Export thread

Just wanted to see if I could start a thread for us to post our current progress on our projects. I really like reading about what others are currently doing to their lawn boys. It's been kinda quiet on here lately and I know some of us would love to hear what progress others are making.

Currently I'm working on my scrap yard find 8243AE. Just got the correct replacement coil today and it's getting great spark. Now I just gotta put my rebuilt carb back on with my new air filer and see if the old boy will fire up. Probably will continue work on it on Wednesday.

Well, WHICH Lawnboy, as I have about 30. Never-the-less, I have got one project mower, a late C-engine that is disassembled and partially worked on, a magnesium 21" deck that is cleaned and ready for paint, a shroud that is almost clean enough to paint, and eventually, after the first of the year I will probably start slowly working on them. This is going to be a mower made up of various parts. Will have the older recoil top mounted starter common to C engines .

Phototone said:

Well, WHICH Lawnboy, as I have about 30. Never-the-less, I have got one project mower, a late C-engine that is disassembled and partially worked on, a magnesium 21" deck that is cleaned and ready for paint, a shroud that is almost clean enough to paint, and eventually, after the first of the year I will probably start slowly working on them. This is going to be a mower made up of various parts. Will have the older recoil top mounted starter common to C engines .

Click to expand...

Sounds pretty cool. Not sure I know what a c engine looks like. Got any pics of this project? Would you mind schooling me in the different types of engines?

Blew piston rings on my L21ZSM this Fall, so I am actively in the process of replacing them. I love the mower and for the life of me can't figure out how these rings failed. I run synthetic oil in my machine, and I am very careful on oil/fuel mixture ratio and freshness. I bought the machine used 10 years ago, and I suspect someone had run it too lean and that started the failure, or, they just failed over time. No idea how many hours are on it, but I suspect plenty.

In any event, I have done just about everything you can do to this machine. New seals, carb rebuild, new Reed valves, two new ignition modules, the list goes on. I enjoy working on Lawnboy mowers. Once you figure out 2 stroke and how they are engineered, the service is actually simple.

This is the first time I've done Piston Rings on a Lawnboy. I've got the head off, and the new Rings should be here next week.

nothing yet working on a old john deere that was gonna be a christmas present but is taking way longer than i thought

its stripped down to the bare minimum waiting to get a carb rebuild kit and throttle cable

I tried to post some new pictures of my 7260G that I talked about in the thread I started on 12/20/14. I have done some disassembly and cleaning to it. It runs good but will need some more work. I will try again to post the pictures later. It turned out to be a very good mower that was very well cared for. The pictures will show it. Even the handle cleaned up good. It looks nearly brand new.

gearnoggin said:

Sounds pretty cool. Not sure I know what a c engine looks like. Got any pics of this project? Would you mind schooling me in the different types of engines?

Click to expand...

No pics yet. A late "C" engine looks just like an early "D" engine, with the bricktop style shroud, but has a conventional recoil starter instead of the "D" engine fingertip pull-up starter, and it has a pull-up choke instead of a push-down primer, but in the same location. They also have a ignition coil INSIDE the flywheel, rather than OUTSIDE the flywheel.

This is my 7260G that I recently introduced on another thread. Over the last few days, I have taken the time to clean it up and check out the points and the governor. It will get a new air filter and seals sometime before spring. I love the condition that this mower is in. Very cold here right now. I froze my fingers just taking these pictures yesterday. I miss green grass and the summer sound of 2 stroke Lawn Boys.

2smoked said:

This is my 7260G that I recently introduced on another thread. Over the last few days, I have taken the time to clean it up and check out the points and the governor. It will get a new air filter and seals sometime before spring. I love the condition that this mower is in. Very cold here right now. I froze my fingers just taking these pictures yesterday. I miss green grass and the summer sound of 2 stroke Lawn Boys.

Click to expand...

That things a beauty!

