The "New" Pony Runs!

I decided to tackle the "new" Pony I had picked up yesterday.  I really didn't know what to expect, but if I've learned anything from working on engines over the years, it's that you take what previous owners say very lightly.

"The engine is seized."

Well, it was time to verify that myself.  I took off the engine with three bolts and was actually quite disappointed to find out that the recoil assembly is missing completely.  Yesterday, I foolishly assumed that just the starter rope handle was missing.  I was way wrong.  Underneath the shroud was nothing at all!  No rope!  No recoil starter!  I really HAD purchased a piece of junk!

I took my hand and slowly tried to spin the flywheel.  Was a rod broken?  Was the piston rusted to the sidewall?  I pushed down on the flywheel.  It moved.  WHAT?!  It moved freely.  I felt the piston move up and then down again.  I regrabbed the flywheel and did it again.  I could hear the piston move air through the cylinder.  It had compression.  WHAT?!

The engine spun freely!  The engine wasn't seized after all!

I was ecstatic!  Maybe this wasn't such a bad purchase after all!  Having no pull rope, I tried to do it the old-fashioned way with a rope hand-spun around the flywheel bolt.  It was too small, though, and I couldn't get the rope to turn the flywheel.  So I decided to try the next best thing:  the electric starter!

I wheeled the tiller out to my truck and tried to jumpstart the engine.  Much to my surprise, the electric starter spun freely!  The engine turned over!  I sprayed some started fluid in the carb, and I couldn't believe it again, but the engine tried to fire!

Jumpstarting the tiller with my truck!

WHAT?!

I decided I was all-in now.  So I took apart the carburetor and gave it a good cleaning.  I took off the gas tank and threw out the VERY old gas.  I mean, this gas smelled from five feet away.  It was so tarnished.  I went to the gas station, picked up some new gas, put some new gas in, put the gas tank back on, put the carb back together, and decided to give it a shot.

I hooked the tiller back up to my truck, and even more to my surprise, the engine started!!!  Not only did it start, but the engine started and purred like a kitten!  This hunk o' junk purred like a kitten!!!

Not knowing the condition of the oil (I did check it), I didn't let it run for too long.

But the engine ran...and actually ran great!!!  I was so thrilled.  I put it through the high and low RPM's, and it just purred beautifully.  I take so much satisfaction in taking items which are worthless to someone else and giving them new life.

What started out as a desire to restore a Horse is quickly becoming a fun hobby.  I now have THREE Troy-Bilts...all acquired in just about a month!  I am loving this...all three were in non-running or poor-running condition, and now all three run great!

The collection!  The 1982 Pony, the 1977 Horse, and the 1979 Pony.  All run great!

Another Pony!

It's officially an addiction.  A gentleman finally responded to my ad about me looking for a tine shield for my Troy-Bilt Pony.  Because I had already built a tine shield of my own, I didn't really need this parts tiller.

But as he talked, it sounded like I had a viable candidate for a flip or restoration.  He told me he had a Troy-Bilt Pony at least 20 years old but possibly 30 years old.  He told me it had a seized engine.  He just wanted to get rid of it.

Unfortunately, he was 85 miles away from me.  I asked him what he needed to get out of it, and he said $100.

Hmm...$100 for a Troy-Bilt?  After talking it over with my Dad, I decided I (we) had nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon, so we headed north to pick up a Pony!

Frankly, when we arrived, the tiller looked like a hunk o' junk.  It was in pretty poor condition cosmetically.  It appeared to all be there, but it was old.  It looked like it may have sat outside for a time in the elements.  It was faded.  It was...well, as Dad put it...junk.

The hunk o' junk.

The tiller is rusty.  Faded.  Old.  It needs some work...a LOT of work.

But I bought it.  :)

Based off the engine numbers, I learned it was a 1982 Pony.  It had the coveted electric start, so it has some potential.  I just can't wait to get this thing going.  It REALLY does need work.

The original 1982 Briggs and Stratton 5HP engine.

The tiller comes with an electric start!

But those are the best types of restorations:  pieces of junk that are brought back to life.

Painting the Entire Tiller!

