Wolsley Webb Merry Tiller rotavator

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west1
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Hi, I have just aquired the afore mentioned rotavator it has a B&S 4HP engine and the the plate lists the following:Model number AC3414/AC3419 Major.Serial No.333 05433. This is all new ground to me,Rotavators and the like. Could anybody give me any advice as to do`s and don`ts and is there an instruction book/manual that I can get from somewhere that is specific to this machine. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards.
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Clive.
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Hello West1,

RichardT who posts on this forum is amassing info' in support of things Merry Tiller...and I note that he lists in his repro items an operating manual that looks to include AC3414. It may be best to double check its suitability with him with regard the AC3419 reference to make sure it is the correct one should you decide to invest.. http://www.merrytiller.co.uk/spares3.htm

There are some Merry Tiller manuals about elsewhere to download but the ones I have seen are for models before or after yours. The names Major etc were reused over the years in the same way that car manufacturers re use a name.

Richard also has some operating hints http://www.merrytiller.co.uk/hints_and_tips.htm
This includes a link to more operating hints http://www.allotment.org.uk/articles/Me ... ovator.php
This shows an earlier model than yours with angle framing rather than your formed angle deck plates but "driving" it will be similar.

If your search down the B&S engine numbers Model, Type and Code from the engine cowling tinwork (stamped into the tin, often on the flat vertical side that faces the carb/air filter) you will be able to download freely an engine parts list and quite likely a representative engine operating manual from http://www2.briggsandstratton.com/maint ... _and_more/

Hope the above links help with your quest.... The mention of checking engine sump oil level and topping up if required before every use is a good one to remember and carry out. :)

All the best,
Clive.
west1
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Hello Clive, many thanks for information/sites etc,this should keep me busy for a while.You mention sump oil, what would you recommend for this rotavator ? Many thanks again,stand-by for further broadcasts ! :)
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Clive.
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SAE 30 engine oil would be the one to use in the sump of a B&S engine.
Available from all garden machinery outlets, motorcycle agents, some motor factors, DIY superstores etc.

More modern car oils are not suitable as they are a bit too "thin" for older garden machinery use...although I have at times used the older SAE 20W50 as a standby.

Clive.
west1
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Thanks once again!
west1
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Hi again, without a book as yet which should hopefully be on its way tomorrow, how can I tell if the sump and transmission chain case oil levels are as they should be as no dip of any kind seems to be present on either oil plug and is it S.A.E. 30 for both. Many thanks (AGAIN) :?
west1
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Hi,oil in sump looks very black and thin would like to change it before I set off. for my maiden flight,where would I find sump drain plug? there are 2 square headed nuts at back and front on the engine base but don`t want to start undoing in the dark. Ordered manual from Merrytillers last night, but just mad keen to get down the allotment and get to grips with the beast! Any words of wisdom greatly appreciated. kind regards. :?:
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Clive.
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Hello West1

For the engine there should be a drain plug front and back of the engine block base...they have a square head and a tapered thread and tighten on the taper thread.
The front one would be the most accessible I would have thought :wink:

Reference the level for refill....with engine base set level the oil should be visible level up to the lip of the filler hole...ie; any more oil and it would run out..quite difficult to explain...but straightforward in practice.
It will take about a pint and a bit to refill from empty.... SAE 30 oil.
I think this should be mentioned in the manual...it will certainly be listed in the B&S operators manual...did you find any engine numbers to get the downloadable info' from B&S site.??

I am not very familiar with things relative to the chaincase having only had direct experience with a machine in the last model range ...however I do know that the last type , the model type after yours, took 2,7/8 pints in the chaincase...and by then the filler plug had been repositioned so that it could be used for a visual ref as to fill state for checking..we used to use SAE40 oil as was recomneded then.

Earlier machines had less oil quantity specified I believe?.. it tended to be SAE 30 like the engine sump...and the filler was higher up...so suspect checking was to a degree by knoweldge of what had been put in and when... and then noting for any leaking out..??

Just where your model lies with regard chaincase oil quantity I'm unsure....best check the book when it lands :)

Reality and age/wear can also come into play too...for instance we run a Honda F400 which should have engine oil in the chaincase....it has a slight weap on one tine shaft seal....but tine shafts are worn past practical repair...but a mix of sae30 and sae50 makes a mix which stems the leak..and thus provides a case full of oil..if a bit thicker than original spec..

Clive.
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John
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Hello West1
When I got my MT many years ago now its was secondhand and I don't think that the engine oil had ever been changed. It was thick and very black. I changed the oil then after it had been used for a few hours I changed the oil again. This helped to finally flush out all the old dirty oil and she runs along quite sweetly now.

