1975 MTD 990 Farm King

MightyRaze wrote:

I think just color shade and name.

Ah okay. Then I guess I'll just go with Farm King because it sounds cooler, LOL.

diddie wrote:

Nice score

Thanks!

So, I jumped it, and it turns over, has compression, but no spark. So I pulled the grille off, removed the S/G belt, then the S/G pulley which went easier than I thought it would, then the shroud. Yeah, yeah I'd say there might be a problem with the coil....



I did film the process, I need to edit it, and then I can't upload it until like 10:00 tonight when nobody is using the internet, because it literally keeps anyone else from using it.

I went ahead and said screw everyone else and uploaded it, lol.

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

So, I jumped it, and it turns over, has compression, but no spark.  So I pulled the grille off, removed the S/G belt, then the S/G pulley which went easier than I thought it would, then the shroud.  Yeah, yeah I'd say there might be a problem with the coil....

And it even has the add on spark boosting ball!

MightyRaze wrote:

Double W Cross Ranch wrote:

So, I jumped it, and it turns over, has compression, but no spark.  So I pulled the grille off, removed the S/G belt, then the S/G pulley which went easier than I thought it would, then the shroud.  Yeah, yeah I'd say there might be a problem with the coil....

And it even has the add on spark boosting ball!

Hahahahaha

@MatthewD looked up the numbers before I got around to it, and he thinks it's a 75. So thanks dude!

R U adding LED lights??

Small update, I'm trying to retrofit a coil from a 12.5 briggs on it. Other people have done it, it just bypasses the points pretty much.

And I finally got the deck off. I don't know what shape the RAGB is in, but the driveshaft is in good shape. If I decide not to use the deck for whatever reason and the RAGB is good, then that'll make one heck of a drivetrain for something.

thats what I was talking about....
Points R overhauled technic, magnetron for the Win!

Hope you get that coil replacement working.  While some will say points are better....  It's just one more mechanical item to wear out and have to be adjusted.

MightyRaze wrote:

Hope you get that coil replacement working.  While some will say points are better....  It's just one more mechanical item to wear out and have to be adjusted.

Yeah, it's also that this is free, since I already have it.

Okay so I got it sparking thanks to @MatthewD, and if someone else is doing this, yes, the coil has to be on backwards.  Go figure.  I also got it to briefly fire, so yay!  Need to inspect the carb, see what kind of shape it's in, then see if it'll run.

The list of things that needs to be done before I can use it is fairly short for what it is:

• Change oil
      Engine
      Transmission
  
• Replace hoses
      Fuel line
      Hydraulic hoses
  
• Replace left front tire
  
• Replace tie rod
  
• Kill switch
  
• Clean out gas tank
  
• Clean carb
  

Looking forward to seeing this ol' driving in operation again!!

Nothing more fun than cruising around on an old garden tractor, always puts a smile on my face driving one of my ol' rigs around. I bet you'll enjoy this tractor a lot!

AllisKidD21 wrote:

Looking forward to seeing this ol' driving in operation again!!

Nothing more fun than cruising around on an old garden tractor, always puts a smile on my face driving one of my ol' rigs around. I bet you'll enjoy this tractor a lot!

Thanks!  Yeah I am too.  I'm probably not going to make it a daily or something though, I'll probably only drive it every now and then.  The John Deere will probably be what I take everywhere, mostly because this thing only holds a half a gallon of gas and goes like 6 miles an hour LOL.

Bought some part for it while I was in town today.



And sure enough, it runs!



Tomorrow I'm going to check the fluid in the rear end and stuff, I want to do that before I try to drive it.

i need a new belt for my starter. instead i removed the bolt and i physicly pull the starter away from the motor. some day i will stop being cheep.

I don't think that's being cheap, it's designed to adjust it like that. This tractor was made before we became a throw-away society, when they used stuff till there was 0 life left in it, and the products were built sturdier too.

well my belt has strehced beyond adjustment, like i said, i had to remove the adjustment bolt to make it start.

Nice to see the electronic ignition working. I've learned the hard way about checking fluids before a test ride so good idea there.