After yesterday's success in painting the engine (and what a difference that made!), I decided to tackle the WHOLE tiller.  I just couldn't have the engine outdo the tiller itself!  But first I had a BIG problem.  I had to get the years and years and years of dirt and dust and grime off the cast-iron frame.

That involved old-fashioned elbow grease.  I had powerwashed the loose stuff last week, but this was CAKED on the frame.  I had to scrape, chip, scrub, and chisel the remaining dirt.  It was almost as if it was part of the frame!

That dirt was CAKED on there!



It required old-fashioned scraping and sanding.

After that was all done, I taped and taped and taped.  I wanted to make sure that red paint didn't end up in places I didn't want it!  I taped the handlebars, knobs, engine accessories, axles, linkages, and belts.  I also removed the tine shield as it was already in near-perfect condition being somewhat new.  Now it was time to paint.

Taping off all the extremities.

I made sure to cover up my garage floor (but time would tell me I didn't do THAT good of a job of that!) and started spraying.  The hardest part was waiting in between coats, but because I wanted the paint job to last, I waited in between.

I was amazed at how the tiller transformed before my very eyes.  I mean, all of a sudden this "ugly ol' beast" became a mostly-modern tiller!  It still looked old, but it looked old in the best of ways!  It looked old as in "built right," but it now had a sense of pride to it!

Painting the tiller!

She is looking great!

The tiller is transforming!

The new girl!

I am beyond thrilled!

I was quite simply thrilled.  I obviously painted the tires, too.  Unfortunately, all this work did is make me want to keep the tiller for good!  I simply don't have a garden big enough for the tiller, but I called up Dad and told him I want to have first shot at tilling his 20 tomato plants!

Needless to say, I am very proud of this restoration.  I just can't wait to use it in a real garden!!!

The beautiful 1977 Troy-Bilt Horse!

She never looked so good!

I never realized just how much bigger the Horse was than the Pony!  Maybe the Pony next?!

Now...if I can only find a way to transform that ugly gas tank!

She Leaks!

Unfortunately, once back at the house, I learned that my new Horse still leaked from the axle seals.  One side had a pretty steady drip, so I  had to prop it up on its side for a couple of weeks until I addressed the issue.

One of the recommendations from a Horse manual was to add grease to the outside, so I tried that...but to no avail.  The gear oil still seeped through.  Hmm.  I had a messy problem.

Also, I noticed that the entire tiller slid back and forth on the axle.  It probably slid back and forth about an inch...definitely too much.  I showed it to Dad, and he took the tiller in his hands and moved the handlebars to the left...then to the right.  The entire tiller slid back and forth on the axle!

NOT good!

I did a little bit of research and realized that behind the oil seals I replaced were bushings, washers, and snap rings.  I also realized that in order to get to them that I'd have to completely pull out my brand-new oil seals!  Agh, what a waste!

I headed to the local repair shop and inquired about the axle issue.  The very unkind gentleman told me that the tiller was probably shot.  That inside the gears were probably worn.  He never mentioned any snap ring.  He was so unhelpful.

I asked another guy at the same shop who didn't seem to know much either.  He said it could be ANYTHING.  Well, of course it could...but what do you THINK that it is?  Again, no help.  So I headed home and went to the helpful online forums.  I tell you, sometimes the strangers behind the internet are more help than anything.

From what I read, most recommended checking on the snap rings.  A transmission repair manual also mentioned that more likely than not a snap ring was broken if the tiller slid back and forth horizontally on the axle.  So I decided to tear it apart!

I painfully ripped off the $14 worth of oil seals.  Burn that money!  I must admit I was a bit nervous about the "internals" inside the transmission being worn, but I just had to check the outside first.  I started with the right side first, and unfortunately, the snap ring was in good shape.  No such luck.

With Dad's help, I propped up the tiller on a ramp and removed the left side oil seal.  Unfortunately, the snap ring was in good shape and in the groove.  Agh, what could it be?!

