Proper Garden Tractor RPM Range

MikePA · Jul 31, 2003

I just installed an inductive (wrap lead around spark plug wire) combination hour and RPM meter on my twin cylinder Wheel Horse garden tractor. I've set the meter up to count every other revolution.

The meter says the tractor idles at 3200 rpm and at full throttle it's about 6,000 rpm.

Does this sound correct? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Seems kinda high..like twice as high. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

hillslider · Jul 31, 2003

It does seem high! Did you wrap the inductive wire on the coil lead by chance? Does the meter have different settings for cylinder count? 6000RPM on a 2 cylinder......seems like it would throw a rod high in the sky! Just my thoughts.

slowrev · Jul 31, 2003

Sounds like you are counting 2 times as many pulses as you should be. Is there a way to count half as many ? Could it be set on 2 stroke instead of 4 stroke ?
I believe 6K RPM would explode the engine, most are rated at 3600 max.

frank_f15 · Aug 1, 2003

mike i don't know much about that kind of stuff but think that if that engine was running at 6000, i would hear it up here in n.y, at least for the few min. it ran before it self destructed. will be interested to see what u find.

s1120 · Aug 1, 2003

I think you eather have the wrong tach, or on the wrong wire. Some of these gauges are set up for motors that fire on every rev., and some for every other rev. looks like you have to devide that by two. Most modern L&G motors run at 3600 at full speed.

Slamfire · Aug 1, 2003

Sounds like your tractor is firing every both cylinders each time one of them needs to. Used to happen in motorcycle engines. Pretty unsophisticated ignition system, but thats lawn tractors. How old is your horse?

MikePA · Aug 1, 2003

Here's the meter I've installed. It can be set to one of three options to count RPMs. I will try one of the other 2 settings. I thought I had picked the right one for a twin cylinder engine. My primary purpose was the hourmeter, but I thought it'd be interesting to see the rpms as well.

My WheelHorse is a Work Horse Model GT-1600 with a 16 hp B & S IC twin cylinder engine. We bought it new in 1984 and I'm in the process of cleaning it up. This past weekend I painted the rear fenders/seating area and the foot rest assemblies (which my wife proceeded to scratch as soon as the paint was dry /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif ). I pulled the dash, such as it is, painted it (after masking off the decals which are not available anymore /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif ) and installed this hour/RPM meter. Since I can't get the right color paint either, I'm painting it NH colors, gray and blue. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Next is the hood. Sanding, replacing the head lights and the head light bezels plus running a new wire to the head lights so they will work again. The decals on the hood were such a mess, I just removed them using PB Blaster's Decal Remover.

I also replaced the drive belt that goes from the engine back to the transmission. It was the original belt! Still worked fine, but as you might imagine, it was a bit cracked. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

slowrev · Aug 1, 2003

Sounds like a nice rider Mike. Let us know how the tach thing turns out.

larso1 · Aug 1, 2003

As Slamfire mentioned, my old 2-cylinder Norton motorcycle with a modern electronic ignition system (Boyer) fires both cylinders at the same (one wasted spark). That may be what your motor is doing.

As for the decals, there are a lot of people restoring older Wheel Horse models than yours, and they seem to be finding sources for the decals and paint spec. I just have my local paint center scan the original piece and they mix the color almost exactly. Do you visit the Yahoo Wheel Horse owners site? A lot of knowledgeable WH enthusiasts there.

Bill in CO

MikePA · Aug 1, 2003

Hi Bill,

 As for the decals, there are a lot of people restoring older Wheel Horse models than yours, and they seem to be finding sources for the decals and paint spec. 
I found a guy on the internet that is making decals for Wheel Horse tractors, but mine is too new. He's concentrating on the older ones.

My Parts and Service Manual for the gray lists the Automotive Equivalent as 1982 Lincoln Light Pewter. Duplicolor didn't carry this. I thought about getting a place to mix it, but I needed something in a spray can. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif WheelHorse/Toro doesn't have the paint either. So, since I couldn't easily match the original, I decided to go with colors I could get at my local Ace Hardware store.

 Do you visit the Yahoo Wheel Horse owners site? 
Yep. Nice resource.

larso1 · Aug 1, 2003

Mike, I needed paint in a spray can too, and this auto paint center in our town has these neat gas-rechargeable paint spayers (metal or glass container w/ spray nozzle and replaceable gas cartridge). It solves the spray paint problem with mixed paints for me. I didn't want to have to rent a spray outfit w/ compressor and then go through the learning / mistake process.

Bill

5030 · Aug 1, 2003

Mike:

You know I am pretty mechanical and I'd agree with everyone else, the RPM indicated sounds more like a weed wacker than a lawn mower. No way a Briggs and Junk will stay together at 6K. It would ventilate the head!! You'd probably have a UFO as long as you weren't in it's path!!

shady1701 · Aug 1, 2003

You've got it on wrong setting if you have it has options to change the spark timing do that. engine specs on most are idle 1000-1500 most idles are in the 1450-1550 spec. high idle (noload full throttle )is between 2800-3600 being 3450-3500 being the std spec. some turn more like b/s 20hp.

