The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: arobwk on March 29, 2017, 06:23:19 pm
-
Any "don't buy" comments will be too late - I've just committed to buying one at £235. (Not used for several years apparently, but I reckon it was worth the risk and I know a man who can, almost certainly, make it run OK if I can't!)
Just wondering whether anyone has Howard rotavator experience that might help a new owner of a 300 model (1971) get to grips with and keep her work-worthy for a few more years yet.
(It won't be accompanied by an operators' manual!)
Thanks
-
keep it well maintained and more importantly keep it under lock and key, they are nice and simple and well built. I used to have one, and one day I went to the allotment and there it was ,gone :( :(.
Plenty of manuals on the web, parts are still about.
-
Shame about your loss Rtb. I did check web re spares before committing to purchase, but further reassured by your comment "nice and simple and well built".
-
And the seller has since advised that my Howard 300 has actually fired up after long storage. (I guess he just couldn't resist giving it another go before it left his shed.) Obviously I'm even more happy about the purchase now.
-
As you say Rtb, manuals available (for the 350 anyway, but virtually the same physically as 300 and the Kohler K series manual I've acquired covers my K91 engine). I probably now have all the manuals and parts lists I might need, freely downloaded.
No other 300s around for sale right now: it's all 350, 350, 350! Perhaps the 350's extra horsepower (e.g. with K141 engine) makes a big difference, or the earlier 300s were not so well built or .. or .. or! Anyway, my 300 looks pretty darn tidy and I reckon will cope well enough with rotavating seedling/sapling plots on land that has been ploughed and disc harrowed already and cope with inter-row weed maintenance idc.
-
My last post on this thread was rather optimistic! Having been really warmed up, my "tidy" Howard 300 is telling me it needs a new head-gasket (on-order). Heh-ho!!
-
My last post on this thread was rather optimistic! Having been really warmed up, my "tidy" Howard 300 is telling me it needs a new head-gasket (on-order). Heh-ho!!
#
At least its not a difficult job, decoke if needed to, on the upside it should fit in the kitchen ok,got to be comfortable ;)......
-
To Rtb:
Ha ha! As you say, not too difficult a fix (as long as the head bolts will release their grip after all this time), but it won't be going anywhere near a kitchen. After the full warm-up, one of the rotor-axle oil seals decided it had had enough. Oil all over the floor on subsequent visit to my equipment store - bother! (Not the word I uttered.) Not yet regretting the purchase (at the price), but really didn't need this. Again, hey-ho!
-
Lovely machines .
Whenever you come to the end of a period of using it, drain the fuel tank & run the carb dry . Then whilst the engine is still slightly warm gently pull the engine over so it enters the compression stroke . This will ensure that both inlet & exhaust vales are closed off with the valve faces sitting fully on the valve seat ..it prevents th seat 7 valve rusting & getting pitted plus it keeps out moisture from the cylinder .
Draining off the fuel & running the carb dry prevents any leakage of fuel into the manifold & trickling down into the cylinder thus preventing oil being washed off on the cylinder walls . Cover teh engine with a shet of clean dry canvas & store the machine inside in the dry .
On waking a machine up from a sleep of over two months take the spark plug out & give a spray of WD 40 in the cylinder this will lubricate the cylinder walls . Failure to do it often results in the piston rings scraping dry metal on dry metal . & producing vertical scoring inth cylinder bore which leads to poor performance & poor compressions ( making starting difficult or nigh on impossible . )
Learn how to service it corectly make you own servici8ng log book & always do the servicing on time for hours run time or when it suggests a periodic service .
I used to help run a large small plant hire & repair business with my business partner Vic.
I've been disheartened many many times when being presented with garden machinery for repairs to see that no one has done any regular servicing & as a result the ensuing damage either means the machine gets scrapped or it performs way under it's designed levels .
Parts for Howards ( and a lot of garden equipment over 10 years old ) are getting harder & harder to locate so unless you really really need to ..... don't take the cylinder head or exhaust off for you might not be able to find new gaskets for them .
You can buy a tube of caustic based decoking paste to squeeze into a hot engine if you look at the spark plug fouling & decide that a decoke is needed ..... without having to take the head off .