After more research, I realized that washers were needed to stop the side-to-side motion.  The parts list called them shims.  So I called around.  No one had shims.  Hmm.  I headed to the repair shop again to pick up seals but decided to take one of the washers with me to check out the hardware aisle.  And much to my surprise (and excitement!), I found the EXACT washers I needed.  They were called bushings.  Fine by me.  I grabbed four.

I picked up the oil seals and headed for home.

The washers slid right on perfectly.  I mean, a perfect fit!  I replaced the seals and tapped them in correctly this time with a pipe.  I was able to shim the axle so that very little play existed.  It took two of the washers.  The other two went on the outside of the snap rings to protect the seal from being cut (learned by reading the manual!).  I tested the side-to-side play.  Negligible!

I was ecstatic!

Replacing the oil seals and shims.  I had nearly an inch of play side-to-side.  Here is a washer, the snap-ring, a washer, and the oil seal (purchased a few weeks ago but damaged when removing).

Because the manual told me to till for a few hours after filling up the transmission with gear oil, I elected to hold off on filling it up until I had an opportunity to till.  The last thing I wanted (or needed) was to have more leaks in my garage!  I am dropping kitty litter all over as it is!  I guess the oil seals kind of mold to the axle over time, and leaks are to be expected after initially replacing the seals.  Interesting.

But the tiller is tight!  I mean, it played a LOT back and forth.  And now it's tight.  It probably helps the tiller all-around.  Less wear and tear.

I just can't wait to try it out!

Painting the Engine

I'm not sure exactly who decided on the color for the Tecumseh HH60 engine for the Troy-Bilt Horse, but I would certainly love to sit down and have a talk with him/her.  When I first purchased the tiller, I was taken aback by the color of the engine.  The Tecumseh was a dull orange while the rest of the tiller was the undeniable Troy-Bilt red.  I just assumed the tiller's engine had been replaced sometime in the last 38 years.

But the more I researched the Horse, and the more I looked at others for sale, I kept on seeing a familiar sight:  the dull orange engine!  I didn't like it!

The somewhat orange, somewhat red Tecumseh HH60 engine.  It didn't match!

The top was very rusty.

I hated the contrast in colors!

At least not for my tiller!  So I decided to paint it.

Fortunately, the previous owner had replaced the carburetor and muffler with new, so those were in great condition.  But the cast-iron base was caked with dirt, oil, and that dull orange.  Oddly enough, it had flakes of red throughout, too, so I kind of assumed the previous owner just painted it whatever color he had on hand:  orange.  The verdict is still out!  Were these original engines orange?!

I taped off the parts of the engine I didn't want painted, and I sprayed it with a bright Cherry Red enamel.  It was turning out sharp!  I couldn't wait to see the finished product.  I LOVE working in the garage!!!

Prepping the shroud for paint.

I tried to deep the original decal on the side.

I had LOTS of dirt and grime to get off before paint.  This is the bottom of the air filter holder.

I pulled off the engine shroud, the air breather base, the gas tank mount, and the air filter cover.  I taped off the original engine stickers and sprayed away with several coats.

The newly-transformed engine shroud.

Several coats on the air breather holder, gas tank mount, and air breather cover.

I then put it all back together, and my oh my, was I thrilled.  I think it turned out SHARP!

Putting the engine back together.  What a difference!

The engine all put back together!  So sharp!

A front view.  I LOVE the new engine look.

1977 never looked so good!

Now here's the only problem:  the engine looks great!  But the rest of the tiller is now a dull and scratched-up red!  I LOVE the engine, but I think I know what I have to do.

It's time to scrape off the caked-on dirt and grease and grime and paint this entire tiller red!

I Acquired a Pony!

It's funny just how much one's plans can change.  While on the road for business, I spotted a Troy-Bilt Pony tiller for sale for $100.  The craigslist post said it ran but needed some work.  I was sold on it!  I called my parents and asked them to make the short 10-minute drive for me.  They paid the guy, and seeing as how he wanted the tiller out of his garage, he actually offered to deliver the tiller for free to my house!  Perfect.  Tiller purchased from 600 miles away!