My tach has 3 differnt settings it's not a tiny tach there non-adjustable but should give some idea . http://www.tinytach.com/origgas.html
TT226NR-2C*
Standard Model, used on engines with one spark firing on each revolution of the crankshaft.
1 cylinder 2 stroke(reads 1x/revolution) Honda engines

4 stroke with electronic ignition and nopoints

2C can also be used with a 2 cylinder engine

Go-Karts generally use 2C

Note: Engines frequently referred to as a "4 stroke" may not be a true 4-stroke because they fire on the exhaust stroke as well---requiring a 2C.

$36.95

TT226R-2C*

$36.95

TT226NR-4C*
Model for engines which have a spark for every 2 revolutions of the engine crankshaft such as those with a distributor with points driven from a camshaft.
KOHLER "K" series is the only Kohler model firing this way. No Hondas fire this way. True 4-stroke with points and distributor, NOT FIRING ON THE EXHAUST STROKE.

Note: Very few engines use a 4C model.

$36.95

TT226R-4C*

$36.95

TT226NR-1C*
Model for twin cylinder engines with a spark firing every 180 degrees of the engine crankshaft.
Jet skis generally use 1C.
Exception: 3 cylinder Jet Skis generally use our special "2X" model Multi (4) CYL=1c wrapped around coil wire.

$36.95

TT226R-1C*

$36.95

/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Slamfire · Aug 1, 2003

Sounds like you're having a good time restoring your Horse. I'd love to put mine to work, but I've did something wrong when I reattached the deck. Since it doesn't want to quit raining, this shade tree mechanic, is waiting for dryer ground. Maybe if I lift the front end with a chain fall, I can sit on a folding chair. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

MikePA · Aug 2, 2003

I reset the tach/hourmeter to Option 2 - Spark plug fires once per revolution and it reads correctly now. Max throttle is 3,190 rpm and idle is about 1,700. When I engage the deck and am mowing the yard, it drops to about 2,850 rpm.

Took the hood off, drilled the rivets out that were holding the hood hold downs on and removed them. Sanded, cleaned, primed and painted the outside of the hood. Waiting for it to dry (enamel) so I can paint the inside. I should be able to re-assemble everything tomorrow including putting the new hold downs on, the new headlight bezels as well as the new headlights. Once I wire them up, I will be finished.

This is the tractor (our first) we bought after our daughter (also our first) was born in 1984. We had been using a 21" self-propelled lawn mower. It was taking us too long to cut the yard. So, off we went to the local Wheel Horse dealer. Paid $2,299 for the tractor and $555 for a 42" rear discharge deck. $2,854 was a fortune for us back then. Heck, it's a fortune now! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Still have the original Owner's Manual, Parts and Service Manual as well as the deck manual plus the brochures the dealer gave me when I was mulling what to do. It served us faithfully for over 17 years.

Then we got the TC25D and the Work Horse was relegated to sitting outside. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif It sat outside for a winter and every time I'd look at it I'd feel guilty /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif. So, this summer I bought a new deck ($799) and it just put the rest of the tractor to shame! So, I bought a cover for the tractor (Curtis) and now I am painting it. I can't wait to see what's next. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

shady1701 · Aug 3, 2003

Need to adjust gov. i'd turn the max rpm up to 3400-3600 to get most out of it i'd go to max. while i'as at it. No harm is done i've seen some from factory turning about 3700 at some point on the newest 20hp .
/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I done the same thing with a 1984 ford LGT17hp lawn tractor it had a 62" deck and cat 0 hitch then i got my hinomoto and it went to seed . I put a seat out of a new case harvester and all kinds of riggins but the engine had so many hours on it and the starter finaly went out and i wanted some diesel power..

Slamfire · Aug 3, 2003

The owner's manual for my A-100 arrived today, and they recommend WFO for mowing. The specs for the B&S call for 3600 rpm tops, and 1700 at idle. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

shady1701 · Aug 10, 2003

Slow rpm on air cooled engine tends to overheat engines and tends to burn the valves and cause heads to crack my papaw was give one that his neighbor putted around about 1/2 throttle in high gear mowing it cracked the valve guide and leaks oil a ton.. Keep'er full bore and use gears to control speed..

MikePA · Aug 11, 2003

The specs for the B&S call for 3600 rpm tops, and 1700 at idle. 
My B & S Twin is 3,300 max and 1,450 idle. The Operator's Manual recommends 3/4 throttle as a minimum for all operations. It lists 'extensive automatic transmission damage' at anything less. For gear models, like mine, 'poor overall tractor performance' would result.