How does the ole briggs start and what's the throttle response like?

RockeyDA wrote:

well my belt has strehced beyond adjustment, like i said, i had to remove the adjustment bolt to make it start.

Ah okay. Yeah, in hindsight I should have bought the 37" belt instead of the 38" belt, because then it would have more room for adjustment. Oh well.

Crazy_Carl wrote:

Nice to see the electronic ignition working.  I've learned the hard way about checking fluids before a test ride so good idea there.

How does the ole briggs start and what's the throttle response like?

Yeah, and it's also a hydro so it practically relies on fluid to go anywhere.

Starts without too much cranking, and the throttle seems to be pretty good. In the video I was messing with the choke, not the throttle. I did rev it a few times off-camera though.

if yours is anything like mine, once you get your govnor springs and linkages sorted out, and carb tuned right it will have snappy and awesome throttle response. i have had several people tell me i destroyed my motor but the thing runs great and i love it. id recommend setting your throttle cable up to directly pull that rod up and down, works way better than the optional "newer" style linkage setup you can do.

and if you ever want any pics or videos of what my setup looks/works like let me know.

RockeyDA wrote:

if yours is anything like mine, once you get your govnor springs and linkages sorted out, and carb tuned right it will have snappy and awesome throttle response. i have had several people tell me i destroyed my motor but the thing runs great and i love it. id recommend setting your throttle cable up to directly pull that rod up and down, works way better than the optional "newer" style linkage setup you can do.  and if you ever want any pics or videos of what my setup looks/works like let me know.

Yeah, I don't think that messing with the governor linkage destroys the engine.  Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm going with, we'll see if it even works the way it is now, because yours was a bit butchered when you bought it.  Alright, I will!  Thanks!

Got the glass bowl cleaned up and reinstalled.






Didn't take pictures, but there's a little tray behind the seat between the 2 fenders, it's perfect to throw a few tools, a water bottle, whatever.  I really like that!  It's held on by carriage bolts tacked to it and wingnuts.  Several wingnuts had been replaced with regular nuts and some bolts were regular bolts, so I bought replacements and put it on properly.  I'm going to have to just do little bits like that every few days, but shouldn't be long before I have a driver! The plan is to have it be functionally restored, but I'm keeping the patina on it.

So it does in fact drive and the hydraulics do in fact work! I put different tie rod ends on it, and put a different tire on the side that was flat. It fired right up and I hit the hydraulic lever and the hydraulics went up and down with pretty good power. So I put it in low and pushed the drive lever forward and it moved pretty good! I made it about 40 feet and then the engine died. Tried like 15, 20 times and it won't fire up and run properly. Needs some carb work after all, I'll figure it out tomorrow. Anywho, managed to get this video of it "working".

I'm pretty darn excited about it! Lemme know what you think!

i hate toes updraft carbs, every one i clean leaks when i put it back together. more times i take it apart the worse it gets.

Pretty cool, looks allot like the carb & bowl on my big red tractor, im sure it just needs more tinkering...

something sounds bad in the vid like a burning belt or so & the engine has no power

RockeyDA wrote:

i hate toes updraft carbs, every one i clean leaks when i put it back together. more times i take it apart the worse it gets.

Yeah, they seem a little annoying to me too, but I kinda like them for some reason.

mrshaft696 wrote:

Pretty cool, looks allot like the carb & bowl on my big red tractor, im sure it just needs more tinkering...

thanks! Yeah I think they're similar, yeah it'll run for sure someday, just needs a bit more time.

So I did pull the carb apart, jet was clogged, and the bowl looked like this.




Cleaned it all up and put it back on. Wouldn't even try to fire, then I realized Huh, the carb isn't leaking. I'm not sure what the deal is but now it's acting like the outlet on the gas tank is below the gas level, which the gas level is a good 2" above the carb inlet, and it is on level ground. It fires and runs great when I pour gas down the intake. I know the fuel line isn't clogged because when I take it off and move it lower gas comes out. So I'm just not sure what's going on at this point.

Mikuni Swap it!