1990 LT40 New to me!

[chasec]

Just starting out in the sawmill world. I purchased a used 1990 lt40 woodmizer that has 1800 hrs on it that has been sitting in the weather for the last 6 years. I have ordered some things that were in need of attention and repared them. The mill has a 24hp onan on it that i have running now but would love to upgrade. Any thoughts? I have done a bunch of research online and by far this forum is the best i have come across! A few things off the start that i would like to ask is Power Feed Chain tension? I replaced the drive chain with new chain but i am having a issue where it seems the motor jumps a little. Not sure if the chain is to tight or i have a motor issue or maybe something else . Again i am new to the sawmill life but really enjoying the wood i have cut! Any ideas or tips on that type/year sawmill would great! Thanks again!

[thecfarm]

Welcome to the forum. You will like sawing.
No help from me,but you will need a Logrite cantdog or peavey. They are a sponsor on the left, nice people!!
What's the plan for the lumber?

[chasec]

Thanks for the reply. Only plan for the lumber at this point is to cut pine for board and batten in my shop. I have a good friend that is a logger so i can get a fair amount of pine and all the cedars i want. The reason i purchased the mill is I built a live edge cedar bar at my house and thats all it took! I have cut pine, cedar, and one oak. The oak is where i figured out there is still some things that arent right. I have made some adjustments with the mill and hope to try it out again this weekend!

[47sawdust]

Drive chain-with the mill head moved all the way to the hitch end,tension the chain so there is 7''-8'' from top of round rail to bottom of chain at lowest pt.(1997 LT30/40)
Engine replacement-Call WM for a direct swap replacement.they know what there doing.
If you haven't done so register the mill and order the parts and service manual.You can't be without them.A mill that has sat that long is bound to have some gremlins,thorough cleaning,lubrication,general tlc and use should get everything sorted out.
Best of luck and welcome

[donbj]

My 1994 LT40 Manual says to tension the chain with the head all the way to the front and adjust so it doesn't sag below the bottom round rail, roughly 2" of sag.

[chasec]

Sounds good i will check that out! I did register with WM thats where i have ordered all my parts. They have been very helpful. I have read a bunch on this forum and can see this is a bunch of smart and great guys! Figured i would join to hopefully get a little bit of insite on a few things to make my pain a little easier! :D

[donbj]

Also if your feed is jumpy it could be your feed belt needs adjusting or the variable speed potentiometer is faulty. Start with the belt tension.

[Andries]

I've got an LT30 with Onan thats two years younger than yours.
They're good, solid mills. 
47sawdust is right on with chain tension advice.
Feed motor skipping: 
- take the cover off of the feed motor pulley to see if the belt tension is too loose.
- if it looks okay, see if the feed motor chain-drive spur is digging into the side of the mill frame, If  it is, the bearing on the drive shaft is worn, a simple bearing replacement will fix that.
- if those two look good, then look at the feed control on the control box, rodents love to hide out in there and add . . .  ahhhh, pith, to the rheostat that controls feed speed. 

The Onan on my mill is a 24 hp. and has been strong and reliable. 
Is an 'upgrade' needed?

[chasec]

Thanks again for the replys! Belt tension did look good will check the other tomorrow hopefully! Not really a huge need for the engine upgrade just would be nice to start with a new fresh engine. Looks like that will be later down the road though because im sure there will be plenty more important things to get right!

[WV Sawmiller]

  Welcome to the FF. Keep us posted on what you learn or any questions you have. I will be you 2 feedsacks full of sawdust you can't make a mistake some or most of us have not already made. :D

   What part of SC are you in anyway? Post as much info as possible about your location and equipment in your profile. This helps us answer your questions or make comments and we will know where to stop for a plate of grits while traveling in your area. :D

[Poquo]

Check that the links on drive chain move freely . When the feed gets jumpy I clean and lube the rail , felt strip and drive chain . Welcome to the forum and congrats on the mill .

[YellowHammer]

Exxon Valdez everything that's moving, I use a spray bottle of ATF.  

To check the feed belt slipping, take a silver Sharpie and put a mark on both the pulley and the belt.  Then put it into full reverse for a second, then push the head back to where the to marks should line up.  If they don't line back up, the belt is slipping even though it may look tight. 

[Ben Cut-wright]

"i am having a issue where it seems the motor jumps a little"

How consistent does this occur?

Jumps or stutters? As in, does the forward motion hesitate a bit or does it lurch forward for an instant?  Chips or debris can get jammed between the drive gear and the chain.  Does everything move/spin freely with the belt removed and pushing the head?  Try pushing the head with the chain disconnected to determine if the problem is electrical drive or mechanical problems.  Defective rollers can even stop the forward drive. 

Loose or corroded electrical connections can cause the motor to stutter and even lurch forward.  Test that charging voltage is correct and consistent.  An assistant can monitor a voltmeter while the fault is occurring. The drive motor can be further tested with more sophisticated methods and equipment.

Good luck and happy sawing. 

[jb616]

@chasec @Andries could you send me a picture or two on how your throttle is increased when you lift the motor/tension the belt?  I have an lt30 that is repowered with the 24hp Onan and I am not satisfied with how I am stepping up the motor rpm when the blade is engaged. Thanks in advance.

