OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Restoring, Customising and Modifying Reel-Type Mowers SB Model 45 School Project

Hi Tommy,
I will help you with the chassis problems, once you get the engine sorted with grumpy's help.Just keep focused, complete one job at a time.

I am about to use kerosene on the engine, and I'm just checking the air cleaner is the pull start? Please tell me if I'm wrong.

Cheers

Hi Tom, the air cleaner (or air filter) is the component that cleans the dirt out of the air being sucked into the engine, mixed with petrol, and burned to produce output power. It is the tin box filled with foam plastic, in the red oval in this picture:

Hi Grumpy,

I have done the compression test and did not notice any difference with the compression. I suppose this is a good thing. Is there anything else needed to do with the engine?

Cheers,
Tom.

OK, let's hope the cylinder head sealed properly when you bolted it back on, and there is no problem with compression. If that turns out to be correct, the oil-in-the-plughole test has shown that the piston rings are in good condition. Next step is to service the engine. First, check the amount and condition of oil in the sump.



This diagram showns you how to check the oil. Follow arrow 2. The plastic plug with two bumps sticking up, is the oil filler plug. Put the end of a screwdriver across the two bumps to unscrew the plug. As dotted line 3 shows, the oil should be full right up to the top of the thread, so if you put any more in, it will overflow. The oil should be yellow-brown and slightly transparent, not black. Please post a picture to show us the level and appearance of the oil.

If the oil is black and the level is low, you will need to do an oil change. That is done by putting the engine on an elevated level surface, putting a container of at least half a litre capacity below the drain plug (Item 1 in the diagram), unscrewing the plug, and waiting a long time for the oil to drain (at least 10 minutes). Then put the plug back in and tighten it firmly, so it doesn't leak. Pour about 600 millilitres of SAE30 engine oil in through the filler plug hole, which will fill the sump right up to the top as shown by the line (Item 3) in the diagram. Screw the plastic plug back in and tighten it, using a screwdriver across the two bumps in the plastic.

Hi Grumpy,

From what I saw the oil is black and is almost at the top. Sorry, I have tried to upload some pictures, but for some reason this time, I cannot, sorry.

Cheers,
Tom.

No problem, Tom. Oil gets dirty rather quickly on side-valve Briggs engines like yours, but in this case we have no way of knowing just how long it has been in there, or how foul it is, so it will have to be changed. You get the best results changing oil if the engine is run for 5 minutes or so to warm it up before it is drained, for two reasons. First, when the oil is warm it runs out easily, so more of the old oil can be removed when you drain it. Second, when it runs it stirs up the dirt that is laying in the bottom of the engine, so if you drain the oil immediately after running it, quite a lot of the dirt runs out with the oil. I suggest you get everything set up for the oil change, including something to drain the oil into, and a stable stand to put the engine on while it drains. Find the right size and kind of spanner (it will have to be an open-end spanner: you can't use a ring or socket on a square drain plug) and put it near the stand. Then put the engine on a flat, strong surface so you can start it. Before you start it, practice stopping it. Your engine is stopped by flipping the vertical metal piece beside the spark plug, sideways so it rests against the top of the plug. Flip it back and forth a few times to get the feel of it. Then figure out how you are going to operate the choke, and the speed control. The choke is a simple pull-device on the carburetor, right under the air cleaner. The speed control is normally operated by a lever on the handlebar, but you have disconnected that to take the engine off the mower. Take a look at these parts and tell me how you are going to operate them, before you start the engine. Please post pictures, so we are all talking about the same things.

To post pictures, just use the icon that is fifth from the left in the row of icons at the top of the posting box. Then press "browse" and find your pictures on your hard drive. Click on the first picture, and then on "add picture from my PC". After it finishes loading, browse to the next one, and so forth. When you have loaded them all, click on "all done".

Thanks Grumpy, I have drained and refilled the oil sump. Would you please be able to make a list of the steps left in servicing the engine.

Cheers,
Tom.

Here is the tune-up procedure prescribed by Briggs and Stratton:


You have already done some of this.

Hi Grumpy,

I was just wondering how to remove the carburetor? Also, thank you for giving me the tune up procedure.

Cheers,
Tom.

Tom, I suggest you avoid removing or dismantling the carburetor, unless your engine will not run. You reported earlier that it does run, so taking the carburetor apart is likely to cause problems rather than cure them. I suggest that you do not remove the flywheel either, if the engine runs properly, for the same reason as the carburetor: to work on those parts requires fairly advanced skills and tools.

Alright, thank you for all the help you have given me with tuning my engine. I have just one question before you leave Deejay to help with my chassis enquiries. Would I have the mower powder coated before I backlap the reel blade or after. Once again thanks for all the help you have given.

Cheers,
Tom.

You will need to talk to Deejay about the merits of backlapping rather than sharpening your reel.

If you decide to sharpen it, you would powder coat it before you get that job done.

Hi Tom,
The chassis would need to be completely stripped of all the mechanical components and then sandblasted to remove all paint and rust. It would need to be taken to the powder-coaters immediately so as no surface rust forms from moisture in the air.

As grumpy knows, I am not a fan of backlapping; spin grinding, in my opinion, is the only way to go.
Have a good read of my thread HERE
You may consider having the reel sandblasted at the same time and having it powder-coated at the same time before sharpening.

Hi Deejay,

I have visited a coating company and they have said they would do the sandblasting and all.

I am concerned about the price of getting the blade ground, time and where it would be done.

Cheers,
Tom.

Hi Tom,
A sharp bottom bedknife blade and a sharp reel, carefully adjusted, are essential for a good cut....backlapping will not achieve that...and can result in more metal having to be removed in a spin grind, due to a wavy reel and bedknife.
As for the where and the price, just ask your local greenkeeper at the closest Bowling Club, where they get theirs done.

Hi again Deejay, I will head into the coaters tomorrow and was wondering if you could post a couple of pics of the original 14" scotty.

Cheers

Hi Tom,
Here are some pics of the twin rail 14" machines....




And this is the best I could find of an early solid deck with the silver Briggs....

Hi Deejay,

Thanks for these pics, but I was just checking that my solid deck scotty has the orange blade, Is that correct?

Cheers

Hi Tom,
As far as I know, all cylinder reels on the solid deck Scotties were painted in a colour called "International Orange".
Looking forward to seeing the pics when painted,Tom.