-
Thanks Cloddopper - your pearly words much appreciated.
Gonna have to take the head off though - gasket definitely blown. Obviously no idea how long it's been "blowing" and just hoping block and head surfaces are not etched/eroded/wormed when taken apart. If head warped, seems I can still buy a replacement. All fingers crossed.
-
Thanks Cloddopper - your pearly words much appreciated.
Gonna have to take the head off though - gasket definitely blown. Obviously no idea how long it's been "blowing" and just hoping block and head surfaces are not etched/eroded/wormed when taken apart. If head warped, seems I can still buy a replacement. All fingers crossed.
Before you take the head fully off slacken the head bolts two full turns and gently tap the head with a block of wood & hammer to loosen it .
gently lift things apart the gasket may well break up otherwise.
If the gasket you can buy is not the right one & you cannot locate one try eBay 201124660328 , that gasket material is great to make them from & very useful to have a sheet of .
The company will also apparently make you a gasket for a price too .
Loosening the head bolts
Soak with WD 40 or a known good quality easing oil three time in 24 hrs .
Next day start the machine get it hot or if it won't start poura full kettle of boiling water over the head & bolts , then whilst it is still piping hot using s brass drift or aluminium bar & hammer give the bolt heads a smart clout with a 1 & 1/2 pound hammer using the bar on the bolt head to transmit the shock /impact , making sure you don't slip to the side & break any cooling fins etc.
Let it cool then gently try and undo the head bolts with a socket spanner extension & Tee bar or an off set ring spanner of the correct size held in both hands to keep the socket or spanner in best alignment to the bolt head .
If they won't budge put a two finger gentle pressure pull on th spanner or slide the socket bar through to one end take off the extension & using a 1/2 pound hammer give the bar or spanner a sharp crack about two inches back from the bolt head whilst it's still under tension & in a firm grip .
That usually frees of a lot of stubborn head bolts .
If it still won't undo try a blow lamp to do the heating but do be careful not to over heat & melt any low heat metals .
Re pitting of the faces at the cylinder head
light ones can be wet & dry removed using a fine wet & dry paper wet with alight oil on a small sheet of plate glass as a flat surface or a 1/4 inch bit of flat float glass glued to some thick plywood .
I do believe that on eBay there are also high temperature gasket sealing copper spray compounds for sealing imperfections at cylinder heads & other high temperature joints .
Here see what you think . ( I'd use it ) eBay 351782734014
-
Thanks Cloddopper - your pearly words much appreciated.
Gonna have to take the head off though - gasket definitely blown. Obviously no idea how long it's been "blowing" and just hoping block and head surfaces are not etched/eroded/wormed when taken apart. If head warped, seems I can still buy a replacement. All fingers crossed.
Before you take the head fully off slacken the head bolts two full turns and gently tap the head with a block of wood & hammer to loosen it .
gently lift things apart the gasket may well break up otherwise.
If the gasket you can buy is not the right one & you cannot locate one try eBay 201124660328 , that gasket material is great to make them from & very useful to have a sheet of .
The company will also apparently make you a gasket for a price too .
Loosening the head bolts
Soak with WD 40 or a known good quality easing oil three time in 24 hrs .
Next day start the machine get it hot or if it won't start poura full kettle of boiling water over the head & bolts , then whilst it is still piping hot using s brass drift or aluminium bar & hammer give the bolt heads a smart clout with a 1 & 1/2 pound hammer using the bar on the bolt head to transmit the shock /impact , making sure you don't slip to the side & break any cooling fins etc.
Let it cool then gently try and undo the head bolts with a socket spanner extension & Tee bar or an off set ring spanner of the correct size held in both hands to keep the socket or spanner in best alignment to the bolt head .
If they won't budge put a two finger gentle pressure pull on th spanner or slide the socket bar through to one end take off the extension & using a 1/2 pound hammer give the bar or spanner a sharp crack about two inches back from the bolt head whilst it's still under tension & in a firm grip .
That usually frees of a lot of stubborn head bolts .
If it still won't undo try a blow lamp to do the heating but do be careful not to over heat & melt any low heat metals .