[chasec]

Im located in Aiken SC. Ben Cut i think stutters would be the correct term. Dont have any pictures on computer yet but will try to get some! Havent had a chance to check all the things everyone has spoken off. Hopefully this weekend i can try to!

[Andries]

I'm rolling thru Georgia/Florida at the moment, and will be away from my mill until mid-March.
Also, the LT30 is in Manitoba, under a tarp, and it's outside at 40 degrees below zero . . . other than that, I'd be happy to take a photo.  :D ;) :D
If memory serves, I went with the stock/standard/parts found in the parts manual.
The previous owner had some extra parts and pieces that he kinda kludged together, and it didn't really do the job. Mystery rpm's were the result.  :(
The throttle linkage hooks to a spring which is joined to a stand or anchor, which is about six inches high and bolts to the near mast. 
Also, there are a number of photos of the Onan in my gallery, in the "equipment" bucket. There may be some details there. 

[WDH]

I'm rolling thru Georgia/Florida at the moment,

Running from the glaciers :D. 

[Magicman]

Andries may big talk about the Glaciers, but he knows full well when it's time to cut bait or go fishing.  ;)

[donbj]

@chasec @Andries could you send me a picture or two on how your throttle is increased when you lift the motor/tension the belt?  I have an lt30 that is repowered with the 24hp Onan and I am not satisfied with how I am stepping up the motor rpm when the blade is engaged. Thanks in advance.

jb616, here are a few photos of the throttle linkage on my LT 40. The spring assembly is attached to the frame and applies tension when the motor lifts and throttles up. The photo where you see the throttle against the stop is when it's throttled up. That tab is where high rpm is set, you just bend it to where needed.


 

 

 

[Andries]

Andries may big talk about the Glaciers . . . . 

Teea and I dodged some solid and fast moving glaciers on our way South.
 
Look at that monster rip up the snow! 
Hey, @Magicman and @WDH , one of you two wise acres men once said: "it ain't braggin' if ya done it!"
There's a picture for ya. 😎

[Andries]

@donbj , thanks for posting those photos.
Your mill has a very similar set up as mine. @chasec  mill is probably older than yours and mine - WM seemed to make a lot of small tweeks to produce a better machine in the nineties.
Don: is the red wire around the plug coil a pick-up for a tachometer? Could you show that to us, if it is? 
The OP's concern was about rpms and that add-on might just be the ticket for what ails him (and his mill too) 😆

[donbj]

Glad to help with the photos. I'll go snap a photo of the tach. Works awesome, just put it on this year. I was using one of those vibration tachs (very accurate as well) for tuning and setup, but this gives real time rpm.

[donbj]

Here's the tach info. Pretty interesting when being able to see rpm with no blade vs tensioned blade and when sawing. For $25(I think) and a half hour install, why not?


 

 

[Andries]

@donbj; thanks for that - between the throttle linkage and the tach photos, you slammed that one home!
Also, your mill is looking pretty darn good. 
Original Onan with all the orig. parts, shiny masts and snow in the background. 
You're doing the North of 60 Club proud.   8) 

Also, don't worry about the razzing from the Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia crowd. 
They're like Toronto - when someone spots a snowflake, they call out the Armed Forces for help.  ;D

[donbj]

Thanks, I hope it helps the cause. Here's my stuff without the snow. I'm very meticulous about my machinery. My motto is if you look after it it will look after you. The mill up until I retired two and a half years ago was always under a roof. Now it has a full head cover.


 

And pulling a big ole cedar out of the lake during high water.


 

[Andries]

Very nice looking setup.
Okanagan or Kootenay?

[donbj]

Kootenay

[jb616]

@donbj thanks, Looks like I need a spring on the anchor side of my cable!  Perfect. That cable / spring is probably a Woodmizer part but not listed for my LT30 as it isn't original equipment. 

[donbj]

Mines a 1994, original to my mill. Try that one. Maybe just phone them and I'm sure they'll hunt it down

[Andries]

jb616; Don's advice is best. 
My 1992 LT30 motor linkage is different than my buddy's 1992 LT40. Don's 1994 is different again.
Yet each mill looks nearly identical from 15 feet away.
Woodmizer design has evolved and improved with each model they make. Also, their service is really good. Give them your mill serial number and they'll have the correct factory parts enroute to you post haste.

[Mfrost459]

Welcome to FF! This is the best place in the milling world to get advice. I have a 1992 LT40 with the same Onan engine. It still runs great. YH is right about the AFT. I keep a spray bottle next to the mill. Spray the drive chain and all the rollers everyday. This is one of the most reliable machines we have on our farm. 
Only problem with the Onan is you can't get parts in the US anymore. You are smart by asking about best type of replacement motor. I am interested in the best replacement engine too.

[Andries]

. . . This is one of the most reliable machines we have on our farm.
Only problem with the Onan is you can't get parts in the US anymore. . . . 

That's not my experience Mfrost.
eBay, Amazon and https://www.onanparts.com all have parts.
In Canada and the USA.
I found that most Cummins dealers also stock parts for the Onan, but at a premium price.

[chasec]

Start off by saying thanks for all the input on the mills! I had a chance to saw yesterday and some adjustments on the mill that you guys metioned were very helpful! The saw run great very pleased with the wood we cut! Thanks again.