Once back home, the FIRST thing I noticed was the lack of a tine shield.  I was ecstatic to have a tiller for $100, but my oh my, this is a pretty important piece!  It basically protects your feet from being chopped up by the tines...AND allows the dirt to pile up in perfect fertile soil style.  I needed one.

I posted a craigslist ad looking for a junk Pony tiller for parts.  I received no responses.  I asked what it would cost at the local small engine parts store to buy a shield...turns out these aren't even made anymore!  So I did the next best thing:

Dad let me know that he had a piece of junk shelving at his work.  I went by and picked up a piece of steel shelving and headed home.  I sized it up to the tiller, then started making some cuts.  I picked up some red spray paint, as well.

The scrap metal shelf.

I had to fold down the edges as it was bent at 90-degree angles on top and bottom.

I picked up a piano-style hinge from the hardware store and drilled eight holes in the tine shield that still existed.  Then I attached it all together.  Frankly, I am rather pleased with how it all turned out.  The Horse is quite honestly much to big of a tiller for my garden, and the Pony is the perfect fit.  I'm in love with the Horse, but in terms of practicality, the Pony just fits my neighborhood yard much better.  The white didn't match very well, so I had some painting to do, but I was happy that the kinda useless and dangerous tiller was now ready to till!

Sizing it up before adding the hinge.

The tiller already looks better! AND my feet are safe!

After adding the hinge.  Ready for paint!

I learned it's a 1979 model.  As far as not running correctly, literally the only thing I needed to do was adjust the carburetor screw.  It didn't run very well at high RPM's, but this screw makes it run flawlessly now.  I threw on a few coats of some bright red paint, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how it turned out.  The Pony is ready to till!!!

The new tine shield!

I guessed as to the size of the flap, and after Dad measured his, I was within one inch of being correct!  But it works perfectly and should work perfectly, too!

While I'm excited to work on the Horse, this pick-up is a welcome addition to my collection!  I now have a perfect-sized tiller for my yard.

The Horse's First Rodeo

I loaded up the Horse and headed for the ranch.  I just couldn't wait to see this girl perform!

Once out at the ranch, I unloaded the Horse and was told the ranch needed a 300-foot-long trench from the barn out to a 3-acre pasture.  They were going to bury electrical conduit for an electric fence, and they needed a trench.  Sounded pretty easy to me.

I fired up the ol' Horse and started aiming out towards the pasture.  The Horse was running ok, but it wasn't perfect.  The ground was hard, uneven (especially through a big rut area), and dry.  But the Horse plodded through.  I set the gauge to just pierce the ground did another pass.  Then I lowered the depth and did it again.

The Horse is back in service!  She's ugly, but she gets the job done!

The 300-foot stretch towards the back pasture.

The engine was running fine, but not perfect and would bog down when going uphill.  So I checked out the carburetor and found an adjustment screw.  I altered and screw, and voila!  Problem solved!  Now the engine was purring like a kitten (albeit a very loud kitten!).  The Horse was now tearing through the dirt.  Back and forth, back and forth.  The ol' girl moved slowly but methodically.

And the dirt was gettin' tore up!  I was ecstatic.  My brother joined behind me with the ranch's Pony, and we just kept making passes, trying to work up the dirt so we could dig later.

Dad came by later with his furrower (per our request), and what a difference that made.  The Horse hunkered down more and the dirt just pushed aside (we were shoveling it out earlier).  My only regret was not bringing my massive hiller/furrower with me, and I had to settle for Dad's pony version, but it work working.  It also helped the Horse by keeping it put on the hard ground.  It didn't jump nearly as much.

Once we added the furrower, the dirt just moved away.

The dirt is no match!

I couldn't be more pleased with my purchase.  The tiller really is a beast.

Gearin' Up for the First Till

Through the resources on the internet, I learned that my new purchase is actually quite old.  Based off the serial number, I learned that this Horse was actually built in October 1977.  So she is 38 years old!!!  I also learned that this is the Horse I model with the Tecumseh 6.0-horsepower engine known as the HH60.  My particular Horse has had a few replacement parts, most notably the carburetor and tine guard.  So I am thankful for those!