Re pitting of the faces at the cylinder head
light ones can be wet & dry removed using a fine wet & dry paper wet with alight oil on a small sheet of plate glass as a flat surface or a 1/4 inch bit of flat float glass glued to some thick plywood .
I do believe that on eBay there are also high temperature gasket sealing copper spray compounds for sealing imperfections at cylinder heads & other high temperature joints .
Here see what you think . ( I'd use it ) eBay 351782734014
What an excellent reply !
However you have omitted the cups of tea and fag breaks required ;)
RTB
-
It will take you about an hour all told from start to finish ..
Tip
Use an old carboard box poke two valve stem sized hole in one side of it about 2 " apart , setthe box holes upper most , put each valve in a hole , mark that hole with the name of where it came out ie inlet valve , exhaust valve . For it's always best to put the valves back in th right port once they have had exhaust gas heat on the exhaust valve head & stem .
Use a clean bucket to hold all the bits that come off the machine & if you can work on the machine whilst it's on a newly swept flat clean smooth concrete floor so you can easily find any bits that you might drop .
Take the valves & colletts off with the head on a clean solid bench & pop them in a big plastic screw top lidded jar if you have one . Pop a block of wood cut to size or use a 1/2 " square drive socket taht fits under the cylind head so it allows the valve head to sit well on it & use a smallish ring spanner to press down over the valve stem on the upper side to press down in the collett retaining washer that sits on top of the valve spring to allow you to free the collets off the valve stem lift it up under pressure control to stop them suddenly flying out as the spring reasserts itself . Some times if the head is really gungey you'll need to use a small fine pointed wire or something like an electricians fine terminal screwdriver to loosen the un clamped collets .
Once everything is clean & lapped in , washed , dried & re lubed take care putting the collets back in & that the retaining washer is the correct way up .
Ensure the pair of collets are boith are properly seated as you lift the ring spanner up under full control of pressure or they are liable to not seat properly . Suddenly when free of all the influence of the spanner , every thing flies off , never to be found again . Unless you have a gert big strong magnet to go collett, retainer & spring hunting with .
-
It will take you about an hour all told from start to finish ..
Tip
..... Suddenly when free of all the influence of the spanner , every thing flies off , never to be found again . Unless you have a gert big strong magnet to go collett, retainer & spring hunting with .
Oh I've been there too :)
-
Use an extra deep socket where the open end that takes the nut fully fits over the retaining washer well clear of the actual collets . Support the valve head on a block of wood then whilst holding the socket in alignment with the valve stem give the socket a couple of decent wallops with a heavy rubber mallet . The collets will pop off the collar of the valve stem & stay inside the socket providing of course you're still holding the open end of the socket firmly on the retaining plate .
Putting them back
Block the valve head with the same bit of cut to size wood . Making sure the valve stem & valve guide bore is clean & lubricated . Slip the spring & retaining washer on . Then use a large open jaw spanner to carefully compress the valve spring whilst some one else slips in a pair of collets . Gently under extreme control , with a pair of safety glasses on, let the pressure up on the spanner Both collets should be siting nice & square in the retaining washer 7 seated fully into the valve stem .
If you have a reasonable drill press it is easy enough to use a bit of tube with gaps cut in one end to make a two pronged tool that you can push the vale spring retaining washer with when winding the raise & lower handle downwards .
Simply slip the un adapted end of the tube up to the chuck when the chuck jaw are protruding & wind the handle down whilst still holding the tube in the other hand till the spring is fully compressed & the locating rim on the valve stem is poking up l through the retaining washer.
This should leave you one hand free whilst your are still holding the valve compressed by the chuck to put the collets in on your own . Bring the chuck up under strict control just in case the collets jump as the spring starts to exert pressure & it flies apart .
-
cloddopper - I have only now skimmed through your most recent posts. Thank you most kindly for all the tips/advisory comments.
Diary bit congested right now so I have not yet started repairs: best, I reckon, to find some good clear time to go about in an orderly fashion without distractions.
Thanks again. Obviously I'll update idc.
-
Have you done anything to your rotavator yet? I had mine out today for the first time since last year, started first pull and ran perfectly, mine is a 350 with a K141 but any Kohler engine is way better than a briggs and scrapum.
