MF 1450

Thanks for more input everyone! Last night trying to go to sleep I decided to just cut that seemingly useless spacer off the hydro pump input shaft when I got home from work. I stuck to my thoughts and when I got home this evening, dug out the old dremel and cutoff wheels. Managed to split it a couple times and removing it made enough room to get the coupler off.
DSCN3097.JPG

Now more news I didn't want to see. The coupler only had about 3/4" of bite on the engine side and 1-1/4" on the hydro pump side. Lots of wear on both shafts but the engine side is rounded off.
DSCN3099.JPG DSCN3100.JPG


It will be much easier to pull the seal but still think of a way to do it without potentially damaging something inside the pump. I better look up a hydro parts breakdown and see what kind of a mess I may get myself into if I pull the front plate off.

I appreciate you folks following along on this adventure!

DAC
 
Last edited:
No big deal pulling front cover off charge pump. Just an o-ring, gyrotor gear set, and the drive pin for inner gyrotor. In case the gyrotor set comes off with the cover, be sure to have something like a large piece of cardboard underneath so you won't lose the drive pin if it slips out.
 
olcowhand said:
No big deal pulling front cover off charge pump. Just an o-ring, gyrotor gear set, and the drive pin for inner gyrotor. In case the gyrotor set comes off with the cover, be sure to have something like a large piece of cardboard underneath so you won't lose the drive pin if it slips out.
Click to expand...
Thanks Daniel, but you are talking in some language I've never heard of so I googled gyrotor. Looks like it could be a device I have no confidence in dealing with! Then if the o-ring gets damaged! I may try to dig that seal out from the front yet. Hopefully there will be numbers on it if It will come out somewhat intact.

DAC
 
Good time to check the bearing while it’s apart too. Looks like the shaft is keyed instead of spline shaft. But maybe they made different ones for different applications. I’d grab ahold of that hydro assembly and make sure it’s not loose in the frame. That’s about all the input I can give on this job Doug, way over my head. Diagram sure helps with seeing what your dealing with.

Noel
 
Propane1 said:
Good time to check the bearing while it’s apart too. Looks like the shaft is keyed instead of spline shaft. But maybe they made different ones for different applications. I’d grab ahold of that hydro assembly and make sure it’s not loose in the frame. That’s about all the input I can give on this job Doug, way over my head. Diagram sure helps with seeing what your dealing with.

Noel
Click to expand...
I did what you suggested, Noel, grabbed the splined input shaft first and tried to wiggle it up and down as well as left to right. No slop in the shaft in any direction. Grabbed the pump with both hands and couldn't get any movement in the assembly either. That's all I got accomplished tonight. Too damm tired to do anything else.

olcowhand said:
I had a Unico (MTD 990) that had the keyed shaft. Some use bushing instead of bearing too. I I remember right, my Massey's all had bushing.
Click to expand...
With your description, Daniel and Kenny posting the manual link, the confidence level improved. Bushing feels tight. I'm embarrassed that I do work on that type of pump occasionally at work! I just never knew that they were called "gyrotor"! When I searched it last night, I didn't take time to look at pictures and diagrams very thoroughly and the pics that came up looked extremely complicated. Looked nothing like the pic Kenny supplied.

Ducky said:
Like Dan and Kenny stated no problem removing the charge pump and housing. Better way to do it.
If you damage the hydro shaft you have big problems and $$$$.
Click to expand...
Due to you guys boosting my confidence, I'll give it a shot. I have worked on pumps similar to that before. Thanks for the input, Ducky!

Too tired to do anything tonight, besides what I mentioned to Noel. I have to go in to work for probably 3 hours in the morning. If no problems at work, I may get some time tomorrow to pull the plate off. Guessing I better drain the transaxle first though! Also thinking it might be a good time to fire the engine for the first time while the drive shaft is out and get it adjusted.

DAC
 
Last edited:
JDJake said:
That looks better Doug! One thing I'm not sure if someone brought up earlier, how do the rubber motor mounts look? If they're loose or dry rotted you might get a good bit of vibration from the motor. I came close to almost trashing the pump on my 316K because I almost forgot to check the rubber motor mounts on it, one was loose, and two were completely dry rotted!
Click to expand...
Sorry I forgot to reply to this Jake! The motor mounts don't look to bad to me. Looks like one bolt may be loose though! Noticed that when I drained the oil and then forgot about it until you reminded me here! I'll try to get some pictures of them tomorrow.

