Archive through October 19, 2012

[mhomrighausen]

Jeremiah C. A couple of weeks ago on one of the TV shows some guys used white vingar and baking soda to literally clean out a terrible abused car's gas tank insides. I didn't hear what the ratio was. so... after doing a BING SERACH....
White vingar and baking soda to clean your gas tank. Just keep scrolling down. I've actually used white vinegar to clean Cub Carburetors with fantastic results. You see... I'm not only stupid... I'm also on the cheap side and don't believe in spending anymore money or using unsafe materials than necessary.

 

[hydroharry]

Matt - thanks for point out that is an AQS engine in the pic Gerry posted.

Now Gerry - I was gonna say something like
"Na-Na-naNa-Na", but I won't do that. I think that would be acting like a kid and having fun, and we just don't do that stuff.

Jeremiah - thanks for posting all those pics. Overall you got a decent looking 149, I think a prime candidate for restoration, unless you're just not into doing that. I see you have the QL hood hinge which is alot better than the original 1x9 style. Also, I agree with Dennis that it really wouldn't take much to repair that fiberglass. I see Wayne thought you were missing the hood support piece but I can see the rubber spacer so that has to be there. You probably just need to raise it up a bit and/or realign the hood. Course none of this will help your fuel line. I guess I have to concede to Dennis and Gerry that the fuel line routing ain't the problem, but I still don't like that big Kohler filter on there. One thing you could do is go out and buy a new piece of rubber fuel line and the brand I recommend is "ARC".
Now, your heat shield is the style used on the 1x2/1x3 series, not sure after that. But as long as it fits and looks like it does, then I wouldn't change it. I see the usual crack where it bolts to one of the head bolts but that's only a problem if you have to remove it. The 2 PTO clutches are both IH as you decided. They may have that slight variation in appearance but doesn't make any difference. The yellow one is missing the triangular spring or springs and I suspect is the one with the broken center button. Good to keep them handy, wouldn't take to much to fix one to usuable condition. Looks like ya got a really nice mowing deck, suspect it's a 44A or 50A that someone added the front wheels and some extra steel support on. And I gotta say I sure like those rear ag tires, they look tuff.

Bill J - that plastic bushing has a lip on the top so it will only push in so far. If that's your only problem and you really don't want to remove the steering wheel, then I'd just work at pushing it back in to it's correct place, and then see if you can drill a small hole and put a teeny screw thru the column into the plastic bushing to hold it in place. I'd probably do it towards the back so you really don't see it unless you bend down and look on the underside of the steering wheel. I have to say all this really quietly so the IH police don't pic up on the message. Now, the other thing you can also do is pop the steering wheel off, remove the plastic bushing then take a BFH and just tap really lightly around the top of the column tube. This will put just a little roll to the top edge so you can tap the plastic bushing into place. I actually prefer this over the small screw suggestion but it does require removing the steering wheel. And by the way, I only ever used the bolt and 2 nut method mentioned in the FAQ to remove the wheel - I think if you click thru it far enough you might even see my name associated with it.

 

[jchamberlin]

Marlin, your link turned up another in which a guy used electrolysis to clean the inside of his gas tank. I find that solution interesting. The reason everyone uses caustic solutions like muriatic acid, vinegar, and baking soda is to try to get to the area beyond the baffle. I think I have access to a rotisserie motor, so I'm going to try Gerry Ide's method with a solution per Charlie's instructions to begin with. Undecided as to whether to use roofing nails or a 1/2 lb of 1/4"-20 nuts from my local tractor supply (where they sell hardware by the lb). After which I may give your vinegar + baking soda environmentally friendly suggestion, before finishing up with a stab at electrolysis before I paint the whole thing. Believe me, I'm going to get that sucker clean if it kills me.

Edit: Harry, thanks for the comments. Now I'm wondering what type of heat shield SHOULD be on there?

 

[digger]

Jeremiah C.
Roofing nails are galvanized and or zinc based man!
You wanna find out what kind of volatile chemical reaction you can make with muriatic acid! Be my guest, but make sure you buy one of those $2000.00 respirators before you do it!

 

[jchamberlin]

Charlie: Point Taken! (You made me chuckle

)

 

[mgonitzke]

If you're using full-strength muriatic acid, I really don't even see a reason to put anything like nails or nuts inside the tank. If your tank is rusty enough that there's giant pieces flaking off that need abrasion to remove, then you probably need a different tank anyway. I had one like that that was so bad it couldn't be saved. If I tried to clean it any further it probably would have sprung a bunch of leaks in all the rust pits.

 

[jsalatino]

TEXAS CAR WARS! I think that was the name of that show that used the vinegar and baking soda in the gas tank. I wish they would have said how they mixed it it up,but I'm sure that isnt too hard to figure out. One of my older tractor buddies always talked about how he uses "COKE A COLA " Said you have to use the real thing! lol I've tried it a few times on some lil b.s. stuff mixed with a lil baking soda,you know it does kinda work,but I also would hit on the grinder with a wire wheel,back & forth a few times. It does work,but you have to let it soak for a long time,the longer the better. Anyone else here about using coke to remobe rust? I know mythbusters did a episode on it,cant remember exactly when & what all they used it on,I'm not talking about that but who actualoly tried it or heard of it. just my 2cents

 

[kide]

Matt: Thanks - I swear that the manual I pulled that from was the older one, but there's no denying that's an AQS. BUT the crate engine in my 129 is NOT an AQS, Harry....and never was.

 

[digger]

Matt G.
I use nuts for one reason.
They clean up nice and back in the bolt bin they go.

Under Edit,
Besides, I wouldn't be able to do the La Cucaracha if nuts weren't added for sound effect!

 

[bjamison]

Much thanks everyone for you help with the steering removal - AND EVERYTHING ELSE!!!!!!!!

I pulled the steering per the FAQ and the nut and bolt method and it worked like a charm. The only additional thing I did was to use a paint pen to mark the steering wheel and shaft spline to make sure the steering wheel went back on in the same place. Here are some pics:

I didn't do anything to permantly seat the bushing as it was very tight going back in and it is wobbled out a goodly bit as shown in one of the above pics. I need to figure if the bushing is available new and if a new one would cost more than the tractor...