Reply With QuoteThat's what I'm talking about. Country boys can survive. Good job.
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Rebirth of my old tiller
Back in the mid 90's I was given an 80's Troy Built tiller. All I had to do was replace the carb. Well this year it wouldn't crank. I could get it to run on starter fluid. I pulled the carb and the gasket was dry rotted and the float spring was shot. I call and a new carb was $120 plus tax and a new motor was $500. So I get online and start looking for how to swap engines. I see about how a harbor freight engine bolts right up using the same bolts and pulley. The only draw back was you loose the reverse function. I look online and they have them for $119. Later that night I get an email for managers coupons and there was a $99 coupon for the motor. I go and pick one up and with the 3 year replacement it was $146 out the door. It only took me 30 minutes to do the swap and it cranked on the first pull. I tilled a strip just to see what it would do. I went from a 4hp Tech to a 6.5 hp. and it tilled like a hot knife through butter. So tomorrow after I change the gear oil its garden time.
Tracker123, shadow, RMGeorge, fishervet, "D", PawPaw Gene, prefers shiners, Cappy, Barneyrb, riptide and 1 others LIKED above post
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That's what I'm talking about. Country boys can survive. Good job.
The Lord is good. His mercy and love endures forever.
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I had an old tiller like that that my pawpaw, my dad and myself used. Couldn't hardly kill that thing! I think Rita finally got it. Funny thing is I don't ever remember having a reverse on ours. Glad you were able to get that one going again.
Dwyane
The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary!
SMILE- A curve that can set a lot of things straight!
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Very nice and an upgrade in power to boot. We have one just about like that.
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By my calculations Ray, you have about $7 a year invested. Not a bad deal at all. And 3 more tears guaranteed. Till on ray, till on.
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Don, great job. I did just that last year on an identical tiller. I used the 99 dollar motor and it purrs like a kitten. I also lost the reverse as I didn't want to spend the extra money to get the motor with the reverse shaft on it. The little reverse I do, I can just pull it backwards. It's been a great tiller and seems like it will go a lot further. I'm in the process of putting new tires on it. I found 2 tires for 25 dollars on ebay. Yesterday I repaired the wheels which had rusted larger holes around the valve stems. I acetylene welded the bad spots and will drill new holes today. Since the wheels are pitted I decided to put tubes in them in case there are some small hole under the pits..
"gene"
"G" Gone but not forgotten!!
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One of my rims is rusted through about 2 inches long. It had flats since I acquired it. It tills fine with flats. Did you use the sleeve and old key with the new motor. I could not get the key off the new motor and just have the shaft bolt and lock washer holding the pulley on the shaft. It looks to be working fine. I saw last night that the key is removed towards the engine. I was wondering if the old key can be used because the new key is too long for the sleeve.Originally Posted by PawPaw "gene"
Louisiana Moderator
I love my 1983 Troy Bilt Horse that I inherited from my father! Just tilled this little strip this morning. Tiller has an 8 hp Kohler Magnum engine...not original, but is about 26 years old. Runs fine. Especially like the owners manual that came with tiller. It's very thorough.
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Slabmaster
I put the Harbor Freight one one my Troy Built last year and am SUPER pleased....Cranks on a half pull , runs stronger and quieter than the not so old Tec that threw a rod....After it sat this winter, I poured new gas in and it cranked on the 1st pull...And I do have reverse, don't know why you wouldn't, it should be in the tranny...For the money, you can't buy the Tec rebuild kit ... Simple plug-n-play on mine took longer to get the broken one off than putting the new one on !