DAC
 
Did make time today to start the engine. Got it idling very nice but it misfires out the exhaust and carb at high speed. Just doesn't seem like the carb though. More like weak ignition. The governor seemed very solid and only reacted when the misfiring would start. Don't think it's going to hunt around at all. I think it may be the coil. I've got several coils around here, and none of them have a bulged out bottom like this one. When I first started the engine I got it to rev up well. Wasn't until after it got hot when the misfiring started.
DSCN3111.JPG

3 of the motor mounts look good, but one looks like it's missing!
DSCN3107.JPG DSCN3108.JPG

DSCN3109.JPG DSCN3110.JPG

I had to remove these two belts as even in the release position it was spinning the rear pto. Those two and the rear pto belts are hard as a rock so all need replaced. Numbers are readable at least. A drive shaft bearing was pretty loud too, but feels smooth and tight.
DSCN3102.JPG DSCN3103.JPG

You might be able to see the front pto pulley spinning here.
DSCN3105.JPG

It hasn't been hot in a long time. There was light smoke coming off the new carb gasket after shutting it down. NONE out the exhaust except for some black smoke when the engine would start crapping out.
DSCN3106.JPG

Didn't get time to drain the pump and remove the hydro cover yet.

DAC
 
Last edited:
Doug, you might want to put another rivet or small nut and bolt on that one motor mount, there should be at least two in each. If you ever need to replace them, McMaster-Carr has replacement ones, you just need to know the dimensions.
 
Propane1 said:
The plunger that operates the points may be sticking Doug. That’s great that it runs.

Noel
Click to expand...
It's possible for sure, Noel, I'll explain a little more in a general post about what I learned today.

JDJake said:
Doug, you might want to put another rivet or small nut and bolt on that one motor mount, there should be at least two in each. If you ever need to replace them, McMaster-Carr has replacement ones, you just need to know the dimensions.
Click to expand...
I will check into that, Jake. Looks like that left rear one is gone anyway. Those mount retainers look like they may be 1/4" carriage bolts.

Thanks guys!

DAC
 
Sunday is the only day of the week my wife and I have off work at the same time, so spent some time with her watching the race in the afternoon. This morning I had to go into work for a couple hours but did get a little shop time on the tractor when I got home. Pulled the spark plug, grounded it and cranked the engine. There was spark. Went ahead and changed the coil out with a different one. Cranked it with a different plug too. Spark better but still didn't look strong enough. Gap was too wide on the new plug. Put it at .035 and the spark was way better. Fired the engine and it ran better too. No misfires, but at full throttle it was hunting a bit. Putting the engine under some load may cure that.

After a great race (my guy won!) I headed out here to the shop to move the tractor, put tools away and sweep up. Need to bring the Jeep in and find out why it don't run well. When sweeping, there was a spark plug gasket laying on the floor. Thought it may have fallen off the old plug but nope, it was off the new plug! Put that on but didn't have time to fire the engine again. Don't think it will make much difference.

Thinking it's probably time to go ahead and order one of those small engine tachs. I'll try to get some research done on that one of these days too! Never had one before, even in the go kart racing days as we didn't care what rpm those old 5 hp Briggs were running. Take out the governor stuff and run 'em wide open!

DAC
 
I know John Deere recommended Champion H10C plugs for the K series in all their manuals from that time frame. I tried NGK's and went through six in about three months, switched to Champions and had no issues. To tell if your coil is oil filled or epoxy filled, hold it up to your ear and shake it. If it's oil filled you'll here it slosh inside.
 
JDJake said:
I know John Deere recommended Champion H10C plugs for the K series in all their manuals from that time frame. I tried NGK's and went through six in about three months, switched to Champions and had no issues. To tell if your coil is oil filled or epoxy filled, hold it up to your ear and shake it. If it's oil filled you'll here it slosh inside.
Click to expand...
Maybe you would hear it, but me, Jake? No way, LOL! Damm near deaf for sounds like that. I'm sure it's an oil filed coil. The old one was too and had the bottom swelled up on it. It went in the garbage. Going to re-mount it so the bottom is lower than the top. I put a brand-new Autolite 303 in it. I've got a bunch of them. Same heat range. Top insulator is a little longer but will make no difference. They were plugs left over from the stock car racing days. A lot of plugs we used back then were actually small engine plugs. Just needed 8 of them instead of 1.

DAC
 
Lol, ok Doug, how is your sense of touch? You can also feel the oil slosh around, kind of like shaking a can or a bottle of Yoohoo. If your wires are long enough and you have a empty spot on frame, it would help to relocate it. Like I said before, heat and vibration shorten the oil filled coils life. On a good note, sounds like your condenser is good.
 
MNGB said:
Hi Doug if your going to get a tach SP leadthey don't work on Kohlers to much EMF from the coil & condenser , I use the laser type they work good on all enginhttps://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Tachometer-Non-Contact-Laser-Photo-RPM-Tach-Meter-Motor-Speed-Gauge-New/233892161802?hash=item36750f290a:g:xuwAAOSwtc1gJQi8es
Click to expand...
That's what I use and it works great!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top