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rjy replied to the topic Gaskets, head and general (it's that Howard 350 again). in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 1 month ago
I don’t think they are Howard, either, but I don’t know what they are! I could use a ridger (“furrower”).
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rjy replied to the topic Gaskets, head and general (it's that Howard 350 again). in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 1 month ago
I don’t think they are Howard, either, but I don’t know what they are! I could use a ridger (“furrower”).
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rjy replied to the topic Howard the Hunter. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 1 month ago
A belated thank you! Coming home from the alottment the other day I twiddled trhe vertical screw, and 3/4 turns out from where it was and it ran very well. Next step is to rotavate again, and then check the plug.
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rjy replied to the topic Gaskets, head and general (it's that Howard 350 again). in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 1 month ago
Well, I’ve developed an allotment, and rotavated it. Excellent.
Looking at the stuff that came from North Cornwall, there are various attachments. Not at all sure they’re for Howard 350s.
Any ideas what these are?
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rjy replied to the topic Howard the Hunter. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 6 months ago
That’s right. It is the original Kohler carburettor, with a main jet adjustment going vertically down, an angled idle jet, and a horizontal screw for idle speed adjustment.
Currently the main jet is set 1 3/4 turns out, the idle jet 2 1/4 turns out, not that it’s particularly a fixed setting, even from new (although I don’t think I have ever…[Read more]
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rjy started the topic Howard the Hunter. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 6 months ago
Howard 350. Starts easily, but at idle it “hunts” which becomes less noticeable at fast idle and under load. Under load, is it as powerful as I found it 30 years ago? Don’t know, just a feeling it might not be, but then again that piece of ground had far less roots, ‘cos I’d rotavated it a lot! So it goes “BrrrrMM, brrrrMM, brrrrMM, brrrrMM” etc.…[Read more]
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rjy replied to the topic Howard 350 cone clutch corrosion/friction material. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 6 months ago
Ran the machine for about 1 1/2 hours today. The clutch survived the strain. Very rooty ground, old bramble “Turks heads”, long creeper roots, places I’d grubbed out smallish ash trees etc. It will need going over again a couple of times, but success so far.
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rjy replied to the topic Howard 350 cone clutch corrosion/friction material. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 6 months ago
Well, I will test this tomorrow, but thought I’d better add this before I forget.
Problem: rebuilt clutch would not disengage.
I had re-glued the clutch friction material exactly, I thought, where it came off (distortions in the material back this up, and that the ends of the friction material met as they originally did). The clutch material…[Read more]
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rjy started the topic Howard 350 exhaust valve lift. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
I notice, turning the engine over by hand, that near the very start of the compression stroke the exhaust valve opens very briefly.
Is this normal? Is it something to do with the automatic decompressor mechanism?
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rjy started the topic Howard 350 blades – how worn is too worn? in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
THe 350 I’m trying to get going (new head gasket came today! 🙂 19 days via Royal Mail snd class 🙁 ) has rather worn blades.
How worn is too worn?
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rjy replied to the topic Gaskets, head and general (it's that Howard 350 again). in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
No, I don’t like it either, but I’ve used it before by making it into sheets (glass/clingfilm/silicone sandwitch, separated/spaced by washers) which at least mekes it into gasket and not stuff that bungs up oilways.
I’ll look out for some Flexoid. I might have some steam gasget at another place but I’ll have to go looking.
Again FWIW and for the…[Read more]
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rjy started the topic Gaskets, head and general (it's that Howard 350 again). in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
So starting was not to be. The exhaust valve was stuck open, and I had to get the head off. A slight tap using a brass drift dead centre moved it, it’s still sticky but I have applied some more oil and will work it a bit ’till it’s free.
Anyway, yes, I’ve ordered a new head gasket. No chance or re-using the old one, I suppose? It’s not solid…[Read more]
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rjy replied to the topic Howard 350 cone clutch corrosion/friction material. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
“JB weld”!! That’s what I was looking for, had seen it mentioned, but brain ft made me think “Chemical Matal” which I had some of. Argh! Will keep you informed.
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rjy replied to the topic Howard 350 cone clutch corrosion/friction material. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
Well. Write-up, FWIW. In case it’s useful.
Took the clutch apart, using the opportunity to re-pack the bearings with grease.
I scraped off the outer surface of the friction material, taking care, it’s probably fragile. I also cleaned the cast iron outer cone, and the inside surface if the friction material, scraping gluey residue off, and the…[Read more]
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rjy started the topic Howard 350 cone clutch corrosion/friction material. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
It’s getting there, slowly. This is the one that hasn’t run for about 25 years, but is in better condition than the newer (I think) one.
Took the clutch apart, to grease the bearings and splines. There’s enough friction material, BUT there’s powdery white corrosion on the light alloy inner cone, and the lining, which should be glued to that, has…[Read more]
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rjy started the topic Howard 350 EP90 EP80W90 GL4 GL5 for info. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
Just talked to a helpful chap at Comma. The instruction book for this rotavator says use EP90 in the gearbox. I can’t find that near me, today, so after a chat I’m going to get some EP80W90 GL4 which the Comma man thinks will be a good substitute “similar to what would have been used in the mid-70s” (he was not so sure about the GL5 version and…[Read more]
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rjy replied to the topic Exhaust (silencer, muffler) bolts, Kohler cast iron cylinder. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
Thank you for the pointer. I have two of these machines, one that I can remember being bought new, in the mid-’70s, one of which I was given, used, probably from North Cornwall!.
The former has bolts, which I managed to get out… eventually. The latter has studs.
Ho hum. I have purchased a bag of 10 5/16 x 1 3/4 BZP “grade 5” (8.8 equiv) bolts…[Read more]
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rjy started the topic Exhaust (silencer, muffler) bolts, Kohler cast iron cylinder. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
Had a bit of a battle extracting exhaust bolts (Kohler K141T), seized rock solid, drilled out (etc), cast iron barrel threads “not too bad considering”, should I use ordinary steel bolts, BZP, stainless, or what?
Standard seem to be 8.8 steel, not BZP, partly threaded.
I have some old-fashioned Rocol anti-seize compound J166 to put on the…[Read more]
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rjy replied to the topic Howard 350 (Kohler engine) restart after years. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
Well, I don’t know. With a brand new sparking plug, there is a spark. I would not say it’s a nice fat blue one, but it’s reasonably lively, and I think good enough. If I put the “old” new B6S plug in, there are feeble and faint sparks around the centre electrode’s insulator. I cleaned the B6S with washing-up detergent and water, also MEK, warmed…[Read more]
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rjy replied to the topic Howard 350 (Kohler engine) restart after years. in the forum Pedestrian operated machines 1 year, 7 months ago
When the rotavator stopped, both times – once with the plug that’s been in it for years, once with a brand new plug, no spark was visible. I have not checked since, I’ll turn it over tomorrow and see what happens.
The magnetic rotor should be OK. After all, it works, and magnets don’t “come and go”. The cast iron blower/flywheel is a good fit, it…[Read more]
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