'86 Westwood T1200

Right, finally back at this tractor. Got a new belt about 2 months ago but it's still tearing it's self apart. The problem is my transmission pulley has been cut into (the belt groove) and its cutting the belt. So I'm going to completely redo the whole belt system and try and get my pulley problem fixed. Once I get that fixed, I've got a wee throttle issue to do with stripped threads on the engine block but I (hopefully) can fix that easily enough. After that, I'm gonna return this thing right back to it's original state (bar the speed) so it looks the same as the day I bought it because I think it was better that way.

Hey Matt, I hope you haven't gotten rid of the I/C because I think I know what's wrong with it. I think you may have installed the piston backwards. Looking at it from the front of the tractor, I think the piston may be rotated 180* in the bore which would mean the rod is too (unless you separated them). I think the rod bearing wore into the crank bearing over time and installing it backwards would make it stiff to pull over and it would probably knock. If you marked everything it is also possible that the end of the connecting rod (not sure what it's called, but the other half of the bearing) could have been installed backwards. Both of these are really easy to do and I think with the symptoms you described, that's what happened.

Yes, that would also explain why it was very stiff to turn over. I'll take a look at it on Saturday

Hi everyone, I'm back to the drawing board with this tractor. I welded up a 6 1/2" rear pulley (5 1/2" front). Belt is a bit loose though. I'm a bit fed up with the constant loudness of the Powerbuilt 12hp briggs (rusted stuck exhaust bolts and a little 4" pipe) and stripped threads everywhere. So I removed it from the mower, I only have 2 engines to fit it, a 8hp briggs and the 12hp I/C that came out of it. I think I'm going to install the I/C 12hp briggs. I'm hopefully going to take it apart tomorrow and find out once and for all what is wrong with it. I'm thinking the crankshaft is bent, thus banging on the side of the block.

Righto, the crankshaft is bent, put it on a lathe and the end was dancing, only about 1/2mm though. But I think that is enough for the balancers to bang on the side of the block. So I have 2 options, try and source another crankshaft with the tapered end for the starter clutch, or build it back up without the balancers just to see if the banging noise has gone.

Maybe take the powerbuilt and IC and make one engine?

The only thing I need is a crankshaft for the I/C. It has a starter clutch and I want to be able to keep the pull start as a back up. The Powerbuilt doesn't have a tapered end on the crank for the starter clutch. I'm wondering whether to build the I/C up without the balancers and see if the noise has gone or is still there? Any suggestions?

Anyone? What do you think I should do?

any visible damage in the inside of the engine casings?, really tho you can pick up these engines for far cheaper than you can get parts for them in my experience, if the crankshaft is bent you have to think of what else in the engine it may have damaged during that time

Yeah, I'm just gonna use the parts I can and sell the rest.

Anyway, this thing was running back in September, trying to get the belt system fixed. Didn't work, and it's been sitting since then, I robbed a few bits off it for my build off Westwood, but I did notice it has a really bad bearing on one of the clutch pulleys which I'll have to fix. I'm thinking of putting an 8hp briggs on it, with a 3" front pulley and 6 1/2" rear as a wee workhorse around the house etc, or I could sell it as a Christmas present to some lucky child but I don't want to part with it too quickly haha! Here is it sitting where it has been for a few months.

Digging through my folders I found a lot of pics of this mower that were never uploaded. A few photos are of the conrod and piston that came out of the blown 12hp IC that originaly came out of this mower. Also found a video of it from January this year.

Found some more:






And by the way, that is not the IC Pull start engine, its just the powerbuild with the IC shroud on it.

Great exhaust placement.

I just cut the muffler part off to fit the westwood because the heads of the bolts were striped.

Sadly, due to lack of time/space/parts, this thing has to be decommisioned. I am going to sell all that I will not need from this and make a pound or two, but some parts will live on in my Westwood S1200. Both my Westwoods are designed to do the same thing, (towing trailers/utility work) and it is not 'sensible' to keep both, so I am going to make one 'great' one, rather than two 'good' ones.

Aw sorry to hear that man. I suppose it's for the best but it still kinda sucks.. Oh well, I look forward to seeing what becomes of the S1200 build!

Found some more pics of this thing on my phone.




Anyway, it's gonna be resurrected. It's getting the IC flatty from the gokart project. However...



... As I was lifting the engine off the gokart, the float bowl fell off!




It's pretty rusty in there and there's some really bad corrosion. It must have got knocked at some point and destroyed the casting.

So...is the go kart dead now?

I think one of these would look neat dropped down, stock body, and with some extra lights up front, like a rally machine.

CraftsmanQuad19 wrote:

So...is the go kart dead now?

Nah, I've got a PowerBuilt flathead 12HP Briggs to go into the go kart. That project is on hold ATM however due to lack of space.

Further work on the Briggs. Removed the carburettor, had to take the exhaust off to get at the carb bolts. Luckily after a few drops of oil, they came right out.
Here's a closer look at the broken casting on the carb.



Fitted another one piece carb that I had laying around and built here back up. Also installed a front head panel because it was missing.

mr.modified wrote:

I think one of these would look neat dropped down, stock body, and with some extra lights up front, like a rally machine.

Yeah, the hood has a unique look to it. I've seen a few lowered, looks pretty good.

Ooh yeah that carb was sitting for aWHILE lol

Good thing you had one handy. I forget if you mentioned or not, but is that the original blower housing? Larger pull start engines are pretty tough to find here in America post 1960s

Yeah it is. I have 2 of them. Nearly all Westwood's have recoils fitted. I think it was like an option when you were buying them.

Finally got the 'new' Briggs running. Got a couple of bugs to iron out but for the most part it's running well. Pull start works great and is very handy. Order up a new belt so hopefully that should come soon.

Still have to

• Weld and grind down sharp edges on pulley

• Weld boss into rear pulley

• Finish welding up front pulley

• Fit new belt

• Fix choke and throttle

You've been gone a while! Glad to see the project pick back up!

Thanks. getting back into this hobby. I got the throttle and choke sorted today and welded up a front pulley. Also replaced one of the clutch pulley as it made quite a bad noise and I started to weld up a rear pulley. Going for a 5 inch front and a 4 rear.