My wife and I pulled the ignition coil, and found the relevant parts in the engine's manual on how to test it.
The test procedure goes something like this: check the resistance between the positive and negative terminals, then check the resistance between the spark plug terminals. They should be in the ranges [2.90,3.60]Ω and [14,500,19,800]
Ω, respectively. The resistance at the pos/neg terminals was right at 3.6, but at the spark plug terminals, I couldn't get a reading at all. So now the hunt is on for an ignition coil. I'd prefer to buy from a local shop, ideally a new one, but there seems to be a thriving market on e-bay in the worst case scenario.
Once we've got that swapped, I will be able to test the timing. This one's a bit more difficult:
1) Remove spark plugs.
2) Turn ignition on.
3) Connect volt meter to negative terminal on coil and to engine ground.
4) Rotate the flywheel clockwise until voltage jumps from 1V to 12V (battery voltage, actually).
At this stage, one of the screws on the flywheel's chaff screen (the perforated metal plate that protects the air intake from large crud getting blown in by the fan which is cast onto the flywheel's surface), should lie between the timing marks on the blower housing. These are located at approximately the 10:00 location, and thankfully are stamped in rather than painted or drawn on (unlike the !@#$!@$ serial number).
UPDATE 2014-01-28: Forgot to mention last time - here's what's written on the side of the old one:
166-0781
029700-6461
12V
DENSO
MADE IN JAPAN
From what I can tell, the part is discontinued, and the only new replacement available is part 541-0522. Amazon has it here.
UPDATE : I forgot to come back and mention this - we ordered a replacement from John Deere, and that did not help. Looks like I need to pull the engine to fix the timing :-/
Showing posts with label Tractor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tractor. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Frankentractor Update and a "quick" project.
The Frankentractor is in bad shape right now. I never got around to replacing or rebuilding the hydraulic pump, and now its leak is pretty heinous. What's worse, I apparently ran it out of oil (stupid! check your oil, folks!) and I think that knocked off its timing. Net result: it won't start. The carb spews gas out of the throat, which I'm told indicates that the float needle is dirty or broken, so I've got to clean that. One of the arms on the front end loader is busted. Seems this spring is going to be all about fixing the Frankentractor.
Except that I've got a higher-priority project I need to get done. The Mrs has been bugging me for years to build her a Skee-Ball machine. I've drawn up some plans, and have got to knock that out ASAP. Look for progress here.
Except that I've got a higher-priority project I need to get done. The Mrs has been bugging me for years to build her a Skee-Ball machine. I've drawn up some plans, and have got to knock that out ASAP. Look for progress here.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
John Deere 400 Frankentractor
On May 3, 2013, I was fortunate (sic) enough to come across a John Deere 400 Lawn Tractor with a Brantly Front End Loader and road leveler. Its engine has been upgraded to a newer model year's "Onan" engine. I'm not sure of the specific model engine at this time, and need to look at its stamp, assuming it hasn't been painted over. This tractor is theoretically a very good thing for me, because I have a lot of dirt to move due to the ongoing Castle Project. Because it doesn't have the original engine, and lots of it is sort of just "plopped together," I figure the nickname Frankentractor seems reasonable.
The tractor has brought with it some more good fortune (sic), in the form of many learning opportunities for me. The first involved learning how to change a PTO belt. Not terribly difficult, but having never changed a belt on any vehicle, it was new to me. Frustration of working in tight quarters aside, this was actually quite fun. I subsequently learned how to troubleshoot hydraulics well enough to know that the PTO couples to the hydraulic pump by way of a chain coupler (which I'd never heard of) and finally a sheer pin. Said sheer pin is not the way the system was designed (the manual shows a slot in the edge of the input shaft and the coupler, into which a metal key is supposed to go), but using 16 penny nails to manufacture replacements is nice and cheap, so I don't think I'll go back to the designed approach.
Speaking of the design, finding an owner's manual on this thing has proved to be a royal PITA. The previous owner painted the front end loader John Deere green, and in the process painted right over the label, so I didn't even know the manufacturer's name until I came across this video on YouTube. Armed with the knowledge that the loader was made by Brantly, I set out to find manuals. A little while later, I found this PDF.
According to the PDF, and assuming I've found the correct manual, which may or may not be accurate, I now believe the loader is a Brantly model 420A. The hydraulic pump appears to be an H25AA2B, by Parker. Parker appears to be "Parker Hannifin China" these days - not sure if it was a Chinese-manufactured pump back in 1976 (when John Deere made the 400) or not...
The pump has a slight leak that I need to fix. This is another learning opportunity for me, since I've never rebuilt a hydraulic pump. Based on the Brantly manual, it looks fairly straightforward; disassemble, replace gaskets and O-rings, reassemble, and Bob's Yer Uncle. First I need to find replacement gaskets and O-rings, and decide if I want to take that on or simply replace the pump - finding a 2500 PSI, 500-4000 RPM, clockwise pump with 1" input, 0.5" output shouldn't be a huge hassle, and it looks like pumps are in the $200 range. I might buy a new pump and then rebuild this one at my leisure, perhaps to use in building a backhoe. We'll see.
