Seeing that Troybilt tiller brings back some memories. Around 1978-79, my dad bought one just like that for me. I was 15 or so. I don't remember ever asking for a rototiller.
And at that same time James Underwood Crockett doing "The Victory Garden" with WGBH in Boston, on Public TV. Those were the days. He used a Troy Bilt Horse in his raised beds as I recall.
A few weeks back someone gave me 2 that had been sitting in a shed since 83 I worked on one got it running good and sanded down and repaint you can find it under the coonass way
It is refreshing to see someone who actually diagnoses problems. Before my career in the Army I was a line mechanic and was amazed by the lack of knowledge among "parts changers". Small engine repair is fairly new to me, and is a different ballgame from larger machines. I appreciate the knowledge that you share.
Ray do you remember James Underwood Crockett and "The Victory Garden" show on WGBH in Boston? (circa late 1970's) He used a Horse in his raised beds as I recall. Every time I hear Troy Bilt I remember him.
I built a go kart around one of these engines. They are damn near indestructible, run awesome, and last a very long time even without maintenance. wish they made stuff like that today. I put an electronic points eliminator on it, and it started on the first pull every time, even with crappy gas. Nice score!
I recently sorted out a 5HP Briggs that had been stored full of fuel, had crusty points too. Carb gaskets, new plug and points, oil change and air filter cleaned. It runs like brand new, not bad for 1978.
I love those old, real Troy-Bilt Tillers. I have 4 of the Horse tillers and 1 Pony, just like the one in this video. I also have a 1952 David Bradley Walking Tractor with a lot of implements. I use all of them every year for my gardens.
Troy bilt used to be great at least in Canada. They sold out to MTD, lost the cast cylinder sleeve and use Koehler engines. I have been lucky on fixing mine, but they are cheap now. Dad had this one you are working in and the one with Bicycle wheels. Old Troys are the best
Your capacity for explaining how things work is well above average. In this short video you unraveled multiple mysteries for me. I just bought the same tiller, same vintage also. Mine runs fine but now I know why. Many thanks
Hey, been a while since i've watched one of your videos. They are still very interesting and so informative. Your camera work and explanations are great. Thanks for your time, work and posts.
Mustie has inspired me to go to my local small engine shop and ask for a junker motor that would be tossed and I could dis-assemble to learn. They gave me a HONDA HXA 17 ($700) that looks and works like new !! Customer had hit orange baling twine and twisted around rear axle. Bought a new mower rather than pay to repair. ONLY problem is that its not self-propelled now. So I get to repair that. THANK YOU MUSTIE !!
I inherited a tiller just like this. Thanks so much for the inside story of how she's put together. By the way, I have the exact same issue with the drive belt. Hopefully, I can effect a repair just like you did. Thanks again!
I know this is an old video. I owned a Pony Model from 1984 till 2010 when I passed it on to my son in law who still uses it. First or second pull and it started every time. I remember that the wheels were driven when the L shaped handle was turned to the right and the tines turned when you pushed in the black knob . I don't think I saw your wheels drive. When working together it is a one handed job and very smooth on garden soil. Best tiller I ever used, hands down. Love your videos !!
Just picked up a slightly newer model with the plastic tank and a 3 hp engine. Had spark already. Added PBP blaster to the cylinder overnight. New plug and it fired up. Found a crack in the plastic fitting between carb and fuel line. Added some Sea Foam to the fuel and adjusted the carb and ran for 30 minutes. Changing oil and gear box now. Will replace the old drive belt and it should run and till like almost new. Thanks Mustie for the guide to these older units from Troy Built.
I’m working on a Troy Bilt tiller now. She runs for a few minutes and stalls. Gas cap is good, carb cleaned. I’m going to remove the flywheel and check the points for wear, adjustment and corrosion. If they are bad I’ll convert it to electronic ignition. What a change working on a piece of equipment WITHOUT PLASTIC all over it. This darn thing is built like a tank! This thing will be passed down to generations, it’s a damn shame we can’t get equipment engineered and built like this today.
If you don't want it to run away on you, you need to take smaller bites at a time. With ground that isn't tilled you need to start one notch down on the depth lever and run over it a couple of times before you go down another notch.
Your explanation of that carburetor is excellent. I have a generator with exactly the same engine and it needed the same carb and gas tank service you showed. Thanks!
