# Finally got a Gravely!!



## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

Hi All!

I've been wanting a Gravely for years, mostly for a brush cutter to maintain a few acres of my 30-acre Massachusetts property, and to make some trails in the woods.

In the last few months I've been actively searching, since I found one for sale nearby that has a plow and sickle bar mower, for a mere $1,000!

I read on the forum all the time about free and cheap tractors for sale, but never seem to find any like that around here... until last week!

I found a 1961 LI, with electric start and governor, and a 30" brush mower for $0.00!! My favorite price! All I had to do was drive for 4 hours round trip to get it.

I managed to get it into the back of my Honda Odyssey by myself, using some planks, chain, and a come-along. It was actually much easier getting it in the van than getting it out!

Overall it looks pretty good to me. Everything that's supposed to move, seems to move, and everything that's not supposed to move seems not to move!

Four problems I see right off are: The gas tank has a load of loose rust inside. The fan belt is pretty worn. The tires are very cracked. One leaks pretty fast, the other seems to hold air. The chain on the starter is very rusty, and doesn't want to move much. And the choke plate and shaft are stuck, and won't move at all.

I'll try and pull the chain off, soak it in oil, and see if that helps, but will probably replace it once the tractor's running.

I'll probably have to remove the carb soak it in cleaning solution, and see if I can get the choke working.

I removed the spark plug, and squirted a little oil in the cylinder before I turned the engine by hand. The top of the piston was pretty crud-filled, but an air blast cleaned it up, and the engine turns just fine.

The magneto "clicks" but I haven't checked to see if it sparks.

The plug looks pretty good, but needs a gap adjustment before I try to start the engine.

All the levers and cables work, except that (what I assume is) the choke cable is rusted solid, and the end is not connected.

Now I start my serious research, and look for answers to all of my Gravely questions!


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

*Getting it started...actually, keeping it stopped!*

So, I read posts and see videos about people getting a Gravely from out under the old oak tree where it's been sitting since before color TV, and they put some old gas in it, pull the rope (once) and it starts!

So how hard could it be for me to start a Gravely that's only been sitting outside "for a few years?"

Very.

I removed the rusty chain from my "new" Gravely, soaked it in oil, worked each link over and over, bought a new master link ($1.70 at Ace), put it back on, connected up a battery, and it turned over!

So, I gathered my family around, gapped the plug, gave it a quick squirt of starting fluid for "fuel", pressed the starter, and... 

NO START! 

Not a puff, Not a pop. Nothing!

As the family gathering slowly broke up (Poor dad. Another one of his "deals"), I took a closer look.

I first noticed that the plug "wire" was not copper, but one of those "new" carbon ones. 

Not Good.

Then I realized that I only hear the magneto "click" once when the engine turned.

Definitely Not Good.

I removed the plug, grounded it, and turned over the engine. I saw one weak blue spark.

One.

After playing around with it for the next hour, I got a total of one spark.

One.

So I removed the magneto, looked inside, turned it over, and it seems to be mechanically OK. 

I connected up a piece of wire between the output and the case, and turned the shaft.

It does click every time, but I can't seem to get a spark.

So I'm hoping that the points and/or condenser need replacement.

I did test the coil for continuity, and it test OK, though that doesn't mean much except that it's not definitely broken...yet.

I noticed that the magnet seemed fairly weak. Since it's my first time wandering around inside a magneto, I don't know if that means anything.

So, looks like the weeds will be getting a bit longer this week, while I try to figure this out.

So much for "I dumped some old gas into it and it started right up!"


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

have you checked the points for a clean contact face, you need to file the contact faces and finish off with some fine grade wet and dry emery paper (use dry)and then wipe the contacts with a clean cloth.

I would imagine that from sitting for so long that the contact faces would be coated with crud, after cleaning and polishing and the spark doesn't improve, I would replace the condenser, the fact you are getting a faint blue spark shows the coil still has life in it.

good wishes in getting your new found baby back to life


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

*Thanks!*

Hi Fred,

Thanks for the suggestions. My next step is to clean up the points and re-adjust them.

According to what I've found, this magneto was used on other brands besides Gravely, and may even have been installed on old Harleys.

I was looking at replacement points and condensers, and was interested to see that the price seems to vary depending on the brand of tractor (or motorcycle) it's used on.

Th condenser shouldn't be an expensive, mysterious item, but more like a stock item used in many different applications.

I guess I've been working on stuff too long... I still remember buying a set of points and condenser for only $3-$4!!!


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## film495 (Nov 1, 2013)

points and condenser are cheap medicine, just get a quality part. sounds like you're on the right track. I've had a few old machines and eve eventually got going, a really rewarding experience if you can win, and get it to work again for not too much $$. If you can find a maintenance/owner manual I'd just go through all the things it says to check top to bottom and save the $$ on things like tires until after you get it going.


