Weekend equipment maintenece

[Grumpy8811]

Just replaced my old Generac standby generator with a new Duro Max 5225 watt surge, 4275 watt steady, on propane. I wanted propane and electric start.


I did a heap of research and settled on this one. I wanted one big enough to get the minimum job done but small enough to be affordable and economical to operate. They claim 8 hr run time at 50% with a 20# bottle. 5 year warranty.

https://www.duromaxpower.com/produc...le-gas-electric-start-generator-with-co-alert

View attachment 142918 View attachment 142919

I have a 7000 watt Black Max with Honda engine I bought at Sams Club 12 years ago. Has paid for itself thru 3 hurricanes now... I need a generator that will provide 240v for the well. anyway generators reminds me of riding lawnmowers. I've come to the conclusion that most of the generators and riding lawnmowers on the market are all about the same.. and made out of the same parts.. ,might be assembled in different places but the more you look at them the more you realize they all seem the same except for the paint job and a few differences.

 

[Cummins12V98]

I have a CumminsOnan Commercial 6500 LP in my RV that is 220v. We spent the night in a TX rest area with dingle digits. The propane tank froze so the gen quit.

Are you concerned with this possibly happening? I’m thinking about Calling Cummins to see if I can change mine to gas.

 

[NIsaacs]

I have a CumminsOnan Commercial 6500 LP in my RV that is 220v. We spent the night in a TX rest area with dingle digits. The propane tank froze so the gen quit.

Are you concerned with this possibly happening? I’m thinking about Calling Cummins to see if I can change mine to gas.

I assume you were sharing the propane tank with your furnace? What size tank, 30#? The bigger the better, they don't vaporize well in cold weather. Maybe plumb the furnace/generator separate, you probably have two tanks. Maybe carry a 40# in your pickup with a long hose/line.

I am concerned about that issue with a cold night and 20# tank. I may need to buy some 30 or 40#ers. But with me, hooking up is simple v/s you with onboard plumbing. The 100# bottle don't use the restrictive OPD valve but I can't lift a 170# full tank and don't want to go there. The off grid preppers say you can keep the tank warm with the generator exhaust, I will keep that in mind too. Obviously use some common sense here and keep some distance.

Since mine is dual fuel I can use gas in a pinch but I really hate to. Even using ethanal free gas they require a lot of maintenance.

 

[Cummins12V98]

We were just watching TV and yes 12v furnace. I always keep back tank closed. The tanks are 40# each.

I woke when I got cold and realized the gen stopped. Told the wife to get up and let’s hit the road. I assumed the tank ran out.

so later is when I realized the tank was plenty full and was schooled about propane usage in cold weather.

Curious why extra maintenance is required with non ethanol? I leave my boats three tanks with non ethanol for 6 mo and no additive. Cenex Farm supply where I buy it said no conditioner is needed. Boat always starts and runs good after long storage. I don’t run the carb dry on the 350 or kicker motor.

 

[Grumpy8811]

best thing you can do with small engines is not store em for long periods with fuel in them.

run em out of fuel, drain the tank, whatever it takes..
and some of them have a drain on the carburetor bowl ..
I always run them out of fuel.. then pull the choke and try running them until they quit..

 

[Topzide]

The tip that I gave people when they bought small equipment, was to close the fuel shut off valve and allow it to run itself out of fuel. If they weren't planning on using it for a period of 3 months or more, drain fuel tank and add to car or truck. As far as fuel treatments, we used Star-Tron only. We put untreated fuel, treated fuel with Star-Tron and Sta-Bil in jars to show the phase separation that takes place. The fuel would layer out in the untreated and with "red" Sta-Bil, but wouldn't with the Star-Tron.

In my equipment, I run non-ethanol fuel and Star-Tron. Haven't to clean carbs with above procedure and the treated fuel! Thankfully, my generator starts when I need it, and I haven't need to run it for "long" periods!

 

[NIsaacs]

Started working on the first (919) of three Allis Chalmers garden tractors this week in earnest. I started dabbling with it shortly after I got it home but it kept defeating me. Intermittent or no spark. Starting to dislike Kohler, two cylinder, 19 HP. After buying two sets of cheap Amazon, made it China coil and points sets with no luck, I finally bought a genuine Kohler coil, $175 and quality points/condenser from Napa and it runs!

Carb was rotten from years old gas so I ordered a new one. I tried cleaning it but no cigar. Wont idle but runs good at high rpms. Everything seems to work as it should. This is a serious commercial garden tractor built in the early '80's. Sold for $6k Hydraulic lift, air cooled hydrostatic drive, limited slip diff and rare chrome, oem hub caps. Twice the quality of my 2001 Craftsman.

I would like to get it finished so I can put it on the market before winter ends. The snowblower won't sell very good this summer. If we had local garden tractor pulls, I would keep it

 

[Topzide]

@NIsaacs, A true Bosch coil makes all the difference! a friend of mine went through the same issues. I told him to get a Bosch coil for it, he fought me due to the price of coil. Finally after months of back and forth, he got coil and adjusted the points the way I had been doing them at the shop I had worked. Fired right up! He's now playing around with an electronic ignition box to replace the points hassle.

That old Kohler Magnum engine is a beast! Had them on the old 4 wheel Gravely tractors. Tons of power from the opposed cylinders. Glad you got it up and going. Love the angle adjustment on the blower! I think you'll find a buyer without too much of issue. Good little tractor for snow and cart pulling.