Some of what Clodhopper told you is incorrect, parts are easily available there are still a couple of places that specialise in Howard rotavators and you can get head gaskets off ebay with a quick search.
The head should come off easy, I can't imagine the bolts would be corroded unless it's been left outside for a long time.
It's a side valve engine with the valves in the block so you don't have to worry about disturbing the valves and once you have the head off pull the starter cord slowly and have a look at the valve seats if they look half decent I would leave them alone as getting the valves out, reseating them, then re-setting the clearance is a lot of fiddle.
Just give the head and block faces a clean, check there are no nasty scores or major wear in the bore, stick your new gasket on and slap the head back on :thumbsup:
The oil seals on the rotor shaft are two lip seals back to back I believe, the seals are mounted in the housings bolted to the chaincase with half a dozen little 7/16" head set pins the heads usually get worn away by the soil so may be difficult to get a grip on and you might need new ones.
The reason the seals go is because some people seem to leave string and wire lying in the ground and it gets wrapped round the rotor shaft >:(
The 300/350 is still the best, user friendly, perfect sized rotavator ever made and if yours is restored to good nick would be worth £300+
One thing I have done with mine is convert it to electronic ignition, which does away with the points and condenser, like this one - eBay item number: 322502880161
Kev
-
Kev - obliged for your input. Not tackled repairs yet due to daughter's temporary return from Oz - all I've managed to squeeze in over past few weeks is some unavoidable weeding of the young willow-patch and a sneaky couple days of gardening (couldn't leave clients feeling entirely un-cared for over the month of May!) And now I have so many competing tasks begging attention on the land!
I have new head gasket and condenser ready to install when I can (and won't be going down e-ignition route right now). Also, might get some of the copper spray-gasket stuff, as suggested by Clophopper, if head looks just a tad uneven. I won't order any new oil seals though until I've taken out the old ones and can see what's what. I seem to think there might be a modified (single) oil seal to replace the original back-to-back seals, but we'll see idc.
-
Time has passed and much has drawn my attention away from stripping down my Howard 300 & putting back to good working order. But I have really really been wishing lately that Howie was in good shape.
Having actually run out of space to do a strip down myself, I finally called my bro' ... "Now that the Cobra is pretty much done, would you have time to get another vintage machine back to some sort of running order ?" ... "Maybe !"
Howie is now sitting in his workshop rather than in a dusty corner of one of my ISO containers.
I think Howie is in the best of hands (check out Kernow Skunkworks on YouTube if interested in inspired mechanical manipulation/engineering for a work-over of an AC Cobra) and I'm hoping it won't be too long before my Howard 300 is ripping up the beds as he should! I have had to tell bro' that I just want it to work again without spitting out fluids etc & that I'm not looking for a make-over and a metallic spray job. He smiled!
I'll update idc for anyone that might possibly be interested in knowing that an old Howard 300 is once again trugging along between the rows in fine working order ! :)
-
Have you done anything to your rotavator yet? I had mine out today for the first time since last year, started first pull and ran perfectly, mine is a 350 with a K141 but any Kohler engine is way better than a briggs and scrapum.
Some of what Clodhopper told you is incorrect, parts are easily available there are still a couple of places that specialise in Howard rotavators and you can get head gaskets off ebay with a quick search.
The head should come off easy, I can't imagine the bolts would be corroded unless it's been left outside for a long time.
Yep I messed up .................. reading my post many moons later I realised it too . My ancient added brain is long past precisely recalling what I did 30 or so years ago .
Usually if someone has had the head off & put it back together with a bust up gasket it's because the bore has been scored and it was was bad at starting so Maniac Dennis the Menace has a go at fixing it.
-
Well, the intended 2020 makeover of my Howard 300 rotavator didn't happen (due to so much other stuff happening). HOWEVER, it IS now happening.
Poor ol' bro' though: he insisted on splitting the case & stripping it down to its individual parts, but good job he did because we discovered the mangled idler gear which had clearly been imitating the movements of a whirling Dervish with teeth that looked like a Dervisher's skirt - the selector gear was also unevenly/badly worn.
