[mikeinri]

I'd lose the sticker, lol...

Mike

 

[Cannon51]

I changed the carb seat this morning. I had a hard time getting the old one out, the screw and nut I used on the other one didn't work this time. After I got it out I drove the new seat in checking every lick or 2 to see where I was. The float pin is supposed to be the stop for the driver but I didn't really trust that. I stopped on the low side of the float height measurement, a little over 8mm. I've got it on the mounting studs now seeing if it will leak. The pack with the seat in it is the same part number as the kit. Looks like they don't plan to sell it separately. This kit is for gravity feed, there is another kit for fuel pump engines.
Cannon

 

[Cannon51]

This morning after 22 hours there was no leaking so I declared the carb fixed. I cleaned up the deck, sharpened the blades, sprayed all the engagement hardware down with dry lube, took 1 1/2 inch off the grass chute and put it back on the mower. I put the filter housing and air filters on, cranked it up and backed it out of the garage. Before putting the hood on I removed the monster decal and wiped it down some. I engaged the blades and didn't hear any objectionable noise. After while when the dew burns off I'm going to mow with it some to see how it does. I think I'm basically done with this one, spent about 3 weeks piddling with it. Cost with items rounded off.
Mower $100
Head gasket $10
Steering Tee $5
Oil for Hydro $6
Carb Kit $36
Air filters $7
Engine Oil and Filter $12
Fuel filter $3
Fuel line $2
I think that comes to $181. There are of course miscellaneous expenses for supplies and going to get the mower and parts but I figure less than $200 for everything. I don't have any plans to sell it even though I don't really need it. Thanks to those who Read, and or Commented.
Cannon

 

[mikeinri]

Awesome job, great save!

Mike

 

[Curly Cuts]

... On the foot pads I'm thinking about drilling them where the tits are broken and using plastic push pins like are used to hold door panels on.

If you get the plastic plugs in bulk, at an auto body supply, and remove all the tits that have survived, it might look great, especially if the plugs were dark grey rather than black?
I got a bunch of black ones off an aisle display from a retail store. I should have taken the time to get every last one. Three of them are holding the mandrel pulley guard on my Craftsman deck. :tango_face_grin:

Just an idea.

 

[Curly Cuts]

To make them permanent, you could heat up a big bolt (or similar) with a torch and use it to mushroom the undersides of those plastic pins. They wouldn't go anywhere, and might look kinda factory.
.

 

[Cannon51]

I mowed a little more than an hour with it yesterday afternoon. Most of that was the right of way in front of the farm. The only time I had any problem was on one of the steeper places when the carburetor was on the uphill side. It started missing and I had to go down to where it was level, it cleared up then. The foot pad pins didn't loosen up any so maybe their going to be OK. Some kind of adhesive would work better on them but I hate to capture the bolts that hold the front of the fender pan.
Cannon

 

[Ericjr16]

Looks great Cannon! I just scored a similar one free with dead gear trans, have 4 trannies in stock!


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[Cannon51]

Thanks Eric. Are they still selling good up there? I'm not seeing as many on Craigslist now as I did the first of the year.
Cannon

 

[Ericjr16]

Thanks Eric. Are they still selling good up there? I'm not seeing as many on Craigslist now as I did the first of the year.

Cannon

Hey my friend, no actually just finally sold a green one today. Had it over four weeks for sale! Opposed twin and gear drive.


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[cranman51]

I'm still selling Craftsmans as fast as I can put them together in SE Mass..........Sold a Husky today, a green LT 100 yesterday, a Poulan Pro the day before. I swapped a 15.5 Intek from a Murray into an 08 grey LT2000 this morning, only had to service and change the clutch safety...everything else in good shape. Went mowing with it at noon.....

 

[Cannon51]

I haven't tried to sell anything in the last month or so. There are a few 2000ish Craftsman mowers on Craigslist here for $350-$400 that have been listed for about a month. Both are supposed to run and mow good. $400 is the most I've ever got for a Craftsman like this one and that was in the spring. If it was just about money I'd be better off flipping burgers.
Canon

 

[Ericjr16]

Cannon same here money wise. The green LT going around $250-500. We did ok on this one, sold as is. Needed more work but was built fast for neighbors brother. The brother stiffed us though.


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[cranman51]

I find the Green Craftsmen up here go well at$400-$450.....stuff around 2005-2008 tan, grey, red and gold Craftsmans...I can stretch to $550.....the 2010 and up $700 -$800...depending on condition of course.......I check out the tractors carefully and replace or repair anything that isn't perfect......any Inteks I replace the head gasket...whether or not it needs it...cause it will. John Deeres are crazy....doesn't matter how much you ask....they want it....50% more then a Craftsman and they fight over it. I sold a Husky 2554 this morning for $1100, and the gentleman traveled 2.5 hrs for it........I don't like messing with Murrays, or MTD products.....no demand....and anything older then 1997, I don't do unless it for me personally.......I've got a stable full of old Wheelhorses that never get used, cause I'm trying out mowers I just fixed!

 

[Cannon51]

.....I don't like messing with Murrays, or MTD products.....no demand....and anything older then 1997, I don't do unless it for me personally.....

I bought several older mowers last year for around $50 each. I didn't fix any of them to sell but they had a good deck and/or engine that I could use on something else. Those engines (especially Commands) are worth more to have for later model mowers IMO.
Cannon

 

[TobyU]

I rarely have any luck with decks interchanging between machines I come up with. Normally people list used ones for around $100. I try to never pay over 100 to 125 for one that just won't start or whatever mostly unknown issue. Often they will take 50 or 75. And more than a few times I have picked up good riders for free because people just wanted them gone.
Usually they just need the carb cleaned out and you can start the pneumonia grass with them.
The average homeowner pays no attention to the brand or type of engine. I have sold Kohler commands for $200 off of machines that were put out for the trash.

 

[cranman51]

Kohler Commands are my favorites.....2 qt sump...full oil pressure, never needs valve adjustment.....I won't sell motors by themselves...I got too many Craftsmen that need motors..LOL

 

[Curly Cuts]

...I read a discussion a few days ago that it was better to remove the trans and drain all the fluid, no doubt that's true. This is just easier and I don't see how it can be bad as long as I'm careful to clean around the hole before removing the plug. The oil is black but doesn't smell burnt, I'll replace it with 20w-50.
Cannon

I would go so far as saying it was FUN doing the complete drain & fill, because it forces you to clean, inspect, lube and adjust several other things while you're at it AND nothing beats the feeling of having the hydrostatic full of fresh fluid, almost like the day it was assembled, :tango_face_wink:

*** For a partial drain & fill, there's only a couple things to watch out for. Clean around the filler hole, replace EXACTLY the volume you took out, and use a tiny plastic hose to suck the air out of the expansion tank, which allows the last several ounces (300ml) to flow in. Because you haven't really drained all the fluid, purging may not be too hard.

Like you said, even though the fluid may have been 'roasted' many times, it doesn't smell. It just looks like metalized, liquid ? :tango_face_glasses:
.

 

[Cannon51]

I had this mower in the garage the past few days. I removed the deck, sharpened the blades, lubed all the linkage and reinstalled it. I took it to mothers to use this coming spring but when I unloaded it I smelled gas. I put my hand on the underside of the tank and felt gas so I took the tank off and found a crack. I've had a couple of these 20+ year old Craftsman tanks crack in the last few years. I guess they just get more and more brittle as they age.
Cannon