What can a Mower Engine be used for?

CalicoKid

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Just wondering what a lawn mower engine can be used for besides lawn mowers? I mean the air cooled vertical shaft pushmower type. Someone dumped a crapped out mower in front of the shop, wheels gone controls broken etc. For smiles I pulled the rope twice and it fired right up and ran like a champ! <br /><br />I think I'll try and make a compost chopper out of it... sounds like a good way to get myself cut in half.<br /><br />What about 2 cyl. 440cc snowmobile engines? I have one that I've wanted to put on a go kart for a long time. Thought that would go pretty good.<br /><br />Thanks for any ideas, Redneck stuff is OK too... :)
 

one more cast

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Just wondering what a lawn mower engine can be used for besides lawn mowers?
Ya got any old lower units laying around that you could mate it to?
 

ZmOz

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

I've built countless dangerous devices from formerly dead lawnmowers. The biggest problem is that they have an aluminum flywheel, because the lawnmower blade is also used as a flywheel. Without the blade attached, they're hard to start and run rough. You can either get a cheap steel flywheel for it, or use a large cast iron pulley to power whatever you're powering. I've made generators, welders, air compressors (from two lawnmower engines, one drives it, the other is the compressor), pressure washers, and god knows what else. :) I made a shredder by mounting a lawnmoer engine on top of a 55 gallon drum with the blade inside and a pipe to shove stuff through the blade.
 

brother chris

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

I was just talking about this a little while ago, but I have an electric lawn mower motor and will not really work for what I want it to do. <br />Do you have a 10 speed bike? Want it to go really fast? <br />How about a skateboard....make it go faster. :) <br />How about a scooter. <br />Maybe make a go-cart. <br />I have soooo many ideas, but why am I so happy about it? I do not have an extra motor. Well....have fun and take pictures if you do something really freaky/scary/just down right stupid. :D
 

ndemge

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Blender<br /><br />That weeny "tailgator" weedeater engine ain't got nuthin on your 5hp brigs margarita machine!
 

Bob_VT

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

That 440cc snowmobile engine will scream but you need to augment the cooling when not running it in the winter. The air temp is not cool enough to let it survive.<br /><br />As for the smaller mower motor...sell it.<br /><br />Bob
 

LubeDude

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Originally posted by ZmOz:<br /> I made a shredder by mounting a lawnmoer engine on top of a 55 gallon drum with the blade inside and a pipe to shove stuff through the blade.
Dang OZ, I thought I was a red neck. I wish you were my nieghbor, you would be good for some evening chuckles. :eek: <br /><br />Hey, Ill be right back, gotta go over and see what OZ invented today!!<br /> :D
 

CalicoKid

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

The 440 has a shroud and fan over the heads and cylinders. I think its a Kawasaki, not sure..<br /><br />ZmOz, your shredder is pretty much what I had in mind, good one! Didn't even think about the flywheel issue either.<br /><br />How about a gas burning porch ceiling fan? We get a LOT of Mosquitos here in Summer.<br /><br />I actually do have an old Evinrude Fastwin with a bad cyl. but I'd kind of like to fix it up someday, probably won't ever get around to it though. <br /><br />I can't find anywhere on this motor what brand it is. The mower is a Craftsman, 4hp I believe. The carbuerator and muffler are both on the same side of the head. The carb has a primer, no choke. Can the carb be turned and mounted 90 deg. so the shaft will run horizontally?
 

ZmOz

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br />Can the carb be turned and mounted 90 deg. so the shaft will run horizontally?
No...the splash oiling system will only work when vertical. Sounds like a Tecumseh engine...that's what most Crapsman mowers have.<br /><br />
Originally posted by LubeDude:<br />Dang OZ, I thought I was a red neck. I wish you were my nieghbor, you would be good for some evening chuckles. :eek:
You wouldn't be saying that after a few months of random unmuffled engines in the middle of the night and various other things that make you afraid for your life... :D :p
 

LubeDude

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Originally posted by ZmOz:<br />You wouldn't be saying that after a few months of random unmuffled engines in the middle of the night and various other things that make you afraid for your life... :D :p
No, you are right about that, Id probably be your worst nightmare. :eek: :eek:
 

Mark42

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Pull the motor, clean it, paint it, stick it on ebay.
 

ZmOz

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Originally posted by Mark42:<br /> Pull the motor, clean it, paint it, stick it on ebay.
You can get a brand new lawnmoer engine on ebay for $50. Old used ones rarely go for more than $10...that's why I make so many things out of them. :D
 

dolluper

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Make a post hole digger or ice auger
 

Mark42

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Well, if you really don't need it, a fun thing to do is get a bunch of friends together, have a few beers, then take bets on how long it will take the motor to blow running WOT with no blade and the governor disconnected. You never know how long it will run. I have seen them run like that a half hour before I just turned it off, other times they run 2 minutes before the rod lets go or a valve breaks.
 

OLDSPUD

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Where you guys when I was growing up? With my devious mind and your talants, we could of had a fun time back in Idaho.
 

Trent

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Nov 17, 2001
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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Took one and installed a one wire delco alternator next to it. Great little 12v generator.
 

craze1cars

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Dec 26, 2004
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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Start a "Power tool drag racing" league. I caught this show on Discovery Channel not long ago and it was OUTSTANDING! A bunch of drunks dressed up in Rocky Horror type costumes watching retired motors from power and lawn tools guiding their hand-made and dangerous drag racers in a completely uncontrolled fashion across a parking lot. They even had formal drag racing "classes" for the various concoctions people built...Stock, modified stock, modified, ride-on class, unusual class and extremely dangerous class. What a blast!<br /><br />I can't think of a single more entertaining use for this type of stuff...
 

CalicoKid

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

I like the generator, I'd like a gas powered winch as well. An auger... I'd need a gear reduction or belt drive?
 

Barlow

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Re: What can a Mower Engine be used for?

Originally posted by CalicoKid:<br /> ...<br /> An auger... I'd need a gear reduction or belt drive?
www.jiffy-on-ice.com <br />Feldmann Engineering and Manufacturing Co., Inc.<br />Phone: 920 467-6167 ~ Toll Free: 800-344-0712 in U.S.<br />877-289-2313 in Canada ~ Fax: 920 467-6169<br /><br />(they're located right over in the Sheboygan Falls Industrial park)<br /><br /><br />Call service and ask for Kevin.. he might even answer.. ask him what he's got layin' around that he can part with.. pun intended ;) <br /><br />**Only Jiffy ice drills use a high-speed, single reduction gearbox, which turn the auger counter-clockwise. All other drills turn clockwise. they also have dirt augers that fit the gearbox of the ice drill but their Badger (dirt auger) gearbox doesn't have an ice auger available...
 
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