My battery barely turns the starter. Could it be a bad a connection?

It's the clearance between the tappet and valve stem basically. As the valve face and seat wear over time, eventually the valve will not close fully, causing loss in compression. So to check it you have to remove the little crank case breather behind the carb, and use a feeler gauge to check the clearance. If it's tight and has no clearance, as mine did, that means your valve is not closing. Make sure the valves are completely closed when you check this. If you look online or if you have a manual for these engines you will find the proper gap.

well the motor has alot of compression. i think there might be an internal problem. because ihad the head off and there was some play with it. the head was at TDC and id be able to turn the crank id say bout 1/8 of an inch each way without it moving. ? the flywheel is Correctly positioned and the flywheel key looks new. all is torqued down to specs and is tight!

It's normal to have some play at TDC I wouldn't worry about it. Have you checked to make sure the valves aren't bent or anything ? Which guide popped out the exhaust or intake ? Might be best to take the head off again and turn it over by hand and inspect the valves make sure they are straight. It will be easier to file a valve down with the head off if you have to as well.....

i have took the head off and inspected the valve. they are both pin straight still . also it was the Intake valve that the sleve came out of and jamed. so im out of possible reasons. it has perfectly good compression. i have no idea! if anyone around cambridge ontario canada would like to help me out or possibly fix it i would appreciate it. or should i take it to a small engines mechanic. How much would it be for them to fix? is it even worth taking it to one? or possibly trading that motor in with a few bucks at a small engines shop for another one? just accumilating ideas.

Have you checked the compression with a gauge? I'd say do that first, then gap the valves, and if no luck pull the base.

Id just search craigslist for broken tractors cheep - ive found a bunch on there for well under $50 - some were even free. My last one was a 12HP MTD ( with a working motor and rebuilt deck) , the guy threw in a free craftsman chassis and a free 12HP ( broken) motor- for $25 .

Theyre out there- you just need patience .

A repair place would charge so much an hour , probably another motor ( in trade ) would be around $100 or more.

With all my collecting and stuff, i have like 10 spare motors - a couple ill rebuild ( need a new rod n piston)- all the others of varying sizes run ( 10/11/14.5 HP) - none of those tractors ran when i got them , took very little to make them run.

Hey guys. i said screw it to that motor. and my friend gave me a motor off his pressure washer(blown pump) its a verticle shaft honda cfv honda. its smaller but faster and more torque!! i have it on and got the pullys all done up!. i have the same pully ratio And its like 3 x faster!! it GOES!~ nn it starts half a pull~! WOO~!

glad to hear ya got it goin. what kind of motor did you get? any pics?

its a litle 2 stage honda cfv 160, i have no pics atm. the tractors sitting in the shed. praying for a new rear end.. im looking for a new rear end for it. if anyone has one around the area of cambridge ontario, can u please pm me. im looking for one thats cheap:P or free xD

Check the papers or a local craigslist - im sure theres freebie stuff on there.