Not knowing how previous owners take care of equipment, my first order of service was to fill up all the fluids.  Of course, before I started the engine for the first time, I checked the oil, but now I wanted to give the Beast fresh oil.  I had found numerous manuals online detailing the Horse, and I also wanted to give her a top-off of gear oil.

I drained the engine oil and filled her up with new.

Then I went to drain the gear oil.  The manuals told me it holds just under a gallon of oil.  So imagine my surprise when less than five ounces came out of the drain hole.  Hmm.  That's not good.  Actually, that's not good at all!!!

So I headed to the store to pick up some 90-W gear oil.  And sure enough, it took nearly the entire gallon.  And that's when I realized I had a problem...probably why the gear oil was empty in the first place!!!  The gear oil was dripping out from the axle seals!!!  I had a big problem on my hand, not the least of which was drops coming out fast!

The axle is a dripping mess!!!

The old seals weren't sealing anything!

I called our parts store, and thankfully they had just two seals remaining.  I made the drive out to the store and drove back.  I installed both seals in about an hour, thankful that the tires came off fairly easily.  Ok, back in business.  I again topped off the gear oil, and I waited for tomorrow's project.  My brother needs help at the horse ranch, and I volunteered the tiller to start digging a trench.

The new seal in place.

Basically, I just want to see what this girl can do!

The seals still have a couple of small drips, but the book says that is to be expected until a few hours of use.  Here's to hopin'!

Can't wait to try out the Horse tomorrow!

The Horse Runs Again!!!

You have to understand that this Horse tiller is supposed to be my winter project.  In my mind, I needed a nice, long project.  My goal was to completely strip down the unit, sandblast it in my (as yet unpurchased) blast cabinet, rebuild and restore the engine, and paint the tiller to look like new.

Over the course of a couple of months.

So I couldn't fully explain how I was ripping apart the tiller just minutes after I arrived at home!

Hmmm, no spark.  Let's take a look.

The engine turned over freely.  So I decided to pull off the engine shroud.

"The engine is fixed!"  That was my first response anyway.  It was a statement in surety.  The engine, of course, wasn't actually fixed, and I still had some work to do, but with one pull of the shroud, I clearly stared at the problem:  a mouse!

Sometime between spring and fall, a mouse had called the engine home.  And in so doing, he chewed up anything and everything he could find in the previous owner's shed, not the least of which was the grounding wire (and magneto wire) for the engine.  As soon as I saw the exposed threads, I knew that was what was happening.  The engine was constantly dead...always dead!  It HAD to be dead!  For every time the rope was pulled, the spark would not go, for the mouse had grounded out the engine.  The spark went through the exposed ground wires, into the frame, and the sparkplug had no spark!

The mouse had called the tiller home!

The culprit.  These wires were grounding out the spark coming off the magneto.

Such a large bed the mouse had made!

After removing the bedding, you could see just how much wire had been eaten away.

The mouse had even bit through the magneto wire.  Fortunately, no wires were showing, so I just taped this back up.

I pulled out the massive bedding from the mouse, not sure I wasn't going to find the mouse in the mess, too.  I sent off a text to Dad, "Problem found."  And I started figuring out what needed to be done.  It looked like all I needed to do was replace the ground wire with a new one!  I examined the kill switch, and it functioned properly.  I just needed a new wire and two spade plugs.  I asked Dad if he had any, and Mom and Dad came over to watch me resurrect the beast.  Dad supplied some wire, and I put it back together.  I tested the spark.  A perfect blue!!!

I wheeled the tiller out to my driveway, and would you believe it started on the first pull?!  I was ecstatic!  In just a few hours, this dead Horse was now alive again.  I tested out the gears.  Forward worked.  Reverse worked.  The tines worked.  It was time to test it out for real.  I took it to my backyard and decided to throw down a piece of yard for the cause just to test it out.  It didn't do much!  I adjusted the depth gauge, realizing the tines barely hit.  And it just turned over that black soil like you wouldn't believe.  No lunging.  No jumping.  Just churning over topsoil.

You can't tell it in this photo, but the ol' Horse is smiling.  She is alive again!!!

I have a new Horse!!!  I can't wait to put it to work.