tiller engine help

[Durwood]

I mentioned in another thread about my pull start on my tiller motor having no tension at all and not being able to start the motor. It looks like only 4 bolts hold it on. Anyone know how much a replacement would cost and would someplace like a TSC sell it? I stopped there this evening but they were already closed.

Thanks,
Durwood

[CatDaddy]

Durwood,

What kind of tiller & brand of motor?

-=A=-

[aguysmiley]

What do you mean by "no tension"? Is the recoil spring broke and the rope won't bo back into place, or is it just not engaging and turning the engine over when you pull it?

If the spring is broke, your local small engine place could put one in pretty cheap. If it's not turning the engine over it may just need to be cleaned and re-greased. There should be some kind of mechanism in there that uses centrifugal force to move it and engage the flywheel. When that gets dirt in it or the grease gets old and stiff it won't move as freely as it should. A lot of times you can pull the cover off, and without tearing the starter apart, you can get it freed up with some penetrating oil.

[Durwood]

It is a 5 hp briggs i believe and yes there is no tension pulling on the rope. The rope will retract in but barely. You have to work with it to help it go back. I'm thinking i will probably have to replace the whole unit. I'm wondering where i might even find it? I will pull it apart first and try some oil on it or see what i can find.

Thanks,
Durwood

[jodyand]

Durwood Take the the cover off then take the handle off the rope and wind the spring one or two rounds. Then fish the rope back through the hole and put the handle back on. Done it more then a few times.

[Durwood]

I can see where that would help it retract Jody. But, that wouldn't help it engage would it? It doesn't engage the motor at when i pull it. It looks for sure that i'm at least gonna have to take it apart and have a looksey.

Thanks,
Durwood

[jodyand]

Does it have the old time clutch with the ball bearing or the newer one with the finger that come out and grab? If its the old type its time to buy a new one as i have tried to take them apart and clean them and it never did any good.

[Durwood]

Jody, i put that engine on the tiller back in 90 or 91 so it is probably the old type. I really don't know until i get it off hopefully sometime no later than next weekend. It just dawned on me how old that motor is. Humm, that could be a good excuse for a new rear tine tiller. Sears has had a dual direction 7 hp for $599.00 on sale. I'm sure the sale will be off should i decide to get it.

Durwood

[mla2ofus]

Durwood, from what you describe I'd pull the fan shroud off and feed the whole recoil assy lots of penetrating oil(your choice). I think it's just dry/rusty in the clutch and shaft it all rotates on.
Hop this helps,
Mike

[Bruceman]

Durwood, If the engine is a horizontal shaft, it probably has a bad flywheel clutch behind the recoil assembly. Three bolts hold that cover on. Remove those and the cover will just slide off, with a little manuvering. Then you'll be looking at the flywheel clutch ( on the end of the crankshaft ). Try to turn the clutch on the crank, if it hangs both ways or sounds like rocks in a glass jar, it's bad. Put a screwdriver against one of the ears, and rap on it with a hammer, so it will rotate counter clockwise ( it has r/h threads ). After you spin it off, spin the new clutch on and tap it slighty with the screwdriver/hammer in a clockwise direction to seat it, do what the other guys said about about the recoil assembly and put it back together. Bada Boom, Bada Bing.

Bruce

[Durwood]

Well , today has been a horrible day. My Freightliner won't start, trying to get the tiller motor apart i stripped a couple of bolts off....sooo i decided old Durwood needed to treat himself for having such a bad day and i went to Sears and ordered a new 7 hp rear tine,dual direction tiller that they had on sale for $599.00. I checked and my old tiller was 23 years old so i think it was time for a new one anyway.
http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=LAWN&pid=07129427000

Durwood
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y100/OleDurwood/tiller.jpg :fing02:

[jodyand]

Congrats looks like a nice one. Now if you ever come down towards Baton Rouge let me know and you can drop your old tiller off to me :D

[Carl]

Hey Durwood,
Does that shiny red thing mean that you are going to rinse your mouth out with chocklet rather than use your deft hands to repair the old engine?

It will probably evolve into a simple fix now that you have a replacement. Second thought it won't make any difference. My MTD still resisted every effort to fix it, even with the new NH.

[Durwood]

Hey Durwood,
Does that shiny red thing mean that you are going to rinse your mouth out with chocklet rather than use your deft hands to repair the old engine?

It will probably evolve into a simple fix now that you have a replacement. Second thought it won't make any difference. My MTD still resisted every effort to fix it, even with the new NH.

Not sure what i'm gonna do with the old tiller Carl. I might wait until next winter and play with it some more. There is a world of difference between the old front tine tiller and the new rear tine one. I tilled part of the garden up the other day when i got it home and used the reverse tine tilling. Wow, does it ever leave the dirt in a fine powder compared to the old tiller. I am having problems keeping the handle tight so it dosn't move up and down. I'll figure out some kind of fix for it. I give it a big 5 star rating for tilling though. :fing02:

Durwood