# Dayton Tiller - Save Project



## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

Hey folks! I will be attempting to save an old Dayton tiller with 5hp Briggs and Stratton for my next project. Date on this engine for this one is December 1981. Plan is to get it running and use it to till up the hard soil around the sides of my house and shed and get some shade blend grass growing. Fixing old equipment and tools and working on my lawn are my enjoyable to me so it's nice that they go together most of the time.

So here's what I picked up. Not running and hasn't ran in years. Has good compression and all parts are there and price was right at $20. I'll post updates and some walk through photos of what it needs. Offhand I have ordered all new gaskets for the carburetor. It also has no spark after testing with a confirmed good spark plug so I will be upgrading from the 5 points ignition to electronic ignition. This weekend will be some disassembly and cleaning. Gas tank had really old gas and some rust so that will need some thorough cleaning.




























stay tuned and thanks for looking!!


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

Duz It spark? I bet all you have to do is a carb kit and tank cleanup and it will run. Then a nice paint job. Great snag.
:thumbup:


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

I really enjoy watching the progress of these projects. Looking forward to it!


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## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

+1, anxious to follow this.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

I'd be willing to bet that just cleaning up the points would get it sparking again. Those old systems are pretty tough. Of course, simply installing a NOVA module or similar is a bit less work and fairly cheap to boot.


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## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

I'm guessing engine parts can be had for cheap, other mechanicals, not so much. Love the gold color, and cool lines. Reminds me of my grandfather's old riding mower from the late 70's.


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

You can still get Hammerite paint in that color.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=52453976

Rust Oleum has a similar color too.


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

Thanks Gene! That's neat. I'll debate on a full restore with the new paint. That rust is only surface rust right now so I do want to keep it from getting worse.

So here's what I got done over the weekend.

Air filter was of coarse no good but I was glad to see it had one last time it was used! cleaned out the housing and cover.










soaking the new one in oil










I decided to just upgrade to the new electronic ignition rather than clean or replace the older 5 points ignition it has. This is pretty easy as you take the old one off and you can just cut the wires that go behind the flywheel to the 5 points system. Currently it had a little bit of voltage as you could feel a slight shock when turning it over but not enough to give it the spark it needs.










new and old










new one in and setting the gap with a business card



















taking off the exhaust, tank and carb.




























had a surprise waiting for me in the tank. So the green looking tube should have another pick up tube like the orange colored one attached to it. Instead someone had rigged fuel line and a fuel filter for a 2 cycle engine to it and that had broken off!










fuel in the tank was pretty nasty and there was a little rust and debris. So I rinsed it and sprayed it with carb cleaner a few times and I've been letting it soak in vinegar for two days.



















So at this point I have some gaskets that should be arriving today and I think I can pick up a fuel pick up tube locally to put on. Should get to work more on it this week. stay tuned and thanks for looking!


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

I've messed with a few of those gas pickup carbs before and they aren't fun.

Loving the pics, keep them coming.

FWIW I like the gold/rust look. Though I would probably like the clean/new paint look too. Ha


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## gijoe4500 (Mar 17, 2017)

Some fresh gold paint, with N.O.S. stickers (or some vinyl cutter repops) would be slick.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

That method of repairing the fuel pickups is fairly common. Sometimes it works ok, other times not so great.


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

This is my first go around with the fuel pick up tubes. From research I think boiling water to heat the end sounds like the lesser of the evils to get them on. I will plan to heat it and then tap it in place with a block of wood and a hammer. We'll find out. I did get cocky and only bought one tube :shocked:


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

Getting the carburetor in order. Got the gaskets and diaphragm and fuel pick up tube. Cleaned it out with carb cleaner of course.










cleaned up the metal tube with steel wool.










I boiled the tip of the tube checking it about every minute and it took about 4 minutes for it to get pliable.










So I started out tapping it down with a piece of wood and hammer but that was not working as I couldn't hold it all together. So I just used the hammer and kept tapping it down till it seated.. It went smoother than I thought it would. This was my first time doing this.










next was a new spring and cover and diaphragm




























getting the tank and carb installed back on the tiller










new filter and had to put in a new ground wire.










