# Where to buy parts



## Melvins mutters (9 mo ago)

Looking for a place to buy parts for an old Sears 14/6. New carb, points, gaskets etc. Perhaps find out what spec oil to run in the diff. Maybe some service Info too. Tractor still runs but it surges and it's old gettin kinda poopy, wanna show it some love. Been in the family since new in 78 I'm the 3rd gen owner

Tractor Data website says it's Tecumseh oh140.


----------



## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Melvins mutters said:


> Looking for a place to buy parts for an old Sears 14/6. New carb, points, gaskets etc. Perhaps find out what spec oil to run in the diff. Maybe some service Info too. Tractor still runs but it surges and it's old gettin kinda poopy, wanna show it some love. Been in the family since new in 78 I'm the 3rd gen owner
> 
> Tractor Data website says it's Tecumseh oh140.


OK.... Good news and Bad news. The good news is that 14/6 was made back in the day when Roper was building the Sears mowers and they were really reliable machines. The bad news is the Tecumseh OH140. Good engine, but it probably has the Tecumseh Solid State Ignition (SSI) on it. No need to worry about finding points, you more than likely have a 45 year old transistorized ignition system that is NLA (no longer available) and hasn't been since 2009. *When* the ignition fails (it's not a matter of IF), the engine essentionally becomes a boat anchor.

There are web sites out there that offer engineered ignition systems that will supposedly work, but they usually run $150 to $200. If you come across a used OEM Tecumseh SSI unit on E-bay, it's a roll of the dice as to IF and how long it's gonna work.

I hate to drop this news on you, but you need to understand up front, if your OH140 has that 45 year old OEM SSI unit it's on borrowed time. I'd hate to see you drop a lot of money into that unit because it's been in your family so long, only to find out later (the hard way) about the Tecumseh SSI unit replacement problem. If you have something that looks the picture below.... It's a Tecumseh SSI Unit


----------



## Melvins mutters (9 mo ago)

Yeah it is a soild state ignition. Says on the engine cover. That is unfortunate news. I really love that ole tractor I got all the attachments with it.... Is there another engine option that's close enough for a semi direct swap? Like a Kohler k series


----------



## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

_*"I really love that ole tractor" *_

Depends on how much because new modern horizontal engines can get pricey, even a 14HP single cylinder...... There's a CH440 Kohler, a 25V332 Briggs Vanguard, or a Predator 420 from Harbor Freight. CH440 runs $850... Briggs 25V332 runs $875. Both are 1,000 hour commercial engines and come with 3 year warranties. Both can be set up with electric start. 420 Predator runs $400, I've personally never seen one make it past 300-400 hours, and it comes with a 90 warranty. 420 comes from HF with electric start, but don't count on that wonderful piece of Chinese engineering to last more than a coupe of years. Their starters are complete trash.

If you can find an old/tired K321 Kohler for $100-$200, rebuilding it is probably the cheapest way to go. A Stens overhaul kit for a K321 is $130. Adding a new rod with dipper is another $35. Once you've done that, you've got an engine that will last another 3 generations and not really screwed with the vintage aura of the machine for $170 in parts.......

Ch440 Kohler
25v332 Briggs Vanguard
420 Predator
K321 Overhaul Kit


----------



## Melvins mutters (9 mo ago)

I know a dude who's got an old John Deere with a k321. I bought a cub with a k321 too. I'm pretty new to these garden tractors. But I really like em. That I save tractors guy got me interested in them and I have always had that Sears. But I'll find another k321 that I know I can do


----------



## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Melvins mutters said:


> I know a dude who's got an old John Deere with a k321. I bought a cub with a k321 too. I'm pretty new to these garden tractors. But I really like em. That I save tractors guy got me interested in them and I have always had that Sears. But I'll find another k321 that I know I can do


Be careful..... Once you get started, it can turn into an addiction, and people will be asking you "What the hell is that?" 









These guys are like major crack dealers when it comes to vintage lawn tractors
Vintage Garden Tractor Crack Dealers

Hit their "Sample Magazine" button at your own risk, but don't say I didn't warn you.


----------



## Melvins mutters (9 mo ago)

Oh trust me I know about that problem I had like 3 different Ford rangers at any one time for the last decade. They were just so cheap and parts were cheap easy to fix. The last one I had I built it from 3 trucks before I scrapped em. Lol I'm getting away from the trucks and cars scene. All that works and they just rust out on ya. I'm from Ohio. At least tractors last a few generations ya know. And the little ones are fun to play with.


----------



## Melvins mutters (9 mo ago)

I caught a lead on a front loader bucket for my 1425 cub. I need something to grade dirt with and plow snow etc. Don't have enough yard for a quad or big tractor but I can use a little cub for awhile. Besides the ones with loaders and stuff sell pretty quick. Alot people use em to clean horse stalls. They fit better than the full size ones and cheaper than a skid steer.


----------



## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

Melvins mutters said:


> I caught a lead on a front loader bucket for my 1425 cub. I need something to grade dirt with and plow snow etc. Don't have enough yard for a quad or big tractor but I can use a little cub for awhile. Besides the ones with loaders and stuff sell pretty quick. Alot people use em to clean horse stalls. They fit better than the full size ones and cheaper than a skid steer.



Wow, I would think that it would take awhile to clean horse stalls with a 1425 with a bucket........I complain about how long it takes me with my CK3510 Kioti with a 66 inch bucket.......LOL.....I guess I have it way better then I think.......


----------



## Melvins mutters (9 mo ago)

Depends on how many horses you have. And it sure beats shoveling. Lol


----------



## bOB dAVIS (Jan 7, 2019)

Melvins mutters said:


> Yeah it is a soild state ignition. Says on the engine cover. That is unfortunate news. I really love that ole tractor I got all the attachments with it.... Is there another engine option that's close enough for a semi direct swap? Like a Kohler k series


I had an old Sears mower and it had an o an opposed twin like the briggs


----------



## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

Melvins mutters said:


> Depends on how many horses you have. And it sure beats shoveling. Lol



I agree........Any FEL beats shoveling................I have 5 in the barn right now and that is about 6 too many...........LOL........But, their "summer quarters" is an open front type barn so, no shed row to mess with............I have 4 foot double stall doors on each stall so I can open both doors and reach most of the stall with the tractor and FEL......


----------



## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Melvins mutters said:


> I caught a lead on a front loader bucket for my 1425 cub. I need something to grade dirt with and plow snow etc. Don't have enough yard for a quad or big tractor but I can use a little cub for awhile. Besides the ones with loaders and stuff sell pretty quick. Alot people use em to clean horse stalls. They fit better than the full size ones and cheaper than a skid steer.


I've seen a lot of people attempt to put front load buckets on small lawn tractors. The thing they found out pretty quickly is that you're putting several 100 pounds of weight on your average 15x6.00-8 4-ply pneumatic tires, 5/8" axles shaft, and relatively small ball bearing rims. Most small lawn tractor steering knuckles also weren't designed to take those sort of loads and neither was the front axle pivot bearing, if so equipped.

Average moisture content fill dirt weighs around 2,000lbs to the cubic yard. I don't know the # for a cubic yard of horse manure, but I've seen examples of it being pretty heavy on comments in this Forum at times.

Add a portion of the weight of the loader attachment, and then dangle it 2' out in front of the center line of the front axle on your average 500-600lbs lawn tractor. If you run the quick "holy crap" math on that scenario, you begin to see there appears to somewhat of a stress problem with the idea that might affect the long term durability of the machine.


----------