I got a quick I bought that same exact one I get it running but after that it wasn't going I opened where belts there something missing from the rod that shifts forward and reverse couldn't send me a picture looking at that could you so I can make one.? Would highly appreciate it and great videos thanks
My dad bought that same Troy Bilt rototiller back in the very late 70s or early 80s. I remember it well because he told me it costs $750 brand new. So, $5 for the one you bought is a great deal. BTW, I now own that same tiller and it still works great.
thanks for posting this. I have one just like it in about the same condition with the same issues. never really worked on one of these, so you helped me before I even got started, so thank you.. I see you have an old kee mower which I also have and need to repair. thanks for posting all your videos. you help more people than you even realize.
love that tiller. I never find em for $5.00, but I did buy a 20 year old BCS tiller sitting in an old warehouse off a guy who only used it a couple of times and parked it. No rust and only 8 hours on the Italian Acme 6 horse. still looked new.Got it for $200.00. after watching you clean carbs numerous times I was finally able to order a complete carb kit for $50.00 and replaced a few fuel lines. Runs like new. thanks to your vids.
that is a great help!!! I run a tiller of a similar vintage, I do love the older machines!!! Mine also has trouble with the proper tension on the belt. I'll be looking to tighten it the way you did on your tiller. Great video, thank you very much! So yes, I did subscribe!!
My dad bought me a VW Beetle used for a graduation present. Spent the same money on my brother's first car, a std shift six banger Biscayne, but it was new. Dad said, I'll buy it but you must maintain it. Those words came back to haunt me six months later, when it dropped an exhaust valve. Dad found me a mechanic, who worked at a Farm Tractor shop, did their chain saw work. Nights and weekends he donned his VW hat and he did Beetles and Vans. I had enough money for parts only. So he let me work out the labor portion of the bill. I'm about 30 videos into Mustie 1, Darren is awesome isn't he folks? I told my wife it was like being 19 again and in the shop with Vernon. Thanks Mustie 1, you strike deep chords within many of us. Thanks for the videos. Which brings me to a question: who were your mentors Mustie 1?
Thanks for the demo. I have an older troy built Horse and plan on doing the work in the spring and tilling the garden. Looked up the price for a Horse equivalent and it was about $3,000. Prices have certainly change. Thanks again.
I had 2 of the troy bilt tillers. They were identical except for the rotation of the tines. Had to sell the forward rotating one. Took too much work trying to keep it from running away from me. The counter rotating one fights the wheels and digs in. Love that one. Great video! Wish I could find deals like that!
I never knew how to work on small engines. Watching videos on youtube like yours gave me the confidence to find out why my Honda Generator wouldn't run. I fixed it and it runs like new. Thank you for all your videos, I heard it's time consuming to edit video.
That choke slide reminds me of the original engine on an edger I had about 40 years ago. Even the engine sounded the same. I had just arrived from U.K. and had a lawn to deal with. Had no spare cash. A neighbor found an edger on the junk heap and brought it to me. Covered in grease and dirt. I took it all apart, made it go again and that thing served me for 20 years or more. The frame base was solid cast aluminum so it was solid as a rock. I eventually gave it to someone in going condition.
I too enjoy your videos. Ten years ago, I answered an add for a Troy-Built tiller and found it a victim of someone who didn't know what they were doing. I found that it had been dropped at some point, and being all cast iron, it bent the axle enough that I had to cut one end off to get it out. The cast iron Tecumseh needed a new carb and started on the first pull until it got cold and I used the TB blade to move snow. I plan on rebuilding the OEM one day, but 'til then a Honda 160 bolted up like it was made for it and works well. Keith L. P.S. My tiller is considered the antique as that model was recently sold at ACE.
I have never done anything with an engine before and maybe never do ( living in a flat 28 high in China ),but i'm learning a lot from your RU-vid. Please keep explaining these things ( even if you think its simple). Thise small things and simple checks ( to you) are great to learn. At least i know now what the people at the garage are talking about.
Just working on my late dad's troybilt tiller today and got interrupted by my neighbors ricochet Bullet coming into the shop door way. Scared the crap out of me. Thanks for the video, will finish tiller Tomorrow.
Rear tines and large wheels: the best rototiller configuration. Used all over the planet. Great explanation of the carburetor fuel pickup and delivery system. I never knew that was how, or that type... As well as the fuel pump configuration. Basic diaphragm and check valve. Now i know. ....what's for dinner?
I bought a small front tine tiller once, with a Honda...Brother borrowed it, haven't seen it since. Been about 10 years....Don't buy a front tine machine.....You have to pick up on it to engage the soil, versus just putting your weight down on a rear tine machine....Great job Mustie!
I had a horse model. So well built and heavy. The Forward tine drive standard was silly . You hit a big rock or root , hang on for a drag face first through the dirt! Let go and it will tear down your fence or worst. COUNTER rotating tines is the key to control and tilling.
