[Motorhead-51]

I also have one of the black Anniversary Edition tillers. A couple of years ago I answered a CraigsList ad that read "Tiller, Doesn't Run, Needs Work $175.00". There were two very blurry pictures with the ad and I could barely make out that it had the shape of a Troy-Bilt. When I showed up, much to my surpise was the tiller below. The battery was dead, the tires were flat and with the beads off their rims but it had obviously been stored inside. The gas smelled old but not too old so after checking to make sure it had oil I pulled it through by hand a couple of times and it briefly hit. I bought (gave $300.00) the tiller, hauled it home and after a complete maintenance service I've been using it every since. The hour meter shows 102 hours.

 

[Motorhead-51]

How did it go from $175 to $300???

Good question. The story.... I found out this tiller was part of a larger estate sale. Between the time I originally contacted the seller and the day we finally got together, almost 2 weeks elapsed and she had lined up two other potential buyers to come look at it. One guy was coming later that same afternoon and a second was coming the next day from out of town. The out of town guy had given her indications that he was willing to pay more. She told me that after i had driven 45 miles to look at it. She was going to let me walk if I stood my ground at her original ad price of $175.00 especially after it almost started when I pulled it through a couple of times.

I had cash in my pocket and offered it to her. She went off in the corner and consulted with her male friend and they accepted the offer.

After seeing the tiller, verifying it's general overall condition, knowing that it had good compression and then having it nearly start after just a couple of pulls I would probably have gone higher if she had pushed. This is the 8hp Kohler, electric start, tires are in solid shape, tines are in excellent shape and the tiller was stored out of the weather. I bought a battery, a new ignition switch, a new drive belt, changed the fluids, replaced the air filter, reseated the tires on their beads, cleaned the float bowl and added fuel. That was over a year ago and it has been running fine ever since.

 

[Motorhead-51]

Thanks for sharing the pics, Motorhead, that thing must throw some spark, the plug wire is llose:fing32:

Ronnie

...good catch. I had just drained the oil, realized I didn't have the correct oil and didn't want to risk the chance of getting distracted and then starting it without oil. That would have been a bad thing!