I got my 8243AE running for the first time today! What a great feeling! It's my first experience with a running lawn boy. Love the sound it makes! I almost froze my toes off working on it. I actually mowed some of my back yard with it to. Heres a pic of it before I reinstalled the carb today. I'm in the process of uploading some videos I took while working on it and mowing with it. I'll post the links once they're done.

gearnoggin said:

I got my 8243AE running for the first time today! What a great feeling! It's my first experience with a running lawn boy. Love the sound it makes! I almost froze my toes off working on it. I actually mowed some of my back yard with it to. Heres a pic of it before I reinstalled the carb today. I'm in the process of uploading some videos I took while working on it and mowing with it. I'll post the links once they're done.

Click to expand...

Looking forward to the vids.

You most certainly have Old Lawn Boy-itis disease. And a great feeling it is!

Vidoes of repaing my lawn boy, it running, and a test mow in the winter.

Here are links to the videos I just finished uploading on youtube. Like I state in the descriptions, I'm very inexperienced at making youtube videos so please bear with me. I recorded these with my Iphone and they're kinda shaky. Its been a very fun day for me getting to see my efforts pay off. Thanks for all the help and enthusiasm from fellow Lawn Boy forum users. I still have alot of work to do on this machine and will post my progress as I go.
Matt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAWI-RdW-B4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI0vMM65NrM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsc090R_bxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgeqNBC0KkE

Re: Vidoes of repaing my lawn boy, it running, and a test mow in the winter.

gearnoggin said:

Here are links to the videos I just finished uploading on youtube. Like I state in the descriptions, I'm very inexperienced at making youtube videos so please bear with me. I recorded these with my Iphone and they're kinda shaky. Its been a very fun day for me getting to see my efforts pay off. Thanks for all the help and enthusiasm from fellow Lawn Boy forum users. I still have alot of work to do on this machine and will post my progress as I go.
Matt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAWI-RdW-B4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI0vMM65NrM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsc090R_bxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgeqNBC0KkE

Click to expand...

Sounds good! you need to get it out of idle though. It is supposed to be running 3300 rpms full throttle. There is a clicker on top of the carburetor that governs the engine from the wind vane. i noticed it is surging a little too which means that it is running lean. The front of the carb has a altitude adjustment that you are supposed to lightly seat and turn two full turns open start the machine let it warm up for about 5 min then start adjusting it in clockwise till the engine smooths. Small adjustments are best but most on the machines i have done with the metal walbro have been extremely easy to set if they are good and clean. Next to the commercial lawn boys the 8243 and 8243AE are my favorite lawn boys of all time. I have three of them if that tells you anything and i drove 4 hours to Kansas City to get an almost new one. However i bought three other lawn boys while i was there to repair to pay for the trip, but that one was the gem.

1987 8243AE that i drove to Kansas City to get. The yellow was a promo model i picked up from the same dude, but i sold it because it wasn't my thing and i sold it to a very worthy buyer that mowed commercially with one in the 80's and did not have the know how to fix it once the carb got dirty and muffler clogged. This one however was in mint condition!

turfboy1997 said:

View attachment 24627View attachment 24627

1987 8243AE that i drove to Kansas City to get. The yellow was a promo model i picked up from the same dude, but i sold it because it wasn't my thing and i sold it to a very worthy buyer that mowed commercially with one in the 80's and did not have the know how to fix it once the carb got dirty and muffler clogged. This one however was in mint condition!

Click to expand...

My yellow promo mower is exactly like the one you sold. The overall design is my definition of the best F series engine Lawn Boys that were made. No frills, just a solid basic mower. It's my favorite mower that I use the most and the color difference sort of sets it apart. Thanks for posting the pics. I really appreciate any photos or videos that vintage Lawn Boy fans share in this forum.

turfboy1997 said:

Sounds good! you need to get it out of idle though. It is supposed to be running 3300 rpms full throttle. There is a clicker on top of the carburetor that governs the engine from the wind vane. i noticed it is surging a little too which means that it is running lean. The front of the carb has a altitude adjustment that you are supposed to lightly seat and turn two full turns open start the machine let it warm up for about 5 min then start adjusting it in clockwise till the engine smooths. Small adjustments are best but most on the machines i have done with the metal walbro have been extremely easy to set if they are good and clean. Next to the commercial lawn boys the 8243 and 8243AE are my favorite lawn boys of all time. I have three of them if that tells you anything and i drove 4 hours to Kansas City to get an almost new one. However i bought three other lawn boys while i was there to repair to pay for the trip, but that one was the gem.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm gonna be doing some more fine tuning to it in the near future. I did adjust that screw before I put it away and it stopped surging. I'm really happy with how the mower is turning out. What makes you like the 8243's so much? It sure seems like a solid machine.

