MightyRaze's The Green Machine

btw: bowser has an electrical gremlin I'm fighting.  I have a plug that keeps popping out even though it is crimped and hard to slide on/out.  I may need to re-look at what I got going there.  Maybe even engine selection.

MightyRaze wrote:

btw: bowser has an electrical gremlin I'm fighting.  I have a plug that keeps popping out even though it is crimped and hard to slide on/out.  I may need to re-look at what I got going there.  Maybe even engine selection.

That's really strange! Care to elaborate?

Brianator wrote:

MightyRaze wrote:

btw: bowser has an electrical gremlin I'm fighting.  I have a plug that keeps popping out even though it is crimped and hard to slide on/out.  I may need to re-look at what I got going there.  Maybe even engine selection.

That's really strange!  Care to elaborate?

The spade connector on the key switch keeps coming out even though it is snug.  Not sure why.  Same with the engine ground.

Well, I got the Green Machine out yesterday and it went down a cylinder.  After some investigation, I diagnosed I lost spark on # 2.  Like nothing.  I was still getting spark from # 1 and I'm sure you know an opposed ignition coil looks like.



I dug in and pulled it out.  I could not find any breaks in the wire or anywhere it could be grounding out.  Spark plug was fine.  I checked it with the # 1 wire.  Only thing I saw that was out of the ordinary was where the wire plugs into the coil looked like it was leaking flux or something.  I'm guessing it got hot or faulty.  I snagged the one from Kal's carcass out under my lean-to put it on and was back in business.  After some "blowing out", it returned to its normal purring!

Yep, that flux looking plastic stuff that kind of melts out of the side is a sure indication that it bit the dust. Whenever I get one like that I rarely even test it before throwing it out.

AYE! I left a bottle of super clean on the hood of the Green Machine and forgot about it. It leaked from swelling and heat. Needless to say, the super clean stripped the hood down to the metal clean in about a 4 inch circle. Also the runs ate away some of the paint. Yikes!

Yikes that's not good! I didn't know Super Clean could strip paint!

Brianator wrote:

Yikes that's not good! I didn't know Super Clean could strip paint!

Makes 2 of us. I guess left on for days it could.

Couple updates...

The superclean mishap.



As you may have saw in the Dirty Rat thread.  I did some tire swapping.  Yes, I did swap with the Green Machine.  The black is growing on me.

Mini update.  Decided to remove the foot throttle.  It didn't do much for this tractor as it is not used off road.  Just utility service when needed.  Could still be used in a pinch for offroad!

Moving the thread to the UTV section.

Couple pix today.

Decided to throw on some paint over the messed up area from the cleaner.



Then gave it a wash.

who came up with green machine first? me or you? it dont matter just curious lol

Considering you joined the forum Last Nov.  I started this project "publicly" last Oct, and had it planned since August last year, I guess me?  If we wanted to get technical and calling a green tractor the green machine in the forums, that would go to thewisconsinredneck5160 with his green machine found here:  Murray "Green Machine" Mud Mower back in 2015.

MightyRaze wrote:

Considering you joined the forum Last Nov.  I started this project "publicly" last Oct, and had it planned since August last year, I guess me?  If we wanted to get technical and calling a green tractor the green machine in the forums, that would go to thewisconsinredneck5160 with his green machine found here:  Murray "Green Machine" Mud Mower back in 2015.

ah alright thanks lol

“The Green Machine” is a pretty thoroughly used name. I don’t think anyone can really call dibs on it lol. I had a regular Murray mower that had nothing but a paint job done to it and was named the Green Machine by the previous owner and I can think of several others by that name… it’s kind of like the name John or David. You hear it all the time.

Maybe time to bring this back in and give it some love.  Fix a few things that have broke, weaknesses, and flaws.  I really need tinker on something at the moment.  

Things cannibalized that need recreated.

Need to recreate a foot throttle.


Replace the fender handles.


It's raining tonight.  LOL

Now for some things to update change or just all-round work on.

Rear bumper, box and hitch.  I'll be honest.  I am tired of hitting my shin on this thing.  I think it has got to go.  Also that box does not latch right.



This tire on the front left.  It goes flat when it wants.  Could be 2 months, 2 days or 2 hours.  No rime or reason.



One that I don't know I can fix.  Not sure how much "air" this thing is churning.  Not sure I can figure out how to pull more.



Other items I need to work on or update.  I think I want more speed and will be looking into a larger engine pulley.  Currently running a 5 inch I believe.

Also, sometimes the belt falls off when decelerating on a down hill.  Need to figure out the misalignment. I think I will be thinking about taking some pointers from the Ohio Boys (@Creepycrawler) and their Wheelhorse belt systems.

Also might be nice to move the front axle forward a handfull of inches.
That's where I currently stand.

The belt system like those wheel horse guys is going to have to wait.  I do think I got the belt popping off resolved for now.  I realized the flat idler side of the stock double pulley clutch has a taper to its angle, probably due to the way the stock belt ran.  I resolved this by adding another idler, and I also realized I was using the wrong side of the idler I already installed.  I ran it hard, hard braking, downhill stopping, and reverse speed braking.  It stayed on the whole time.

I decided to take it through the mud puddle out back that I took Red through a month ago.  No pix, and I almost didn't make it.  Ags didn't have much traction in the mud.  LOL, those wide front tires probably don't help much either.  

Had the garage dog today as well!



Glad I have it locked.   I would not have made it!



Now I need to make a foot throttle. I wasn't motivated to cut and weld today.

Got some motivation and this is what I came up with.  Seems to work just fine.

Looks decent! It's nice to see you picking away at little things on various builds you have.

Thanks!  Made it with parts and materials I had on hand.  It use to be a tie rod I made for the tractor at one time before the rack and pinion.  Cut the threaded ends off and instant round rod for pedal.  Hated using the 1 inch square, but it actually worked out great. Spring was from an engine I think.


That tire... went flat hours after moving it to the garage.  Filled it back up in the garage and has been holding since.  I expect it to go flat again overnight in a month.  


Someday I'll think of something to cover the pedal for better foot contact. No slipity-do-dah.

OK, @Brianator has inspired me to get back to work on the Green Machine.  Some things I would like to tackle.

• Heat!  She's getting really warm when I run it too long.  I'm pretty certain it is due to the small area between the air intake and the side of the hood.
  
• Belt alignment.  Right now I have figured out the double pulley clutch is slightly angled.  Need to figure out how to resolve this.
  
• Maybe a pulley swap?  Get some more speed?  Not sure.
  
• Better tires maybe?
  

Sometime this week I'll get it moved out of the shed and into the garage for some minor teardown.

The pressure lube oppy on budgie got a little hot. It had the big oppy shrouds and I added another piece of sheet metal to sort of shield the rest of the inside of the hood from the exhaust side. A lot of stock tractors have clever ways of directing heat that we often remove and forget about when we mod them.

I hear ya @RichieRichOverdrive .  I did add a shield to help deflect heat for the carb area, but still.  Nowhere for it to go on that side either.  I need to figure out how to make it breath better.  I fear I may need to go vertical again with it.  Only venting is from the front and top.

Tire went flat again. Sheesh...



That is beside the point.

Here is the tight quarters with no air flow. I wish I knew someone who could drill out some nice size holes then put a die on them to make them pretty.

Then on top all that, my starter is not throwing into the flywheel. Spinning good though. Need checked out.

Finally got around to taking this pic.

See the issue?  I do.  Now to figure out how to fix it.



Here, for those that don't see it right away.

Green line would be a straight path.  Red line is left edge of belt.