Useful links/info on the tractor and the Brantly:
The tractor has brought with it some more good fortune (sic), in the form of many learning opportunities for me. The first involved learning how to change a PTO belt. Not terribly difficult, but having never changed a belt on any vehicle, it was new to me. Frustration of working in tight quarters aside, this was actually quite fun. I subsequently learned how to troubleshoot hydraulics well enough to know that the PTO couples to the hydraulic pump by way of a chain coupler (which I'd never heard of) and finally a sheer pin. Said sheer pin is not the way the system was designed (the manual shows a slot in the edge of the input shaft and the coupler, into which a metal key is supposed to go), but using 16 penny nails to manufacture replacements is nice and cheap, so I don't think I'll go back to the designed approach.
Speaking of the design, finding an owner's manual on this thing has proved to be a royal PITA. The previous owner painted the front end loader John Deere green, and in the process painted right over the label, so I didn't even know the manufacturer's name until I came across this video on YouTube. Armed with the knowledge that the loader was made by Brantly, I set out to find manuals. A little while later, I found this PDF.
According to the PDF, and assuming I've found the correct manual, which may or may not be accurate, I now believe the loader is a Brantly model 420A. The hydraulic pump appears to be an H25AA2B, by Parker. Parker appears to be "Parker Hannifin China" these days - not sure if it was a Chinese-manufactured pump back in 1976 (when John Deere made the 400) or not...
The pump has a slight leak that I need to fix. This is another learning opportunity for me, since I've never rebuilt a hydraulic pump. Based on the Brantly manual, it looks fairly straightforward; disassemble, replace gaskets and O-rings, reassemble, and Bob's Yer Uncle. First I need to find replacement gaskets and O-rings, and decide if I want to take that on or simply replace the pump - finding a 2500 PSI, 500-4000 RPM, clockwise pump with 1" input, 0.5" output shouldn't be a huge hassle, and it looks like pumps are in the $200 range. I might buy a new pump and then rebuild this one at my leisure, perhaps to use in building a backhoe. We'll see.
Useful links/info on the tractor and the Brantly:
- John Deere 400 Lawn Tractor
- Engine: Onan P220G (I Think - the model number and serial number are worn off the label and barely legible. Why the label isn't stamped is beyond me. Did they think their ink wouldn't suffer the ravages of time?)
- Brantly
- Brantly Manual
- H25AA2B Page on Parker's website
- Specs from their site
DESCRIPTION ATTRIBUTE VALUE PRODUCT TYPE HYDRAULIC PUMP GEAR, FIXED DISPLACEMENT TYPE H25 PRESSURE RATING UP TO 2500 PSI SPEED FROM 500 RPM TO 4000 RPM BODY MATERIAL ALUMINUM SEAL MATERIAL BUNA-N INLET SIZE/CONNECTION 1" O.D. TUBE - REAR OUTLET SIZE/CONNECTION PRIMARY - 0.50 O.D.TUBE -BOTTOM / SECONDARY - 0.62 O.D. TUBE - SIDE SHAFT SIZE 0.75 DIAMETER KEYED SHAFT TYPE code A TEMPERATURE RATING FROM -40§ F TO 185§ F ROTATION CW MOUNTING FLANGE code A - SAE 2-BOLT A TRADE/BRAND NAME ALUMINUM HOUSINGS SLEEVE BEARINGS - These fields were empty on their site: DISPLACEMENT, MEDIA, SEAL TYPE, CONFIGURATION, CONTROL, ADDITIONAL DETAIL
Monday, July 22, 2013
Hydraulics...
On Saturday morning, the power take-off (PTO) belt on my John Deere 400 with Front End Loader broke. I was trying to use the bucket to move some dirt, and all of a sudden the bucket wouldn't lift any longer. Bummer.
So I climbed off the tractor, and took a look at the engine. Sure enough, there was a belt hanging out of the side of the engine compartment. So I pulled the belt out and went over to AutoZone to buy a replacement.
After some cajoling, I managed to get my son to spend some time with me on Sunday morning replacing that belt. That turned out to be, well, not complex, but surprisingly difficult due to placement and general griminess of all of the bolts in question. Here was the process:
UPDATE: it turns out the PTO couples to the hydraulic pump by way of a sheer pin, which was apparently broken at the same time as the PTO belt. I've become quite accustomed to manufacturing replacement sheer pins from 16 penny nails, and even more accustomed to knowing how much throttle to give the engine to avoid breaking said nails.
So I climbed off the tractor, and took a look at the engine. Sure enough, there was a belt hanging out of the side of the engine compartment. So I pulled the belt out and went over to AutoZone to buy a replacement.
After some cajoling, I managed to get my son to spend some time with me on Sunday morning replacing that belt. That turned out to be, well, not complex, but surprisingly difficult due to placement and general griminess of all of the bolts in question. Here was the process:
- Unbolt the hydraulic pump, set it on the ground.
- Unbolt and remove the hydraulic pump mounting bracket.
- Unbolt the lower PTO pulley cover.
- Wrap belt around lower PTO pulley and the crankshaft pully
- Replace lower PTO pulley cover.
- Replace hydraulic pump mounting bracket, but leave bolts a little loosey-goosey
- Replace hydraulic pump.
- Tighten hydraulic pump mounting bracket bolts.
UPDATE: it turns out the PTO couples to the hydraulic pump by way of a sheer pin, which was apparently broken at the same time as the PTO belt. I've become quite accustomed to manufacturing replacement sheer pins from 16 penny nails, and even more accustomed to knowing how much throttle to give the engine to avoid breaking said nails.
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