gearnoggin said:

Thanks! I'm gonna be doing some more fine tuning to it in the near future. I did adjust that screw before I put it away and it stopped surging. I'm really happy with how the mower is turning out. What makes you like the 8243's so much? It sure seems like a solid machine.

Click to expand...

Mainly the walbro carb. It responds to load much better than its predecessor the plastic lawn boy carburetor and is easier to dial in. Several of my neighbors had the 8243 and i would purposely go outside to hear their mowers hit the governor and smell the 2 stroke smoke. I always wanted one and my dad was a toro guy so we had a Toro BBC with a suzy 2 stroke on it. It was a nice mower but my neighbors lawn boys just kept on going. I guess the main reason i like them so much is the same reason that so many people like the brick tops so much and that is childhood nostalgia and of course the unrivaled quality of cut of a lawn boy!

another 2 stoke I've been working on lately

I just thought I'd share my other project I'm currently working on with you all. Its a 2 stroke mini sports bike motorcycle. It sounds mean as hell! Just got it running after being seized for a long time. Cleaned the carb, installed new reeds (the old ones were rusted shut), and worked the engine loose with PB Blaster. My 8243AE also made an appearance in the video I took of it. I'm gonna be making more miscellaneous vids so subscribe to my channel if you like them so far. I promise I'm working to improve my filming and talking skills.
Thanks,
Matt
Here's the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbPzzkzoeE

Well since there's snow on the ground and it's colder than a Witch's t*ts I'm not doing anything to my Lawn-Boy, but come spring I'll hopefully tackle the carb cleaning and rebuilding that it needs.

Re: another 2 stoke I've been working on lately

gearnoggin said:

I just thought I'd share my other project I'm currently working on with you all. Its a 2 stroke mini sports bike motorcycle. It sounds mean as hell! Just got it running after being seized for a long time. Cleaned the carb, installed new reeds (the old ones were rusted shut), and worked the engine loose with PB Blaster. My 8243AE also made an appearance in the video I took of it. I'm gonna be making more miscellaneous vids so subscribe to my channel if you like them so far. I promise I'm working to improve my filming and talking skills.
Thanks,
Matt
Here's the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdbPzzkzoeE

Click to expand...

Matt, that's a mean little (actually TINY) mini bike! Chainsaw engine? I'm pretty lean for my height thanks to a lot of working out and a great diet, but I am way too big to ride that tiny thing. But I bet when you finish it, it will go like heck!

Keep us posted. You should start another thread in the miscellaneous section for this one. Good project.

bt3 said:

Matt, that's a mean little (actually TINY) mini bike! Chainsaw engine? I'm pretty lean for my height thanks to a lot of working out and a great diet, but I am way too big to ride that tiny thing. But I bet when you finish it, it will go like heck! Keep us posted. You should start another thread in the miscellaneous section for this one. Good project.

Click to expand...

Thanks! It's a 49cc Chinese pocket bike. They were really popular about 10 or so years ago. They cost about 3 or $400 new. This ones had a rough life and all the plastic body is broken and long gone. I got it so cheap because the drive chain had broke and it was left outside in the rain for a few years. It actually had an old metal tractor seat welded onto it when I got it. It got in the way of the pull starter really bad though. I'm hoping to find a springer bicycle seat to mount on it. Well I'll make a thread for it when I make some more progress.