Once a year I rent a small roto tiller for my garden. I’m going to start looking for a cheapie at a garage sale and use some of my new found knowledge to get it into working order!! Thanks again for the great vid!
Great buy! I bought the larger version of this tiller. Had the same problems. On the larger engine the points are located on the side and the carburetor has a separate fuel pump. This is my second season using the tiller without any issues other then a little tire leak. Plenty of thread, but dry rot, tires look to be original. When a chance I will use a tube. They are strong machines great finds when you can get them.
Maaan. My dad used one like this. But he didn't do things by the book like you. For some reason every father in that time loved to turn the idle down to a fire every half second. Moving it, he sounded like a Vietnamese farmer. And 1 wheel was rusted solid on it. So he couldn't move it unless you turned it on and slowly walked it.
I had a 8 hp. Troybuilt for years Great machine. Don't try to go too deep on unbroken ground. Break it up.and then go deeper. Also if tines get pointy it's time replace them. Makes a big difference.
Brilliant, I have an old billy goat leaf sucker it tuns well but a pig to start! Now I understand how the fuel system works now will get it striped and service. Kind regards Mal. 👍
That gelatin looking stuff I have noticed by fixing a few machines in the free pile is when someone goes overboard on the Sta-bil fuel preservative. Good video, and even better deal.
I have that tiller, bought it missing the head. As an FYI I put the Predator 212cc on mine, you lose reverse but it's a light enough unit that you don't really need it.
I used to repair old harleys, mostly pan heads. At that time they made a product that we called sloshing compound. When we cleaned a tank we would use that. Pour some in and make sure you coat the whole tank, then pour out the excess. It would form a new bladder inside the tank and not only cover the inside of the tank but would seal leaks. Don’t know if they still make it. Love your videos.
Mustie1 I'm working on my grandpops tiller just like this one. Still has the receipt from 76' haha. I had it apart last year and cleaned the carb out and ran good. Went to run it last night and it struggles. Likes to stall when put in gear, and seams to not wanna run with much load on it when it gets hot. Figured I'd ask someone before ripping into it again. Gas is from last year, had maybe an ⅛ tank. Put fresh in, maybe not good enough. Thanks
Nice old Troy built tiller,when I lived in Arkansas we had a old front tire tiller I think it was a old true value hardware tiller with a good old 5hp Briggs & Stratton engine on it & you could take the tines off & put wheels on the front & a plow attachment on the back when you take off the original wheels in the back which was held on only by a pin & key
Tillerific 🤪 I grabbed an old school tiller off the Facebook marketplace for free, I would say it’s from the 50s and I have yet to delve into it but I’m definitely looking forward to it now.
Thanks for covering the carburetor. I just bought pretty much exactly this tiller (only difference I can see is mine has an electric start), and replacing that diaphragm was all it took to get her up and running.
I got rid of one just like it. It had a cool feature, reverse was achieved with a PTO coming off the back case and attached to the cam drive. I'm sure it was common but as a kid building mini bikes and go-carts I had never seen it before.
Cool that you were able to bring it back. I bought a Troy-Bilt Pony tiller to turn my compost heap. I tried it out and it couldn't budge it. I think these tillers are for cultivating loose broken ground not for turning or prepping a garden. You need either the biggest one they offer or something else.
Dude I just love your stuff. I don’t have much of a shop (it’s just my parking spot), but I have just enough tools to do the job. I’ve watched most of your vids and damned if I haven’t gotten enough machines fixed to actually make a few bucks! Flea markets and garage sales are what I’ve been using as my sources and there ya go. Thanks for all the lessons. Carburetors have always been a mystery to me, but you’ve taken care of that!!
That is exactly what I did with my dad's Pony Tiller. I sacrificed having a reverse but the Predator is inexpensive, easy to remove the governor and I have a dozen for various applications . They give me no trouble at all. I even built a "Doom Buggy" out of a China made 4 wheel fat tire kids machine. It hauls ass. No point is messing with a 40 year old Tecumseh!
I have the same engine on my tiller. My tank was rusted like that and I cleaned it by putting mineral spirits and a handful of nuts and bolts inside and shaking the hell out of it. Worked pretty well.
Yeah my dad gave me his troybuilt before he died and then the carb got so loose that the tiller was sucking air. Then i think a tierod broke because of the air leak. Happened to a car my son used to drive. gotta watch what the shade tree mechanics do with those motors. But Im not callin you a shade tree mechanic Mustie1! Your videos have been very informative and I appreciate the money you have saved me. It looks like there is two pullies and I think the one towards the engine is for the wheels. On those Troybuilts the wheels are a huge part of the total success of the machine. Also I think you might have your tines set too low for your first pass.
