Re-Powering a lawnmower - worthwhile ?

Colin,
i had an old Wheel Horse ride on that we used for "rough mowing" around the place and it had a shagged 11 HP B&S on it, but structurally the mower body was in very good condition.
It was a very well built quality unit, so anything that did look like wearing out was easily repaired.
I purchased one of those 13 hp "Chonda" engines as a replacement for it.
It is absolutely brilliant, I only run it at a fast idle and it will charge through any amount of long grass/weeds, etc. and does it all on a miserly amount of fuel. It's a lecci start, but instead of having a battery in it i just use my jumper pack to fire it up and believe me, you can't stall it, it will never stop until the key is turned off.
The donk is about five years old now and still going as strong as the day i bought it.

Cheers, Mick.

I bought a B & S powered Rover Scott Bonnar new about 35 years ago and it starts practically first time every time due of course to my maintenance.....😉
It smokes a bit but not unduly so at least not enough to smoke the neighbours out and I thought about getting it reringed or whatever but I simply don’t trust the standard of workmanship from some of the repairers I’ve used for blade sharpening etc. in the past.
I caught one hammering the soft metal of the coupling on with a bare faced hammer instead of using a bit of wood to soften the blows.
I remonstrated with him in no uncertain terms and questioned his skills..... “I’m not a tradesman” was his answer!
Anyone could see that.
I like a reel mower as opposed to a slasher type, love the look of the lawn afterwards even if I have sweated heaps to get it like it. 😀
What to do? Maybe just think about it a while during our lockdown......
AlanH.

Well the Sanli (Chonda) is still going but every now and again it smokes like crazy then stops so I've been thinking about re-powering again.
Then the young bloke brought home another Sanli he found on hard rubbish. The return spring on the recoil starter has broken, starts & runs OK so looks like I'm re-powering the Sanli with another Sanli motor, just need to move the recoil starter mechanism !

Also collected, free, two old Stihl brushcutters. I'll see if they will work with some TLC. One looks almost identical to a McCulloch (actually Shindaiwa), I wonder if they made them for Stihl.


Colin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gromit

Well the Sanli (Chonda) is still going but every now and again it smokes like crazy then stops so I've been thinking about re-powering again.
Then the young bloke brought home another Sanli he found on hard rubbish. The return spring on the recoil starter has broken, starts & runs OK so looks like I'm re-powering the Sanli with another Sanli motor, just need to move the recoil starter mechanism !

Also collected, free, two old Stihl brushcutters. I'll see if they will work with some TLC. One looks almost identical to a McCulloch (actually Shindaiwa), I wonder if they made them for Stihl.


Colin

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I've had a sanli for over 10 years.

Only issues are the handle is weak where it used to fold (got bolts through it now) and has a tendency to accumulate water in the bottom of the carb, which is easily drained by undoing the little bolt at the bottom. Gets a splash of metho in the fuel to help prevent this as well.

Have had the recoil spring break, just take it apart and bend a new tang.

From memory there is also a larger spring inside that actually spins the motor using force generated by pulling the rope.

You really don't want this to uncoil. Real pita to repack. Have a spring clamp handy to hold it in place when you dismantle.

DL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 350RRC

I've had a sanli for over 10 years.

Only issues are the handle is weak where it used to fold (got bolts through it now) and has a tendency to accumulate water in the bottom of the carb, which is easily drained by undoing the little bolt at the bottom. Gets a splash of metho in the fuel to help prevent this as well.

Have had the recoil spring break, just take it apart and bend a new tang.

From memory there is also a larger spring inside that actually spins the motor using force generated by pulling the rope.

You really don't want this to uncoil. Real pita to repack. Have a spring clamp handy to hold it in place when you dismantle.

DL

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Just had to move the recoil spring from the old to the 'new' Sanli ! I've bent a new tang in the past, recoiling the clockwork spring is 'fun'.
Decided to do the motor swap as I went to start the mower today and it wouldn't fire. Removed the plug and found it packed full of oily dirt, cleaned the plug and it ran but was very smokey.

There were a few minor differences between the two but it's now fitted.

I'm sure the young bloke will try and sell my old motor.


Colin

Used mine today, was a bit dusty and it started running rich so the air cleaner will get blown out tomorrow.

It doesn't have the secondary spring in the recoil unit, I had it mixed up with one of my chainsaws.............. probably because everything I have that is pull start has cord from the stihl shop in it.

DL