Should i be working on other things, yes, am i working on said other things, NO! Sometimes you just have to work on something silly and fun
There is a demo derby in Crossfield in 2 weeks, ive kind of had my eye on marketplace for a real cheap mower to run for the intermission mower race, found this old craftsman ii with a 12.5 Tecumseh for 100$. I doubt i will win, but it should be a fun project, and a fun day, its a tight timeline so for now its going to be a pretty limited build
First thing was to see if it even runs, the carb that came with it was totally pooched, the previous owner took it apart and likely gave up there, its absolutely not save able. Off to everyone's favorite 1 day shipping online retailer....i could not find a direct replacement, at least not in the timeline i wanted and not for what i wanted to pay. I went with the closest thing i could find, a newer style carb for a Tecumseh in that hp range, not a direct bolt on however....many expensive tools to the rescue!
the wiring was also questionable, i rigged it up to hot wire with 1 wire to to at least get it running
Here it is, in all its glory


Mmmm crusty, full of corrosion and all sorts of fuel residues

Some picture of making the adapter plate, and it all welded on with the carb installed, i have an air filter coming in tomorrow, i will have to make a sweet super high performance cold air intake...pics to follow




Start, die, start, die, on and on, what the heck, carb is pissing fuel, pull the bowl, clean up the needle and seat, put it back on, start die, start die, my new neighbor thinks its pretty cool so he is out there, and normally doesn't have a whole lot of good input, but he kept on me about checking the plug "but its literally brand new", eventually i give in, nothing to loose, and then.....what the heck? was it like that when i put it in, i never did really look at it, just popped it in....anyways, throw the old plug in, fires up and idles no problem, smokes a lot, but runs, likely oil burning off the exhaust, and im sure the rings are probably a little stuck, who knows when it ran last

"Hey ill take a video for you" ... ok, why not, you all get to look at my ulgy mugg
Next up, new front tires (should arrive tomorrow), wiring it up properly, including a tether kill switch, air intake, and pulley swap for those extra mph
There is a demo derby in Crossfield in 2 weeks, ive kind of had my eye on marketplace for a real cheap mower to run for the intermission mower race, found this old craftsman ii with a 12.5 Tecumseh for 100$. I doubt i will win, but it should be a fun project, and a fun day, its a tight timeline so for now its going to be a pretty limited build
First thing was to see if it even runs, the carb that came with it was totally pooched, the previous owner took it apart and likely gave up there, its absolutely not save able. Off to everyone's favorite 1 day shipping online retailer....i could not find a direct replacement, at least not in the timeline i wanted and not for what i wanted to pay. I went with the closest thing i could find, a newer style carb for a Tecumseh in that hp range, not a direct bolt on however....many expensive tools to the rescue!
the wiring was also questionable, i rigged it up to hot wire with 1 wire to to at least get it running
Here it is, in all its glory


Mmmm crusty, full of corrosion and all sorts of fuel residues

Some picture of making the adapter plate, and it all welded on with the carb installed, i have an air filter coming in tomorrow, i will have to make a sweet super high performance cold air intake...pics to follow




Start, die, start, die, on and on, what the heck, carb is pissing fuel, pull the bowl, clean up the needle and seat, put it back on, start die, start die, my new neighbor thinks its pretty cool so he is out there, and normally doesn't have a whole lot of good input, but he kept on me about checking the plug "but its literally brand new", eventually i give in, nothing to loose, and then.....what the heck? was it like that when i put it in, i never did really look at it, just popped it in....anyways, throw the old plug in, fires up and idles no problem, smokes a lot, but runs, likely oil burning off the exhaust, and im sure the rings are probably a little stuck, who knows when it ran last

"Hey ill take a video for you" ... ok, why not, you all get to look at my ulgy mugg
Next up, new front tires (should arrive tomorrow), wiring it up properly, including a tether kill switch, air intake, and pulley swap for those extra mph