MF 1450

I finally got to work on the MF1450 again today! Had way too many distractions this week!

I remembered a post Rick had put up a while back where he painted something with Rustoleum hammered grey. I had a can so that's what the driveshaft tunnel cover got painted today.
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Still have to put the bead on it.

Then before I bolt the cover on I pulled the driveshaft.
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Drilled and tapped in a couple of zirks. I don't think balance is a big issue but I put them opposite of each other anyway.
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Cleaned the inside, put a thin layer of silicone on the flanges and bolted it back in. Yeah that whole tube will fill up with grease but can't hurt much of anything. Didn't take thew time to build some kind of plugs.
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Maybe tomorrow it can go outside!

DAC
 
Didn't get any shop or yardwork done yesterday. Today I spent way too much time at the DMV getting plates for the motorhome. No hassle getting them just the place was mobbed and the workers seemed slow or most people had more complicated stuff to do. Finally got home about 2pm, grabbed some lunch and then got a little stuff done for once. Plates on the MH got installed.

Then I got the driveshaft greased and the tunnel cover put on the MF1450---finally!

Put the bead around the edges.
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Pumped grease into both zirks until it started coming out around the splines. The first battery in that electric grease gun I got last year is still going strong!
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Bolted the cover in place. Kinda wish I would have used the hammered grey on the dash when I built it too.
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Probably going to lift the front and do some more greasing and look at the brake linkage. I think there is an adjustment bolt broken off.

DAC
 
Toomanytoys84 said:
The rubber trim really completes the look of your cover! I like it!

Gotta get creative with these old machines. Parts are getting harder and harder to find.
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Thanks Aaron. Thought maybe the trim would keep some rattling down to a minimum.

Besides some parts I got from Daniel and Kenny, this thing has had to have some stuff scratch built to make it functional! And money on easy to get parts of course!

DAC
 
Having problems with the K321!

Last time I had it running about 3 weeks ago it ran fine bringing it into the shop, but started backfiring badly right when I was getting it parked. I had pressure washed it a couple days previous. Thought maybe the points corroded.

Pulled the points cover off today and everything looks good. Filed them and checked the gap. .020".
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Obviously I didn't do a very good job of washing the engine. Fired it up and it ran fine for a couple of minutes.
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It's running in that pic. Started crapping out again and died. Wouldn't restart and it is backfiring through the carb and the exhaust when I tried.
Decided to pull the plug. That looks ok. While the plug was out, I stuck the borescope in the hole. Pretty clean in there, too clean? Of course the exhaust valve is all that can be seen.
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Then thought maybe the flywheel key was shearing and I'm thinking that is possible. Flywheel pointed at the "S" and the points are open. Not starting to open, fully open.
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Now with that said, am I overthinking this? It runs good for a couple minutes before it craps out. Possibly the coil instead? The coil is a used automotive resistor coil that has worked fine since the engine rebuild. I never got around to lengthening the wires and moving the coil to a position off the engine and set it upright so the vibration might still be a factor with the coil.
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I hate to pull the engine but should I buy a coil and try it first?

DAC
 
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DAC I would swap out coils but I would also check the fuel flow. To me it sounds like a possible low fuel issue. Does the engine have a fuel pump or just gravity feed from the tank? Check and see what the fuel flow from the tank is full stream or a partial. This Allis I am working on there was just a little stream coming out due to all the rust. The elbow out of the tank was blocked by rust pieces.
 
esbbent said:
DAC I would swap out coils but I would also check the fuel flow. To me it sounds like a possible low fuel issue. Does the engine have a fuel pump or just gravity feed from the tank? Check and see what the fuel flow from the tank is full stream or a partial. This Allis I am working on there was just a little stream coming out due to all the rust. The elbow out of the tank was blocked by rust pieces.
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Good idea, Ted. Should always suspect fuel first, which I didn't. This engine has a rebuilt original Kohler pump not a plastic replacement. Unfortunately it still leaks gas into the crankcase so I have to get the valve shut when not running. I wonder if I would have good enough flow from the tank to the carb for gravity flow? Sorry, thinking and typing out loud again. That is a whole nuther issue! I will check out the fuel flow tomorrow.

DAC
 
Getting it wet then not running seems to indicate electrical to me.
Maybe swap out the condenser, you can use a GM for old 350 or 454, cheap try. Either it or coil could be breaking down as it get warm.
Just my opinion..
 
I have an old cast iron B&S on a wood splitter that would do that. Run good for a short while then spit, sputter and die. Found out it was the condenser. Got a bad batch in at the parts store so you could be right Tahoe.
 
Propane1 said:
Gas cap vent plugged
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Venting was fine Noel.

chieffan said:
From the photo the gas tank bottom is higher than the top of the engine so gravity flow should work just fine.
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4getgto said:
Yes it should.
But its running through a fuel pump that's not functioning right still could be a fuel issue.
Guess what I'm saying is it won't gravity through the pump or at least fast enough.
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I had it running with the fuel pump bypassed. Fuel flow from the tank seemed adequate. Didn't help.

There was enough fuel line to reach the carb so I disconnected the fuel pump completely, turned the 90* barb up and hooked it back up.
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Idled pretty nice but ran pretty poorly at full throttle. Still an occasional backfire through both ends, and hunting a lot.

TAHOE said:
Getting it wet then not running seems to indicate electrical to me.
Maybe swap out the condenser, you can use a GM for old 350 or 454, cheap try. Either it or coil could be breaking down as it get warm.
Just my opinion..
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I dug around upstairs and found a couple of distributors with condensers. One is a Mallory dual point but one set of points had already been robbed.
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Also found a few coils.
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Pulled the old condenser and put the one from the dual point on.
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chieffan said:
I have an old cast iron B&S on a wood splitter that would do that. Run good for a short while then spit, sputter and die. Found out it was the condenser. Got a bad batch in at the parts store so you could be right Tahoe.
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Still no difference, Rog. Didn't get a pic but put one of the other coils on.

That's when things took a turn for the worse! Fired right up for idle and I revved it up. Started adjusting on the high speed jet then there was a loud pop out the carb, and it died---for good this time. It was cranking over but zero compression. Tried a finger in the spark plug hole first and nothing. Put the gauge on it and zero. I thought maybe the intake valve had an issue and was hanging open. Nope! Pulled the damm head. No visible damage and the valves are operating and feel normal.
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Head gasket was fine too.

Am I back to my first thought? Flywheel key? It might get shoved out and tarped for awhile.

It had been a very long time since I worked in the shop with a race on, good race too, but all the labor didn't fix anything---LOL!

DAC
 
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Cvans said:
You might want to make a notation of the symptoms your dealing with and keep it with the engine so when you next go to work on it you'll know what's up with it. Personally I hate having to start all over again to locate the issues.
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Thanks Chris. Believe me, I will remember what's going on since it means pulling the engine---again!

esbbent said:
Looking at the pictures, the exhaust valve may not be closing all the way. The one side next to the pipe looks like it has carbon build up on the seat. I had a Kohler the ACR broke and had to swap in a used camshaft.
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Crappy pictures, Ted. The seat is nice and shiney all the way around.

DAC
 
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