 

[Grumpy8811]

rk. Starting to dislike Kohler, two cylinder, 19 HP. After buying two sets of cheap Amazon, made it China coil and points sets with no luck, I finally bought a genuine Kohler coil, $175 and quality points/condenser from Napa and it runs! QUOTE


in general Kohler are at the hi end of the small engine market quality wise.. sometimes when it comes to electrical parts it can be choosy,,, and then with the off shore stuff it become a crap shoot.. almost to the point with me anyway I just pay the price for OEM sensors and stuff like that because even some of the name brand aftermarket stuff isn't good enough..

two comments about electrical parts, normally Bosch is a good brand but don't use their spark plugs in a GM engine and if you need a ABS sensor for your Ram truck, just get the Mopar because ven Standard Brand causes problems..
I came to that conclusion after beating my head against the wall for months chasing intermittent problems.
I am frugal so I dont spend un necessarily on hi end parts...

 

[NIsaacs]

Tucson bound, behind a Duramax, lol

I might have screwed up with the ad on C/L, now I am getting calls, can you fix garden tractors? It is hard to fix small engine equipment and not get so much invested that it is not worth it. Especially the box store types. I might go look at some tomorrow, the guy has several that were running when parked. All bigger, older ones, with twins in them. One is a big John Deere and a big Bolens. Maybe I can fix one, for one, and come out.

 

[Topzide]

@NIsaacs, You've got that right! People sure don't want to pay the labor to have lawn and garden equipment fixed! The think that since it cost a couple thousand, the labor rate should only be $25 - $30 an hour! When I worked small equipment sales and service, the Craftsman owners had a fit when we told them $169.95 plus parts for a service! But then again, we had people willing to pay $119.95 plus parts on a push mower!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NIsaacs]

I am amazed at how many makes and models of commercial grade garden tractors there were in the '80's and '90's. I just acquired 3 more to tune up and sell, or keep... John Deere 420, Ingersoll 4018 and Bolens H14XL.

The JD is in pieces so it might be a struggle to build but will be worth it. Power steering, hydraulic lift, left and right brakes, 26x12.00x12 rears and category 0 three point hitch with 3 attachments.

The 4018 is one of the best of this size with the big wheels. Hydraulic lift, 32x8.00x16 rears, hydraulic drive (not hydrostatic) with 2 speed rear axle. I have it running and it is a fun ride. The early models had a Onan opposed twin, this is a later model with a Briggs, OHV, Vanguard V-twin.

The Bolens will need some parts but it also has hydraulic lift and is considered on the low side of the commercial grade tractors. Standard 23x10.50x12 rears. It has a Tecumseh 14hp single.

The guy throwed in a free Gravely 816 for parts but I didn't have enough room. I might go back and get it. It is strange with a rear engine, Onan opposed twin. It is behind the rear axle like a VW.

 

[Topzide]

@NIsaacs, Go back and get the Gravely! It's a hell of a pulling tractor for it's size! Around here, there are a few that have a modified read ball to launch small boats! One guy has a 16' fiberglass that he launches into the river from his property. Search out the groups for parts. You can upgrade the engine with newer V-Twin, but need to machine the engine adapter plate. Used to work for a Gravely dealer that has since closed. A few years back, could've gotten you just about any part "used" that you needed. I'll check to see what happened to the parts. Great looking tractors! Have fun "plying" with them!

 

[endoscott]

Those are some cool tractors!

 

[NIsaacs]

View attachment 141015 View attachment 141016

I ordered a set of seat covers for the '21, the higher quality Carhartt v/s the standard Covercraft, that I used on the '01.

Shout out to Geno's, they sent me a complimentary subscription renewal

#ad

 

[NIsaacs]

@NIsaacs, Go back and get the Gravely!

I went and picked it up and it is pretty sad, Lol. Spins over good but no spark and the left bank has no compression. Stuck valve I assume from setting so long. It does have a new gas tank but switches and wiring are butchered. Tires and seat are junk.

I finished the Ingersoll, it is a great little tractor, fun to drive. Case/Ingersol 4018. This is a late model with the Vanguard v-twin engine, runs great. I have went through it front to back. All fluids and filters changed. New high quality seat, headlight switch, headlight lenses and gaskets, front axle pivot pin, front spindle caps, gas line/fuel pump and good tires.

Gravely 816

 

[NIsaacs]

So, my plan this summer is to hit a truck pull in Utah. If my brother can keep his motor together. He has had really bad luck since he went to an all out, 565 CI class. Along with my stock truck I plan to haul my Ingersoll with and have an Exabition pull in the big tractor class. Maybe get some interest in garden tractor pulling. Looking at this (it is required) Note the round axle tubes on the tractor, it should work.

#ad

 

[endoscott]

Post some pics of the racing for us, then we can live vicariously. My grandson would love garden tractor pulling competition. Fun stuff!

 

[Mikey-KE7LBB]

So, my plan this summer is to hit a truck pull in Utah.

Where in UT? Last one I went to was Morgan back in 2015.

 

[NIsaacs]

Where in UT? Last one I went to was Morgan back in 2015.

I pulled there in 2016. Didn't like the track, too short. Thain built a new track there this year, full regulation, 300' plus shut down.

Plan is to pull in Duchesne, it is the closest pull for me, about 500 miles, about 650 miles for my brother.