All done!










And wouldn't you know she runs! Took a little tuning of course. The forward and reverse both work. There a few things left to do. The throttle is very touchy where it's either full throttle or nothing and feels tight. So getting the in between sorted out will be next. I will try adjusting the cable and see if that helps. If that's not it I may replace the spring by the cable mechanism. I also plan to change the oil and and gear oil and sharpen the tines. I haven't done a video in a while but I might do one when I get it ready. Well I am pleased at this point. Thanks for looking!


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## SGrabs33 (Feb 13, 2017)

Congrats!


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

Congratulations in restoring the spark of life to this nice critter!
Is it me or is the governor mechanism that regulates the speed, missing on this engine. That would explain it only having two throttle settings that work. When the engine runs it makes a force that counterbalances the throttle return spring. I don't see it in any of your pictures nor in any of the piles of parts. It might also have its own spring,(spring at bottom left in picture facing flywheel) and its linkage would probably attach somewhere near where the throttle cable attaches.
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/faqs/browse/governor-system.html
There are mechanical flyweight govs too that have a shaft that comes through the crankshaft and connect to the throttle 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK2sZjavTaw
I see the spring for a mechanical governor but none of he interconnecting parts. The above video shows a similar engine .


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

Thanks guys.

Yeah I think you are right Gene. Mine is the older version with the pull choke and I did find a diagram with it on there. apparently it looks to just adjust the choke based on the throttle. It runs fine without it after tuning it so I'll still try to dial it in. There is another governor spring below the tank at the base of the linkage and there is a way to adjust it on it's own so I will try that as well. Doesn't seem like a deal breaker at all, Thank goodness!


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

The first Briggs powered mower my dad let me pick circa 1959 had that pull choke. The choke is either on or off and is not involved with the throttle butterfly which is controlled by the governor linkage and the throttle setting/spring. The governor does not govern the speed but rather tells the throttle butterfly/plate/disc what the speed is. There has to be a linkage between them. No amount of twiddling with what you have there will make it work right.
You can operate without a governor but it would be a major pain.
Probably the easiest way to find the assemblies you need will be to find a friendly small engine repair guy who has a pile of used parts.


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## MasterMech (Sep 24, 2017)

You'd know real fast if there was not an operable governor on this engine. It will run at about 5000+ rpms until it self-destructs or you put enough load on it to calm it down.

EDIT: I see you posted a pic of the freshly oiled replacement element! Consider the following as information for 3rd parties then.

Make sure you oil that new air filter element. I like to use a tacky oil made just for this purpose, usually found where off-road toys are sold, but you can just soak it in plain engine oil, and squeeze it out good into a rag until it's lightly oiled throughout. Without the oil, it won't filter well at all.


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

There is a governor spring on the bottom linkage by the tank that does connect to another rod linkage that runs to the throttle control on the carburetor. It's official name is the "governor spring", part number 796260, cause it's the one I was thinking of replacing due to wear. So I'm not entirely sure which function I'm missing but it doesn't seem to effect the engine not running at the right speed. the throttle cable brings it up and down fine it just seems touchy for the range the lever has. But I can bring the rpm's up and down fine and it does stay where I set it. I'll just keep messing it and probably lookout for a similar era engine on something broke and not running.


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

So I got a new governor spring and that helped smooth it out some. It's not near as jumpy throttling up and down. I changed the oil out on it. Needed it bad of course but it's running good. If it wasn't for potential SNOW and 25 degree temps this weekend I would be using it for sure! Now it will be put off a week or too but I'll try to get some action shots or a quick video.


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## OutdoorEnvy (Sep 27, 2017)

The cap for the throttle lever is missing and adjusting it without it is trickier and uncomfortable. So I needed to address that. Well I have a fondness for axes and particularly restoring vintage ones so I decided to bring that touch to the tiller. I took an old hatchet handle that would not be used and cut the end off and proceeded to make a handle for the throttle lever. I like it! It's comfortable and adds a little personal touch!














































thanks for looking!


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## gene_stl (Oct 29, 2017)

:thumbup:


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