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GtWtNorth


https://t.me/pump_upp

Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Joined: Nov 16, 2008
Points: 264

Another vote for ss machines!!!
Original Message   Dec 15, 2013 10:29 am
Big thanks to all of you who championed the ss blower, I'm a convert. I used to sneer at those little under powered sissy toys, but no more.
We had a good 8-10 inches of very light snow overnight and the plow had passed, so there was about 3-4 inches of denser snow deeper than the opening of the blower. Fired her up, let her warm up for a couple of minutes and started cautiously. WOW, she threw like a champ, at least 20 to 30 feet, and she's not even Boratified yet! Slowed a bit when pushed hard but never stalled.
She's an MTD 4.5 / 21 with electric start and the Tecumseh HSK845 (DOM 2002). Picked it up at the local recycle yard for $40 (I know I paid too much). The compression seemed good at 93 lbs., so I put in some gas and she fired right up. As soon as she shut down, the carb started to leak a lot. So I put her away for the summer & ordered some paddles, belt and scraper bar from fleabay (shoulda ordered the carb kit too).
So mid november I went to the local small engine shop and bought a carb kit, 2 ft. of fuel line, clamps, a shutoff valve and a carb to intake gasket (might have been something else). When he said $90, I thought he was joking, but no! Since I waited till the last minute, he had me (won't do that again).
Now I'm into it for about $170, so that takes some of the shine off my deal, but she throws so well and is so easy to handle, I can't be too sad. May try and take a video if I get the chance.

Did anyone else get snow?

Cheers
Paul
This message was modified Dec 22, 2013 by GtWtNorth


https://t.me/pump_upp
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GtWtNorth


https://t.me/pump_upp

Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Joined: Nov 16, 2008
Points: 264

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #9   Dec 21, 2013 7:09 pm
borat wrote:
Opened up the Craftsman and noticed that the original engine mount that attaches it to the frame/handle side had broken completely through and the engine was being held by the makeshift bolster that I had fabricated a couple years ago.

Borat, hope you can fix it without too much trobule. Based on yours & others experiences in this area, I double checked engine mounts while it was on the bench. In this machine the motor is suspended by 4 bolts through the side where the drive shaft comes out.


Seemed rigid enough, but I added a couple pieces of angle iron to connect the unused mounting bolt on the flywheel cover to a crossbar the passes underneath the engine (haven't painted anything yet & at the frequency it's snowing that may wait till spring)



I also borrowed your idea to add a throttle cable (string).



Drilled a hole through the governor spring bracket to act as a guide. The string goes from the governor lever, through the hole & straight up through a hole in the engine cover. From there it's tied to the handle bar for now. Working on adapting a bicycle brake lever to control it.

Boy, it really works a treat and increases the trowing distance when you up the rpm.

https://t.me/pump_upp
borat


Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #10   Dec 22, 2013 9:24 am
GtWtNorth:

Your engine mount set up is much sturdier than the Craftsman set up.  It's no wonder that the mount broke on mine.  It's no more than a flimsy "L" bracket bolted to the left side handle upright and the engine hanging off the other side.  No mount on the bottom that would normally be attached to a cross rod.  The Murray I have which is almost identical to the Craftsman has a bottom mount.  I can probably have the mount welded but I'm not too concerned about it due to having the Murray and the MTD.  The intention was to have one available for parts.  Looks like the Crapman was first to volunteer.  My main concern is to ensure the engine is good.  The other parts will be a bonus. 


All that's holding the engine is the gray steel bracket.  One bolt on the handle and two on the engine. 

GtWtNorth


https://t.me/pump_upp

Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Joined: Nov 16, 2008
Points: 264

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #11   Dec 22, 2013 12:03 pm
Borat, Yikes, I see what you mean. Talk about planned obsolescence! Doesn't even look like there is any kind of crossbar to attach a bracket to the flywheel housing so even rewelding would just prolong the inevitable. Into the parts pile with her.

Cheers
Paul

https://t.me/pump_upp
borat


Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #12   Dec 23, 2013 12:59 pm
I found a way to fix the motor mount.  I added a support from the wheel axle to a stud that was already protruding from the engine in position to accept a bolster for that purpose.  I also think I found the source of the engine's over-revving.  I noticed fuel being blown past the governor shaft.  I suspect the governor seal is shot.  I'll have to look into seeing what I can find to repair that.  

I might be able to salvage this thing after all.
hirschallan


If it aint broke don't fix it !!


Location: Northern Hills of NY
Joined: Aug 25, 2005
Points: 327

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #13   Dec 23, 2013 7:50 pm
GtWtNorth wrote:
Borat, Yikes, I see what you mean. Talk about planned obsolescence! Doesn't even look like there is any kind of crossbar to attach a bracket to the flywheel housing so even rewelding would just prolong the inevitable. Into the parts pile with her.

Cheers
Paul


Borat, Looking at the pic I would fix that bracket like so. Machine that crack looking from the top portion of it ,straight down to create a nice clean straight edge top to bottom. Then I would use a piece of angle iron the same length of the bracket plus overlap top and bottom. Weld one flat side to the bracket and the other portion of the angle gets screwed to the tubular as the original.

borat


Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #14   Dec 23, 2013 7:56 pm
Thanks for the info.
Sounds like a good solid fix but I think what I've done today will keep the engine soundly in place.  It's far better now than it had been.  I have to get a seal for the governor rod before i put it back to work.  Not in a big hurry.  I've got enough machines to get me through the winter. 
borat


Joined: Nov 10, 2007
Points: 2692

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #15   Dec 24, 2013 1:23 pm
I still have to address the governor shaft seal.  Got to get the part and hopefully change it without taking the engine apart.  It's an awful tight fit in there.  Not sure if I can prize the old one out.  From my experience with oil/crank/fork seals, it looks like it might be a tough go.   


The motor mount fix.  








aa335


Joined: Nov 29, 2008
Points: 2434

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #16   Jan 12, 2014 7:50 pm
These pictures looks like the bottom of my Toro Powerlite.  It also has a Tecumseh engine.  Doesn't Tecumseh provide enough/proper mounting points on these TH engine block so people do not have to resort to bracing on pull start cover?
jrtrebor


Location: Michigan - 3 hours north of Chicago on the lake
Joined: Feb 10, 2010
Points: 539

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #17   Jan 12, 2014 9:50 pm
A lot if not all of the Toro CCR blowers.
Have a threaded stud sticking out of the center of the recoil.
That stud goes through a bracket that is bolted to the
frame below.  That bracket also supports the gas tank.
This setup supports the the other side of the engine, so it's not just hanging in mid-air.
Makes things a lot more involved just to remove the recoil or shroud.
But gives the engine support on both sides.


This message was modified Jan 13, 2014 by jrtrebor
GtWtNorth


https://t.me/pump_upp

Location: https://t.me/pump_upp
Joined: Nov 16, 2008
Points: 264

Re: Another vote for ss machines!!!
Reply #18   Jan 13, 2014 9:34 am
aa335 wrote:
  Doesn't Tecumseh provide enough/proper mounting points on these TH engine block so people do not have to resort to bracing on pull start cover?

I think Tecumseh would have provided mounting brackets any where the customer wanted, so it's probably more a case of poor/cheap design of the motor mounting plate. Also, the long output shaft probably adds another source of twisting force on the motor mount when users ram  the machine into snow banks. So, with users who abuse their machines and don't do any maintenance (pulling furiously on the starter rope when it won't start right away) you have a recipe for  early failure.
This message was modified Jan 13, 2014 by GtWtNorth


https://t.me/pump_upp
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