I am sad when winter rolls around and it is time to put the Lawn Boy mowers away until spring. And then I get out my RED 2005 Toro CCR3650 snowblower. I found out that Toro made a GREEN Lawn Boy version, The 2006/2007 model 33006/Insight 1000E and I set out to find one, a 2006. Then I found out Toro made an early style CCR3650 snowblower that were made in Lawn Boy GREEN in 2002 for 1 year only as a model 28226/720E. The search was on for a 720E and with the help of a member on another forum I found 1 in New York on Craig's List. I went and did a freshening up of both of them with new rotor blades, scrapper bar, belt, fuel filter, spark plug, carb. kit, needle and seat and a through cleaning inside and outside. All of these have the R-TEK 141cc 6.5hp snow engine version of the Lawn Boy Dura-Force lawn mower engine. So this is a new additional line that joined the Lawn Boy mower collection. They are now resting comfortably waiting for the next snow to come out to go to work(play). One of the pictures shows the handle of the 2006 model 33006/Insight 1000E, that is different that the 2005 Toro CCR 3650. The Lawn Boy has a padded recoil D grip and padded adjustable handle. It also has a paddled handle for the chute that adjusts the direction and angle instead of the Toro style crank and deflector. So here are the newest members of the Green Machine Snow Removal Team.

You probably don't wanna know what I've done to my LB lately but I'll tell you anyway. I keep a 16 oz. ball peen hammer on top of it in easy reach and every time I walk by the dam thing gets a revenge whack.:licking:

SeniorCitizen said:

You probably don't wanna know what I've done to my LB lately but I'll tell you anyway. I keep a 16 oz. ball peen hammer on top of it in easy reach and every time I walk by the dam thing gets a revenge whack.:licking:

Click to expand...

I use a little bit bigger hammer on the Murray. This one is going to the scrap yard. So it will get several revenge whacks.

SeniorCitizen said:

You probably don't wanna know what I've done to my LB lately but I'll tell you anyway. I keep a 16 oz. ball peen hammer on top of it in easy reach and every time I walk by the dam thing gets a revenge whack.:licking:

Click to expand...

Why so negative. Please keep the posts in a pleasant tone.

LB8210 said:

Why so negative. Please keep the posts in a pleasant tone.

Click to expand...

It is pleasant! And very positive! I get to scrap the Murray for money to buy more lawn boys! We had someone hijack the thread and send it in a negative direction in your opinion, so I stated what I was doing to my Murray too. Anyways. Let the good times roll!

turfboy1997 said:

It is pleasant! And very positive! I get to scrap the Murray for money to buy more lawn boys! We had someone hijack the thread and send it in a negative direction in your opinion, so I stated what I was doing to my Murray too. Anyways. Let the good times roll!

Click to expand...

Sorry lb8210 i thought you were talking about my Murray post and picture. lol! the Murray has a bent crankshaft so its trash.

turfboy1997 said:

Sorry lb8210 i thought you were talking about my Murray post and picture. lol! the Murray has a bent crankshaft so its trash.

Click to expand...

I might have had a hand in building the engine on your Murray. We make the 125 and 140 cc Briggs engines were I work. We make about 6800 in one shift.

LB8210 said:

Why so negative. Please keep the posts in a pleasant tone.

Click to expand...

Better get yourself a Lawn Boy police badge before you start tellin this old man not to whack his aggravating lb with a ball peen hammer.

SeniorCitizen said:

Better get yourself a Lawn Boy police badge before you start tellin this old man not to whack his aggravating lb with a ball peen hammer.

Click to expand...

Again please keep comments on a positive note. If your Lawn Boy is causing you grief repair it and if you can't maybe you should move on get a new or different mower. Life is too short to let a mower get you down and negative.

2smoked said:

This is my 7260G that I recently introduced on another thread. Over the last few days, I have taken the time to clean it up and check out the points and the governor. It will get a new air filter and seals sometime before spring. I love the condition that this mower is in. Very cold here right now. I froze my fingers just taking these pictures yesterday. I miss green grass and the summer sound of 2 stroke Lawn Boys.

Click to expand...

I finished it today. The seals went in without a hitch and it fired up in one pull and runs sweet. I thought it was cold when I took those pictures of it. Right now the temps are in the single digits and tonight it is supposed to get down to minus 14 degrees!! I was able to take it to work today to finish it up (fire fighter) in the station shop. Hearing it run made me think about spring. Sure hope we don't have to respond to anything tonight. This bitter cold in late February is a crime!!