Nicely fixed roto horse tiller KOHLER 8 . FUEL PUMP GAS LINES & FILTERS. Wold like to fix my mom's which needs all this one did but mom's needs a fuel tank. Here is the model number 12059 Serial 12059 Thanks pattyperformance
@Mustie1, great video (as always) I wish you would take more time on older stuff like this & go more in-depth. I will admit that I am EXTREMELY NEW to even looking at a motor and never in my life would have known the way this tiller worked! Your knowledge is vast & appreciated. Thank you
I usually update these older motors with points to a pointless coil so I don't have to mess with the points again. The larger motors are harder to find used coils for however. Can't beat these old Troybuilt rototillers. Fantastic score and good recovery.
You can also fill the tank up with some 99cent vinegar, it'll eat the rust completely gone and leave the inside a dark gray steel color after washing. Only problem it takes about 2days but for the price and safety it's a good option.. Oh and soaking combustion parts like Pistons/valves/heads in sea foam works wonders on carbon built up, even the really tough stuff, does it work good for cleaning carb, and jets?
Many rear tine tillers have the tendency to "run away" or "buck" in tough soil conditions. Also, they tend to wander or drift when one half of the tiller bites and pulls the machine off line. Makes for a long day! I introduce my attachment to the Drag Bar of the rear tine tiller to help in both situations. I call it the "Back Saver Spike". Production is just getting started.
I certainly would like to find those kind of deals...people where I live think there JUNK is made of gold... and it is just that that junk! Arizona. Thank you for showing that carburetor operation.
To clean tanks I use about a half can of Rust Buster, some sand, and some gravel.....put it all in, shake it around forever, and, SHAZAM! The tank is completely polished inside like a mirror.
Troybilt Horse operator here, those things get quite onery when they have been sitting for a while however you can do a nice food plot with no struggling.
As many rusty tanks as you deal with you might want to look into some kwikpoly. Basically a water thin 2 part epoxy style sealer. Stuff really works great. Doesn't peel like some of the single part sealers and it's chemical resistant to just about anything.
Great video for me cause I have one identical. Paid fifty dollars but I've used it for eight years. Also had the same problem with the belt slipping and thought it had stretched. I bought a new one the next size smaller but it didn't work. I'll look closer at the adjustments. Thanks!
My dad had the same tiller. First time I used it I had the tines in the forward rotation same as you it launched out of my hands and that was the fastest I ever ran to catch that thing LOL! The same thing happened to my cousin when he borrowed it LOL. What you have to do on hard ground is run the tines in reverse to soften the the ground then you can run the tines in the forward rotation.
The pony models were only designed to till forward rotation, the reverse was only there to back out of a stuck situation. The reverse tone speed was extremely slow. Use the anchor foot to prevent it digging in to much and launching.
I started getting into the old Troy Bilt Horse models, ended up with 4 of them, and every one of them had a lack of power problem (the original tired engines were too wimpy too pull the big Horse Tillers without bogging down when I'd run the tines down deep, no matter how much I tinkered with them). There was several 7hp tecumseh and (1) 8hp cast iron kohler industrial. I'd rebuild the carbs and service the breaker points. I used to work many years ago as a pro small engine mechanic, and on those very same engines... They were ALL too tired from low compression to pull strong enough on those big old Horse Models tillers. Instead of trying to bore and re-ring them and grind valves and seats I simply replaced the old units with Harbor Freight Predator Engines (212cc horizontal shaft engines that have the shaft and mounting bolt patterns identical to the original old engines!!). These "Honda Clone" (Chinese copies of Honda engines that have parts interchangeable with Honda' engines) can be bought new for $99.-$119. from Harbor Freight. I have found them to be really powerful, good running, and durable engines that pull my Troy Bilt Horse Tillers strongly without bogging down!! Be sure to fit new (industrial grade v-belt drive belts from NAPA auto parts) when re-powering, as these Predators have enough juice to just shred the old marginal belts.
The thing to look at, on those tillers, is be,sure to check forward to rear movement of drive pulley shaft..any back and forth play,will trash the ring gear made of bronze..penion is,steel worm drive. Thin thrust washers are needed to take up slack...those gears are 300.bucks....iv junked approx 20,of these,tillers...
Great video. Price an econo-horse and see how valuable knowledge is. Just bought a used one myself. Has a different engine. The troy-built tillers are meant to be repaired, get new engines, etc which is something kind of unique these days. great tillers.
