required for the blades to stop is a design issue, but it seems to be a really nice little mower! Nearly everyone, including myself, use zero turn mowers now days, but that little mower impressed me! It seemed to be better than many of the larger tractor type mowers. Thanks again for the video. I really enjoy watching them both for the knowledge gained and simply for the entertainment value as well.

[@stephenreiner1523]

Another reactionary save by Dr. Condon. Epic James, thanks.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

I've got some of this to do too and have been getting a Deere sulky fixed back up to use behind a Gravely walk behind with a 40 inch kidney mower. It looked about like that one having set for years but 409 worked again. If I have bead leaks I just use gun grease to seal it off and if it won't seal, a tube is forthcoming. NO DOUBT about that 'L' head running. My 5K genset I/C is about that model and has never missed a lick and the 8 horse I/C on the Roof is older that it and runs like a Swiss watch. Those grommets are very interesting but the tanks are tough. Thanks, Pal and God Bless Yall!

[@richardthomas9263]

I found the video quite interesting and well presented, I usually kinda skip around to the interesting parts, but I found the entire video interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@dallas69]

Yes I own a newer MTD from Walmart and it is a tank. That week I got a mulch door to use the grass leaf cuttings as fertilizer. MTD parts are universal and easy to cross match.

[@ReadingAreaRailfan]

Newer MTD is cheap and junky, but if it has a Briggs and Stratton engine, it'll last forever. The rear engine ones are really simplistic so there's not much that can actually break lol

[@RandallRaymond-j1g]

I just wanted to say I really enjoy your videos I always wanted to make comments never new how

[@timothyrailey7029]

If you can find a super spray bottle that sprays foam, it does work better. Same stuff, it is the bottle that makes it shoot foam. Just sticks a little better and I think it makes it go further. I buy the gallon and refill the foam bottle. Thanks for all your videos/help. Greatly appreciated! Thanks for all your videos!