MTD off-road build (Mobile Terrain Dominator) "1"

Well, back in the garage tonight.

Sanded the shrouding a bit in preparation for a new coat of paint.


I'm planning on cutting off the bottom part of the air cleaner and using it to make a custom setup like Redline's air cleaner, because it looks cool hahaha. First I figured I should plug the factory PCV inlet as I no longer use it due to my homemade PCV breather/catch can.

@AllisKidD21 wrote:

@TheGreenHornet wrote:

i never thought to slightly move the magneto. thats a pretty good idea. i might try that on my oppy in the king, whenever i get it back together

Thanks! Without points there's not really any other way to mess with timing, haha.

Well thats not entirely true. they make flywheel keys with timing advance built in. I'm gonna try to make the shape in letters

Normal flywheel key:

IIII
IIII


Timing advance key:

_IIII
IIII


These are if you're looking at the small side and looking down the key like you were aiming a gun...if that makes any sense

Oh yeah! I forgot about the key way! So instead of getting the flywheel magnet to the coil sooner, what I've done gets the coil to the magnet sooner. Sorta, haha.

Your way is the cheap and easy way to slightly advance it without getting a special flywheel key and going through all the process to get the rusty flywheel off, replace the key, and get it back on. Its a good method for me, because not only do i not have a flywheel puller, i do not have an impact or a socket that big. At home at least. I can drive about 20 minutes and have access to all the tools i want, but it takes gas, my grandpa has to be home, and i cant stay too late. besides, i dont actually have my license yet.

Back in my go karting days, we used to file a little bit off the flywheel key to increase the timing. It does work but weakens the key a tad.

Yeah plus I'd think that would leave a bit of flywheel play,but it probably would work. And yeah GreenHornet, this way is free, and I'm all for that! Hahaha, all you need is a vise, a file, and some patience!

If that works, I'll probably do it to some of my engines.

The sides of the coil should be strong enough to take off that little amount in both directions, shouldnt it? i wouldnt think that it'd affect anything.

Oh yeah it should be fine. I didn't take too much off, just enough to let it move a couple thou'

Anyway I've cured my oil leak, so I should be good to put the 'ol girl back on the tractor pretty soon and take 'er for a spin to test out the strength of the new frame!

Did you do any porting while it was out?

I was gonna, but maybe not. I can't really port the exhaust port because my current exhaust threads in to the block and I don't want to wreck the threads. But I have a cool idea for an exhaust and I'll use a flange instead.

you dont have to take out the threads. I usually leave the threads, just as a backup for when and if a bolt breaks off in the block and i have to resort to using the threads. i just take out the rough casting. those flatheads are casted really rough. CQ did my hh11. it was bad. he could tell you more of what he did than i could lol. but it really gives a nice boost. eyebrows too, since the valves would already be out to do porting

My 1000th post! Yay!

Anyway, yeah, most alluminum blocks are roughly casted, especially if they are for industrial small engines built for 3600rpm and powering mowers, generators etc.

Congrats Matt, hahaha. Yeah I agree with both you guys, I've seen engines with pretty bad casting seams in the ports. But luckily both ports are perfectly smooth in this engine and the intake port is even shiny! It kinda looks like someone already polished 'er up.

Also I just wanted to post a couple pictures of how I fixed the oil leak I had.



I just cleaned up all the mating surfaces, applied some Seal-All, and let it sit for a couple days. It's been sitting with oil in it for a week and no leakage! I'll maybe get 'er but back in the MTD this weekend so stay tuned!

@TheGreenHornet wrote:

you dont have to take out the threads. I usually leave the threads, just as a backup for when and if a bolt breaks off in the block and i have to resort to using the threads.

Get super creative and do both. Weld like a ring on the pipe and a loose flange. Thread the pipe in, and tighten the flange down. Sooper secure.

Cheers man! You're pretty lucky that someone has been in that engine already, that's a good sign of a well cared engine.

Yeah it looks like it anyway. All I know is, she's already got lots of torque! I don't think I've ever heard that thing bog down, hahaha!

A bit more front axle stuff! I'm using an automotive upper ball joint for a center link, but also it will help my front axle flex better.

Here's the old ball joint:

And this is the bracket for it that will bolt to the chassis:



The lower part of the ball joint will have a bar of sorts welded to it that connects to a bracket on the front axle. For the bar I'm using an old outer tie rod end from an Allis-Chalmers D15 tractor. I'll maybe get pictures of that tomorrow or possibly tonight. It's going good so far, so let me know what ya think!

Nice! Are you redoing your front leafs or keeping them?

@MatthewD wrote:

Nice! Are you redoing your front leafs or keeping them?

Thanks! Naw the leaf and seat springs are staying, this is just an improvement haha.

Got 'er done! Also got a couple pictures:






And just a wee bit of flex, nothing crazy but I'm happy!

I got the engine bolted back in as well so I'll probably get 'er running and driving again tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Nice! That's quite a bit of flex

Looks like it should work well enough. Do you still have the sway bar links on too or...?

I think the purpose of that ball joint rod is to allow the sway bars to be removed so you can get separate up and down wheel flex, but I could be wrong

Doug Fackler wrote:

Looks like it should work well enough. Do you still have the sway bar links on too or...?

Yeah I still have the sway bar links on 'er, but the more support the better haha. That's pretty much why I added the big ball joint rod.