Lots of stuff close to or exceeding Howard tolerances (to be expected), but also lots of stuff (e.g. gearbox innards) that looks like it's just been shined-up a bit !
Bro' savvy enough to find OEM stuff to replace advertised Howard parts at reduced prices, BUT I'm afraid this makeover (now read "restoration") is gonna cost me a pretty penny. Probably less than buying a fully refurb'ed example, but bro' and I haven't yet agreed a brotherly remuneration for his amazing efforts !
[ I have promised bro' never to buy an "un-refurbished" bit of vintage machinery ever again ! - unless it's an Anzani Iron Horse !! Edit: I should correct that - someone has been in there before us to refurbish, but didn't do a good job at all ! ]
Really not quite there yet, but the cylinder re-bore video he's sent me (to accept the new +10 piston) is quite cathartic. (Was thinking new +10 piston would need be purchased USA, but came across Meetens Ltd who were able to supply. Went for it rather than do mega search for cheaper US equiv'.)
For Howard fans, I'll update when "we" are closing in on the day that all the bits are put back together ready for the revival !
[Cylinder head looked very good in the end - new gasket only needed.]
-
Forgot to ask: anyone with any suggestions for different oils than the standard recommends from new? Originals are SAE 90 for g/box & chain-case and the usual SAE 30 etc for the engine, according to temperature range.
We are tempted to go rather more viscous maybe with molybdenum additives for g/box & chain case (as majority of cogs/gears will not be replaced or will be 2nd-hand replacements). Will probably stick with SAE30 for engine as lots of re-machining and new bearings.
Any thoughts anyone ?
-
Stick with the original oils, especially the ep90 gear oil, do not go for modern hi tech stuff, some modern oils contain additives that will attack the phosphor in the bronze bearings.
Also a straight 30 engine oil is cheap and works why try to overthink it and use fancy stuff it was made and meant for basic.
-
Getting there, but someone seems to have stolen the engine !! :D
Replacement selector and idler gears installed (they were a very lucky eBay find of used/excellent-condition); bearings/oil-seals (OEM) have been replaced galore; new drive-chain for rotor-blades installed (so plenty of future adjustment); main shafts have been flux "over-coated" and then re-turned to spec' dimension; various bronze shims now supplemented or replaced with new manufactured bronze/brass items.
Not long now - hopefully.
Also attached is pic of old Allen scythe mower.
Came across very interesting local Allen offer recently, but, as much as I was tempted, I just didn't dare go for it. (Best to have the "more trouble than expected" Howard overhaul completed and then be half-forgotten before I consider buying an old Allen scythe which could well prove to be another "lemon" also requiring, potentially, my brother's magic touch !)
-
Definitely getting close now: not sure I'm "convinced" about the new black hammerite engine finish my brother chose (cos he happened to have a can hanging about), but heh !
-
Stick with the original oils, especially the ep90 gear oil, do not go for modern hi tech stuff, some modern oils contain additives that will attack the phosphor in the bronze bearings.
Also a straight 30 engine oil is cheap and works why try to overthink it and use fancy stuff it was made and meant for basic.
Thanks kindly for thoughts [member=170281]Kevm[/member] :
Refurb'd engine has been filled with some available SAE30 for a series of short bedding-in runs with its new +10 piston/cylinder re-bore. (Brother now thinking he might have gone for a +20 piston instead, but the +10 piston seems to be working-in well-enough.)
We are about to use (get rid of) some old 10/40 for a 2nd series of cylinder-smoothing runs and then will drain again and finally re-refill with SAE30 for on-going/everyday use.
Re gear-box/chain-case: I thought I had some left-over SAE90 oil, but no.
But bro has some synthetic GL4 75/90 waiting for a home, so weve agreed to stick that in instead of a straight SAE90.
-
Oh - and my 300 now has a clutch brake it never had before :) (No idea how bro' worked that one out !)
-
Oh - and now my Howard 300 has a spring-loaded adjustable clutch brake and it works well and will make wear-adjustments rather easier. Presently a rubber pad has proved to be the best rubbing medium (compared to leather and cork).
How bro' thinks these things up is beyond me.
