Troy Bilt Horse tiller

[zoedog2012]

In the mid 1970's, I used to help plant almost 1,000 acres of soybeans using the herbicide Treflan,,
Treflan is the active ingredient in that yellow box of "PREEN"

My job was running the tractor that applied the liquid spray to the soil,, and disked the chemical into the soil.

If applied correctly,, no weeds
If you missed a spot,, weeds as thick as you could imagine,,, (a strip as little as 6" wide showed up VERY distinctly!!)
If you accidentally overlapped,, (double sprayed) ,, nothing grew there that year,, at least for 3 months.
I had to keep that 20,000 pound, dual wheeled tractor at the accurate, correct location next to the last pass,, ALL DAY LONG!!
That was VERY mentally exhausting,, I imagine the computers on the tractors REALLY help these days,,,

So, here it is over 40 years later, and I find a version of Treflan in the store,, I gotta try it,,,

The Preen is kinda weak, but it does work some,, so far,,

I ordered two quarts of the full strength liquid off of eBay, but, I have not applied that,,, yet,,
The liquid is the same strength stuff I applied in the 1970's,,

My box store Preen says it is 100% corn meal gluten.

 

[Jstpssng]

My box store Preen says it is 100% corn meal gluten.

I believe that's the organic version. It increases the N content so that the sprout burns up when it starts growing. You only want to use that around your seedlings, and don't spread it if there are existing weeds or all that it does is make them grow faster.

 

[CADplans]

The word "Preen" is now used like the word "Ford"

there are MANY models,, with many different functions,,,

 

[zoedog2012]

The organic blend didn't work at all, I need to read the label next time I buy. Will not be Preen brand!

 

[sd455dan]

You never know, it might start right up. After my father passed away I was getting things running which had been setting since the Alzheimer's took over his life. His woodsplitter hadn't been run in several years and still had the old gas in it; yet it started right up on the first pull and after changing the oil I've been running it for 2 years.

Well it's Alive- although buying a Predator would have saved some labor for sure...

The air cleaner was left off... Ugh.. and it was outside.

luckily the updraft carb saved the engine.
Went thru the carb, replaced the fuel line and filter after draining and flushing gas tank
.
Recoil starter was totally stuck, had to remove the recoil spring and wash off all the old grease also the 1 way clutch somehow got a bunch of crud in it . A good cleaning of both and I could try pulling it over after changing the engine oil which was just dirty - no sign of water.

Next problem was no spark, so pulled the fly wheel cleaned/filed the points and reset the gap on both the points and flywheel to magneto coil.

Nice hot spark, and the old Briggs 8 horse fired right up, didn't even need much adjustment on the idle or main needle.

greased and topped up the 90 weight and then followed the earlier link for adjusting the reverse spring.

1 tire had a nail in it, so patched it.

Tills Good and both speeds work as does reverse (after reading the earlier posts/ hints) and adjusting.



And Thanks for all the help- especially the link to the owners manual that was in the earlier posts.