As far as using the MT goes, try to let the machine do most of the work especially at the end of a row. Allow yourself enough room for the machine to turn under its own power. Trying to drag it around in a tight spot under your own steam for the return run can be exhausting. Also I've found you get a much better deep 'dig' when the machine runs slowly - very slowly (snail on the throttle) is better still. Don't worry about about going too slowly they are almost impossible to stall.

John

PS If you are wary of undoing the sump plug you can cheat by simply tipping the machine up so that the old oil pours out through the filler hole.
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west1
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Hello clive and John,Many thanks for taking the time to answer my many questions Clive,have tried taking the engine number off tin cowl facing carb (removed air filter casing and traced over the stamp)but still very hard to make out.I put this into B&S search box but it did`nt have the desired effect(search errors and allsorts of other computer jargon) I seem to be short of a number on the model part of the stamp, I have 4 digits they require 5 or 6.Will try again in the dawns fresh light ! If I may, one further question.Would you add anything to the petrol either routinely to make up for unleaded or as a cleaner for an unknown fuel system, if so would it be REDEX or the like ? Thank you also for taking the time John, it is much appreciated ! Kind regards, Gary :)
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Clive.
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Hello West1,

I tried two sets of numbers last night..and this morning...and got the same runtime error sort of result...

I have 4hp engine lurking about here on a mid 1970s MT and will get a better look at the numbers hopefully later....the model of tiller is the one before yours...

B&S engines will run fine on unleaded it is in fact what they have always recommended in their manuals with the alternative of leaded being ok.

They did though recommend a change of spark plug to better suit UK unleaded running...Champion J19LM....gapped to 30 thou of an inch.

They do sell B&S fuel stabilizer....but I have never used it.

Clive.
west1
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Thanks Clive,I will have another go at getting numbers off of tin cowl later and let you know! Thanks again for all your input much appreciated.
west1
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Hello Clive, have managed to get the other digit from tin-cowl the number is Model:111202 Type:0157-01 Code:78121401, B&S web-page is still only throwing `RUN TIME ERROR ' etc at me though so all my rubbing with wire wool and tracing with crayons is still fruitless, the manual is still in transit and the nice man at the local lawnmower shop can`t find any listing either ! :? If you have any suggestions they would be very welcome, all the best. Gary
P.S. I put a pipe cleaner down as far as I could into the chaincase via the oil fill plug,but there is no sign of any oil it probably reached 6-8 Inches down is it dry do you think ? Everythings moving OK with no nasty noises but under no load I am still to dig with the beast ! regards :)
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Clive.
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In the last couple of minutes the B&S site seems to have started to function again :)

I got these two items with your numbers.. :)
http://www.briggsandstratton.com/maint_ ... TIC_LO.pdf

http://www.briggsandstratton.com/maint_ ... 761_LO.pdf

The engine manual is American based so oil quantities etc will be US pints rather than UK pints etc.....

It also covers variations of throttle lever etc etc that will not be applicable..as the engine would be fitted on a myriad of other machines other than Merry Tiller..but you may pick up a few tips from it.??

Out of interest your engine Code numbers denote an engine build date of 14/12/1978....the engine may have been in store/transit for while before fitting to the tiller so perhaps your machine is 1979-ish..then they can be in store again unsold...so may not have seen a garden 'til 1980.??

Out of curiosity I just used a length of wire sufficiently long so as it couldn't drop in. :oops: or break off in :oops: ..that would be disaster. :( ...to check my recently purchased s/h Major of the model series before yours..it is listed in its manual as having 1 pint of oil as chaincase fill.

On my model the filler is high on the chaincase side and is just a push in plastic bung (I know later models had a screw type oil bung like the engine)
The oil is currently to a level about 3 inches below the engine platform..whether this is correct relative to original specified fill I don't know.?..but some is better than none.!!..although too full would equally not be good...

I hope the M Tiller manual, in time, gives the full answer for your actual model.. :)
.....as improvised dipping could end in tears. :( ...

Clive.
west1
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Hello clive, thanks very much for all your info, tried B&S about 4 or 5 times today but no luck,I don`t think I`d have known it was what I was looking for if it had flashed up first time ! :?
Hopefully the post will bring my manual tomorrow and all will become apparent in the chaincase department,I hope you won`t mind if I ask another question of you if it isn`t plain sailing.
Incidentally I managed to change oil today, cleaned and re-oiled air filter, cleaned spark plug and generally oiled and cleaned and she started and ran beautifully :D
Thanks once again, all the best !
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