Unfortunately, despite it finally being ready for work, we've discovered a fuel-feed issue. Spent the afternoon together scratching heads, but I think we've narrowed it down to an intermittent issue with the fuel tap on the glass bowl/filter. Brother wants to get rid of the glass bowl completely, but I'm holding out. He's had his way with mod's so far, BUT I wanna keep that glass fuel bowl - useful for water-in-fuel detection. Innards of the fuel tap arrangement on the fuel sight-glass/filter are under inspection/review.
Fully expecting a churning of soil sometime next week !! ??
-
Definitely getting close now: not sure I'm "convinced" about the new black hammerite engine finish my brother chose (cos he happened to have a can hanging about), but heh !
Actually, having seen in the flesh, I've changed mind about the new "black" hammerite engine finish. Not a fan of Hammerite's standard shiny dimpled finish, but bro's application method has produced a much more subtle textured finish which is also a dull charcoal grey rather than stark shiny black. (Wizard !) I'm definitely coming around to ! :)
-
[member=152775]arobwk[/member] - having followed your 300 rebuild - I wonder if this one is really in 'excellent working order'
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114785794215?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
-
[member=152775]arobwk[/member] - having followed your 300 rebuild - I wonder if this one is really in 'excellent working order'
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114785794215?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649 (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114785794215?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649)
I can't remember [member=28214]Q[/member] whether you have ever said where you are, but I would not buy at that price without being able to go see it in Leominster and witness it being operated for a decent amount of time. And then check whether present owner has any history of ownership and repair bills along the way.
As you will be well aware, 300s are very old machines (some 60 years old) and the present owner/seller will possibly have owned (and maintained !) for just a small fraction of it's life. [The question "why are you selling ?" is always a good start !]
To note that "fully refurbished" Howards go for a bit more than £600, BUT not really an awful lot more. If the idea of a vintage Howard is really tickling your fancy and you might be up for spending £600 on a vintage machine then I would suggest spending a little more (if you can or wait until you can) to afford one advertised as fully refurb'ed (with associated bills and some sort of guarantee etc).
The seller of a Howard in "excellent working order" (and definitely without any oil leaks what-so-ever) may well be offering a genuinely good machine, but I personally wouldn't buy it at that price without some very good history and flawless demonstration in operation - and then I reckon I would still offer a much lower purchase price after viewing/demonstration.
-
I've just been offered a MTD 450 PRO for 700, which is pretty much the same type of machine but this one is one owner and very little used. I thought that was a bit much as my guidance has been 1/3 of the new price even if it is perfect, so 1500 new therefore 500. But I'm sure there must be a market for old machines for the love of them? We have an Ariens 6HP rotorvator, perhaps 50 years old and working as well as it always did, but I'd expect it is worth scrap only. I love it, if only for the challenge of starting it!
-
[member=152775]arobwk[/member] - quite right - i have seen a few fully furbished for around £750 that i would take on rather than that one from ebay.
I was just being a bit tongue-in-cheek looking at the work yours needed compared to something described as good working order.
-
I've just been offered a MTD 450 PRO for 700, which is pretty much the same type of machine but this one is one owner and very little used. I thought that was a bit much as my guidance has been 1/3 of the new price even if it is perfect, so 1500 new therefore 500. But I'm sure there must be a market for old machines for the love of them? We have an Ariens 6HP rotorvator, perhaps 50 years old and working as well as it always did, but I'd expect it is worth scrap only. I love it, if only for the challenge of starting it!
I wonder whether your might be surprised at what your vintage Ariens is worth [member=23925]chrismahon[/member] ! But, then, you are in France !!! Lol
-
Well the update as regards my Howard's fuel-feed issues is both a sorry and a happy tale:
A sorry tale because we did not think laterally enough (over many many hours); happy tale because it didn't take much at all to rectify in the end.
Bro' has been testing start-up/running (post refurb') on less than a full fuel tank: what we didn't realise was that fuel tank actually had an anti-crud up-stand pipe at the outlet to the fuel sight-glass/fuel pipe !! In other words, fuel tank cannot be run completely dry, but, it turned out to be a rather high (excessive) cut-off level on my Howard. (How much fuel-tank crud or water was Howard actually expecting to accumulate in the tank ?? To note, though, that manual says the Kohler K91/Howard 300 combo was 10% ethanol ready !!)
