From points to solid-state

[twall]

I wonder if anyone else here has run into this:

My neighbor gave me an old bolens push mower, and it had a 3.5 briggs with an odd rope-pull starter. It was set up just like a modern electric start (with a toothed flywheel, and just a flat screen atop it, like elec. start), but the 'starter' was rope-powered. the rope pulled straight up, rather than in the same direction as the flywheel.

Anyway, I thought the engine was cool - but there was no spark. this mower was from the late sixties, to early or mid seventies. I didn't want to mess around with points, and I has plenty of old B&S around, so I thought about converting it. One problem: How many electric start 3.5hp vertical shaft engines have you seen lately? I was sure the magnets were different on the flywheels from points to magnetron.

For the heck of it, I just swapped the coils. It took off one pull, no further modification required!

Wonder if I can do the same on my '67 Simplicity? Looks like the same setup - and appears that an 8hp coil will bolt right on.......

 

[Murry Furry]

i've heard about many different motors, and ways to start, and that way sounds weired, and hard on the back. for the swapping of coils i think it will, but don't take my word for it.

 

[twall]

Yeah, it's strange - the pull cord is dead center of the deck, and you have to pull up......or wear the cord.

 

[Murry Furry]

What shape is that in, because if it is in good shape you may just want to shop around to find the value, and sell that bad boy. If the deck is in bad, or under moderate shape you may want to sell the motor. Or you can keep it, i mean how many times are you going to run into one of them. this is the first time i have heard of it, and my grandfather use to sell pushes, and riders. he did it for over forty-seven years.

 

[twall]

It's shot......:frown: Too bad, too.....it's a mulcher! Never seen a mulching mower that old!

I just took it cause I found the motor interesting. The block is starting to corrode to the point of being unstable. It's powdery white under all the paint - looks like a big tums! But, the starter mechanism and the flywheel are both OK. The rest is standard-issue B&S stuff. I'll keep the unique stuff, junk the rest.

 

[Murry Furry]

Well thats a bummer man. you still got to see something cool though. i have had those before. i once picked up this old rust bucket Jacobsen. the hold thing was there, but it has a nasty swarm of red ants in it.the thing had a hydrolic lift arm on the back. a hydrolic deck lifter to move the deck from mowing to traveling positions. a high, and low range hydrostatic trany. after the first battle with them i started work on getting the motor freed up. following getting the motor freed i had to work on getting the thing to roll in neutral. when i did i took my Murray when it had a five horse on it, and babied the Murray, and Jocabsen to my high school shop. The list of problems, and issues would take all night to type. i will make it short. you will notice i said the first battle with the ants. there were many. i won, but and still having nightmares.

 

[twall]

I also notice everything you said was in past tense.

 

[Murry Furry]

ya, i tend to talk in the past tense a lot. it is a weired habit i have.

 

[KennyV]

ya, i tend to talk in the past tense a lot. it is a weired habit i have.

So long as you don't live in the past tense:laughing: ...

Can you post a picture of that rope starter assembly... It sounds kind of familiar, there were a few strange rope starter arrangements in the early 60's only the good inexpensive methods survived... :smile:KennyV

 

[Murry Furry]

i've never seen anything like what twall discribed