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## PaulL (Aug 9, 2015)

You can download free manuals at www.gtcoa.com. Richard's Lawn & Garden in WV has a good supply of parts for older Gravelys. http://www.gravelyparts.com/ There are several other sources. Parts are not hard to obtain. The LI is a good speed for many tasks. Good luck.


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

film495: Before I spent any money, I cleaned up the points, and that did it! Nice bright spark now!

PaulL: Thanks for the link. I used it to download the repair, parts, and operating manuals, which will be a big help.

Now that I've got the magneto magnetoing, I've got to re-install it. 

I've seen all kinds of videos and instructions on how to time it. 

The videos I've seen all get the piston to TDC, then back it off an inch, then bring it back to (I think) 3/8".

But if I'm reading the manual for the LI right, all I have to do is loosen the coupling, get the piston to TDC, set the magneto to the line on the case, and tighten the coupling while holding a feeler gauge to maintain the proper spacing.

I have the engine with the angled spark plug, and I can see the piston clearly to position it.

It sounds too easy... !!


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

If anyone has any tips on getting the timing right, I'd appreciate the help.


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## PaulL (Aug 9, 2015)

If you removed the mag without disturbing the set screw coupling on the shaft you should be able to reinstall it without messing with timing, assuming that the tractor ran for the PO with the set screw collar as found. Just make sure it is on the right part of the cycle. I assume that you set the point gap per the manual. With the mag off the tractor, ground the spark plug wire to the mag case (through a spark plug) and rotate the input coupling until the impulse just fires. Rotate the engine to just before TDC on the compression stroke. That should be close enough to reassemble the mag and fiber coupling to the set screw coupling (without moving the set screw coupling on the shaft) and be assured that the mag is firing on the compression stroke and not on the exhaust stroke. 
If you moved the set screw collar on the shaft then you will need to follow the instructions in the manual. I used the depth bar on the end of a HF caliper to set the piston position with respect to TDC. You can also use a screwdriver, masking tape and a ruler in place of the caliper.


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

Thanks, PaulL.

I should have marked the coupling and magneto before I took it off, but I didn't. I wanted to just set it as per manual, to be sure it was right. No telling what happened before I got it!

The instructions I found showed a procedure where the piston is brought to TDC then backed off a certain distance, then brought up again another distance. But this was on engines that had the spark plug standing straight up. mine is the angled one.

I'll look again at all of the manuals I downloaded, but all I've found so far says just to bring it to TDC, align the magneto to the mark, and done.

It sounds too easy.

Do you know if the engine I have still needs the more detailed procedure of TDC, back, then up again?


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## PaulL (Aug 9, 2015)

The closest manual I could find on GTCOA was for a 1960 L. It has the setting at TDC. I suggest finding TDC by measuring rather than by eye. If you need help with a method let me know. It will be Saturday before I can reply.


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

Hi All,

So, I got the magneto installed today, timed it to TDC, sprayed some starting fluid, and turned it over. 

I got a few puffs of smoke, so it looks like it's firing OK.

Progress!

Then I removed the carburetor for cleaning, and to try to free up the stuck choke shaft.

I tried to find a model number on the carb, but could not find anything that looks right.

All I could find was on the bottom half casting, and it says, "Zenith Made in U.S.A. B 5"

Shouldn't there be a model number somewhere? Or is "B 5" the model?

I thought the cast iron carbs were model 61 or 161?

Thanks!


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

Hi Again!

I just took the carb out of the cleaning solution, after giving it a 4-hour swim.

The cast iron looks a lot cleaner, with most of the internal rust gone.

All of the brass is nice and shiny!

The float is ok.

I wasn't able to remove one or two of the screw-in jets, so I'll try again tomorrow.

The choke shaft is really stuck, though I was able to get it to move a tiny bit, and I'm soaking it in PB Blaster.


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## film495 (Nov 1, 2013)

smoke is a good sign, a motivator for sure I bet


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

*Identify This Carburetor?*

So, I took the carburetor off my LI, cleaned it up, and found the following markings:

Zenith
Made In U.S.A.
B 5

Then on a circular brass tag:

L806
9995C

I've attached pics of both.

From what I can find with a search, this is what I've seen called a "Zenith 161" carb. It looks like the actual Zenith model number is 9995C.

I'm not sure what the difference is between a "61" and "161" though. I've seen this carb called by both numbers.


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## film495 (Nov 1, 2013)

I would hazzard a guess B5 is the model of the carb here ..


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## alleyandy (Aug 1, 2016)

So, it looks like 9995C is the actual model of the carb.

Searches for model 9995C find many listings of Zenith carbs, parts, repair kits, and different equipment where this carb is used.


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