We have been debating this for days, but Bro' finally thought to take a look inside fuel tank and discovered the excessive length of the anti-crud pipe: he's now cut a nick into it with a chisel (as the most expedient measure) to lower the anti-crud/water protection fuel level to a more sensible level.
Sorted and all done at last.
My Howard is now ready for delivery to the Fields and I'm hoping we can find a shower-free period this week for a bit of comfortable testing under load with any little bit of fettling finally to be done in work-mode rather than workshop mode !
:)
-
Similar problem with my Arians 'Jet' [member=152775]arobwk[/member] , but in my case it's caused by the fuel tank being lower than the float bowl, so it needs to be over half full before the carb gets any petrol. When it's in use it bounces about so much that the level in the tank doesn't matter- starting is the issue.
-
Luckily I have neither fuel issues (any more) nor starting issues (bro' seems to have set up carb pretty good), BUT post-refurb' maiden-run was today and "Oh bother !". There is a grinding noise when the lower gear cog is engaged (hopefully) coming from the gear box. In the higher gear and reverse everything sounds just fine though. Howie is now back in bro's w\shop under his "5 seconds guarantee".
(I say "hopefully in the gearbox" because it would be a major strip-down again if it's not. It's gotta be in the gear box though, which will be a pain, but the least of all possible pains.)
Noise did not arise at all on short low-gear workshop test runs (several yards on several occasions) and definitely wasn't there before the refurb'.
Bro' has already taken top cover off the gearbox and reports "can't see nothing (sic) yet, all spins lovely". So another mystery! (Bro' does admit that the innards of the gear-box fell apart when removed and that it was a bit of a jigsaw puzzle to get it all back together - he's wondering whether he missed a shim or something and cogs have been jittered around in the horse box on way to Fields. We shall see after further investigation idc.)
Two "Howie" observations (if you haven't stopped reading already):
I've never adjusted the drive belt into the higher gearing pulley slots (effectively 3rd and 4th), but that is where it is now. Phew, I never knew Howie's supposed top speed of 5 mph was as brisk a pace as that ! Howie was not actually digging dirt on our test runs, but I reckon, in my loose/fine soil, 4th gear will be quite a work-out even when actually churning it up!
Howie's little exhaust baffle is the only one of its type I've come across ont' web (pics or manuals): bro' wanted to replace it with a home-made baffle, but I rejected the idea and, with the engine fully tuned and at full throttle, it gives the best "boys' toys" throaty exhaust sound one could hope for (definitely not the sound one would expect from a 4HP bit of garden machinery !) That was a good decision :D
-
The exhaust box fell to bits on the Ariens [member=152775]arobwk[/member] , only to be repaired with the housing from a central heating solenoid valve- can't remember the name of them and Google doesn't come up with any pictures. But my repair is very loud, so ear muffs are absolutely essential.
-
Well, [member=23925]chrismahon[/member] (and everyone) we should all use ear-defenders each and every time when using noisy machinery. (Even some electric kit can create quite a noise best avoided over a lengthy period.) My father never did wear and was effectively deaf before his recent passing. I always use defenders, but, today, neither bro' nor me got around to donning defenders during Howie's testing - I can actually "feel" my ears this eve - they've been jiggered by Howie's roar !!
-
Well, bro' and I spent well over 3 hours today peering into the Howard gear-box with top selector plate removed and then, having removed the rotors selector plate as well, into the innards of the chassis. Certain nothing bad inside the chassis, so back to the gear-box.
So how can one spend over 3 hrs looking, turning and moving gears back and forth and scratching heads while repeating the phrase "It doesn't make sense, the gears are all meshing really nicely." Well we actually did, including a tooth-by-tooth inspection of every gear cog looking for signs of unusual wear, hoping for a eureka moment. Bro' was reluctantly up for removing the gear box again, but "No, it won't help because we both know this issue is not making sense - we are missing something !"
Well, as darkness fell, maybe we did come upon that eureka moment. However, too late to start fettling this eve and we no longer had the patience. I'm not going to jinx by saying what we think might, just might, be happening. Fingers crossed for tomorrow though. I have a quid bet on a very simple solution - didn't dare bet anything more !! If I'm wrong, then the gear-box will come off again.
-
I lost the bet. Although some careful fettling of the reverse gear selector-fork did make everything feel even smoother turning gear-box over by hand it did not make any real difference when put back to running order !
Another subtle tweak planned: again I wish not to jinx !
If that doesn't work, I shall simply put the Howard to work and monitor: although we have changed very little inside the casings, maybe it just needs to be "run in" again with all the gears "getting to know each other once more". If it gets noisier (rather than quieter) after some good hours of use then we will consider another strip/split of the main casing.
Edit: Bro' just updated saying he's going to split case again if the extra tweak shows no improvement rather than "allow" me to re-run in. Fingers crossed then !
-
Bro' advises that, rather than mess around with tweaks, he took gear-box off and discovered that noise does emanate from the chassis-case gears (against all odds). So it's another complete break-down to cure - poor ol' bro' ! (I've suggested though that he might like take a "holiday" from Howie's restoration, especially given the cr*p weather forecasts for the short/medium term wrt to land management ops'.)
-
Well, we've finally decided my Howard 300 is well and truly ... f i x e d !
Was planning to take up to the Fields today for a decent work-out, but family business prevented in the event.
Bro' and I had to make do with some trepidatious runs up and down his driveway and side bank, BUT with nary a murmur from Howard - RESULT ! Full-load test ("in anger") planned for 2mor, but, really, it will just be a formality - the Howard is running pretty darn good ! (And I'm not even going to touch wood after that statement.)
The technical report for those so minded:
After the 2nd chassis split, chassis-case gears were re-shimmed to prevent any chance of rubbing what so ever if chassis flexed/stressed.
Subsequent rebuild and retest suggested "grumbling" noise reduced, but by no means cured, so gear box taken off once again and dismantled (bro' can now almost do that and rebuild with eyes shut !).
Going with the fact that running in high gear (with fewer gear cogs engaged) is not as noisy as in low gear or reverse (when a multitude of gear cogs on different shafts are engaged), we manually determined that the gears on the drive-shaft stiffen each other up along the shaft in high gear, resisting any gear "wobble" on the drive shaft. BUT, in low gear, the "drive gear" is not bolstered by sideways contact and a bit flabby on the shaft: applying manual sideways thrust to connected gears identified a difference in feel through the "drive-gear" when turned over manually.
The decision was made to re-bush the "drive gear" (noisy culprit or not - nothing to lose cos we had no other ideas). A piece of partially drilled brass rod was chosen, but it still took most of an afternoon to slowly manufacture new bushing on the lathe keeping the gear/shaft tolerance very tight and finally only loosened up (spinning easily) using Brasso.
The gear box was reassembled and, then, one could hardly tell the difference between high and low when box turned over manually - sweet! When re-installed and run up and down the driveway and with rotors engaged on the the bank everything was still sweet today! Howie is clearly fixed.
Detail above provided for any other owners who might eventually go thro' a grumbling Howard: we suspect that there was so much crud built up inside the gear-box over the years that it was hiding/compensating for the wear. Cleaning out and using fresh oil made slop in the gear-box apparent. (Bro' did "fill out" one other g-box shaft and lathe back to spec' dimension, but it was the "drive gear" slop on the drive shaft, after the clean-out/rebuild, that was the real problem.)
:) :) :)
I might manage a photo idc.
-
Despite the dank weather, the Howard was put through it's paces over several rotavating runs amongst the willow rows (after a couple of passes with the new Hyundai wheeled trimmer to reduce the grass cover). Yep, Howie is back and fighting fit !
(There is still a minor issue with fuel feed that is foxing us, but it didn't interrupt the rotavating runs.)
And, in passing, the new Hyundai self-propelled trimmer (originally mentioned on a different thread) also did pretty good today despite having to tackle some very wet, tough, dense grass. Its slow travel speed does make for an "unnatural/awkward" walking-pace (for me), but at least I'm not having to push it :)
-
Re-read of Howard user manual made me smile:
"Every 25 hours or weekly, change the engine oil" Phooph - that's not going to happen !!