Sawmill issue, won't start

[maple flats]

I knew it had been too long since I ran my Peterson sawmill. Yesterday, I went to get the mill ready for a custom job coming up, first off, mud daubers had filled the ignition key hole, I cleared that and the the motor wouldn't start. I knew the battery was bad (2 yrs ago I had to jump it every time I ran it) so I bought a new battery. Then The motor would not crank. I tried to pull the rope (20HP Honda motor, electric start, rope backup), I couldn't even get the motor to turn. So I pulled the plugs and sprayed some Kroil in. Hopefully after setting a day or 2 things will be better. I guess even if I'm not sawing for long periods in the future, I should run the mill every few months to keep it lubricated. My guess is that the rings have stuck to the cylinder  walls. I hope I don't need to pull the head but I may. Anyone got any other ideas short of the major one?

[thecfarm]

Mud daubers,so that's how you spell that.  ;D  I don't use my mill much. I just leave the key in it now. I had to clean out the mud a few times. I'm surprised the switch is still working. Was kinda gritty the first few times.I thought about theft,but it's very simple to get another switch or put a differant one on it.
Could you put a socket on the fly wheel and try it that way? Kinda work it back and forth?Probably from now on,just a pull over with the rope whenever you walk by would do. Maybe a little oil would help out too. You will also be lucky if the mice did not do some chewing damage. Good luck.

[Chuck White]

I remember back when I was a teen on the farm and Dad had a John Deere baler with a Wisconsin  engine.

I the baler was going to sit for more than a week or so, he'd pull the spark plugs and put about a teaspoon of motor oil down each plug hole, then reinstall the plugs!  Never had a sieze up problem.

[maple flats]

A teaspoon of motor oil would likely work better if the plugs were mounted vertically, mine are at about 45 degrees and opposing sides. I suppose I could put some in and with the plugs still out, just crank it over a few times, and then replace the plugs. Might be the better answer may just be to run the saw far more regularly.

[nk14zp]

Just let me have the mill and run it and you can use it the one or two times a year you need it.

[Migal]

Just my two cent's  :D
                               I agree the engine is seized up. In the future on a single cylinder engine leave set up with piston on compression stroke the valves are closed and ambient moisture can not get in. now that don't preserve the fuel system but if you know your going to let it set turn fuel off run carb empty then pull till compression is felt doe's save a lot of headache's trust me on that  8)

[Lifestyler]

By the sounds of things moisture has got into the cylinder head alright. What seems to work well for me is spraying WD40 which seems to penetrate the rings really well. So in combination with spraying WD40 (letting it sit for a while) and working the crank back and forth you will eventually free everything up, all it will take is a little time.

[maple flats]

I'm going to try turning it over again this afternoon. I'll let you know if the Kroil did the job. I've always found Kroil to work better than WD-40. I also have Blue Creeper which is super but I don't have it in a spray. Otherwise I'd have used that to loosen the rings.
Migal, this is a twin, not a single cylinder. I likely just need to finish training my grandson on the mill and have him saw at least every 2 mos and this would never happen.

nk14zp, thanks for the offer, I hadn't thought of that.

[maple flats]

 ;D ;D It started. I had to remove the rope recoil starter and turn the shaft, but in little time the motor turned as it should. I started it but it ran real rough and no power. 2 new plugs, oil change, new oil, air and air pre filter and it runs like it should. Now I'll sharpen the blade and it'll be ready to work. 

[thecfarm]

That is good news.

[bandmiller2]

Today with the crappy  fuel we are fed its good form to shut the valve off under the tank and let the engine run dry.I treat all my small engine and tractor fuel with blue marine stable and a shot of sea foam additive.Marinas use and sell fogging oil,if an engine will be laid up any time shut off the ingnition and pull it over wile spraying fogger into the intake. Frank C.

[maple flats]

I use ethanol treatment which includes a stabilizer in all my small engines, including the sawmill at 20 HP. That didn't seem to be an issue. The fogging oil sounds like a good idea. I'll try that and see how it works for me. I do however have more sawing plans for the next few years so the long idol time shouldn't be an issue again.

[RPowers]

A friend of mine has a "Brand-X" swing mill that he hadn't used in a while. I was wanting to mill a few logs so he said I could use it, I just had to get it lubed up and stuff. Short story = condensation had rusted the pistons to the cylinder walls badly enough that after I took his engine to a repair shop they said it couldn't even be over-bored to a larger size. Now a $1500 engine = scrap metal. Even if you aren't using it, just start and run for a while to dry out and re-lube everything internally. But on the plus side I decided to buy my own mill rather than wait on fixing his.

RP

[maple flats]

Thanks, I had thought of that possibility too. I sharpened the blade yesterday and hope to get time to mill a log tomorrow. That will tell the whole story. It seems to have full power in the 304 cuts I made but a little time working it hard will give a better answer. I do plan to either use it more often or at least fire it up a few times each year. I might also spray some oil in the plug holes when I shut it down if I don't have plans to cut in the next month or so. I think I'll put a saw log chart in the sugarhouse to help keep track. There is never more than 2-3 days between times when I go into the sugarhouse.

[maple flats]

Well, I didn't get started sawing a log yet to test the mill's performance between the rain and other things I had to do. One thing was A 60" Howard Rotovator I got for $50 and after welding an extension on one end of the PTO power shaft because it was a little too short, it workd perfectly. This will till a lot faster than the old 42" Howard Rotovator.  I did however get the area cleaned up of old sawdust and then set a log on the bunks to saw next time down there. I set a 12' spruce about 18" diam. and have it dogged down ready to go.

[bandmiller2]

Those old Howards are like the two wheel Gravely's will run forever.I have a gravely that's 65 years old and still running. Frank C.

[logboy]

Back when I rode snowmobiles we would fog all the engines in the spring in preparation for storage.  We used Amsoil spray.

http://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/other-products/cleaners-and-protectants/engine-fogging-oil/?page=%2fstorefront%2ffog.aspx

[maple flats]

I finally got some time to saw today. Cut a 22" small end 10' spruce into mostly 2x4's and a 24" small end 14' spruce into mostly 2x6's. The saw ran real good. I did however have one issue with the valve on the water (lube) bottle. I had to remove the plastic valve that had failed from sun damage and add a brass valve. I used what I had, a 3/4" valve, ell and nipples, then bushed to 1/4" for the fitting reducing to 3/16 barb to tubing. I might need to build a support for the valve since it is lots heavier than the original plastic one, or reduce at the bottle and buy a 1/4" ball valve for less weight. However, it works real good.
I forgot how much I like sawing spruce.

[BBTom]

If you need a larger tiller, I have a 90" howard Rotovator with trailering package that I could be easily talked out of.  drive and rotor is good shape. probably need to replace the depth screws if you want them to work.

[maple flats]

That would be a hard till for a 36 horse tractor. On my 20 HP and my 25 HP I used a 42" Howard rotovator that worked good, but a little tuff on virgin ground with the 20 HP. Now I think the 36 HP runs the 5' about the same as the 25 ran the 42". I wouldn't even try one much over 60".

[BBTom]

If my memory serves me right, Howard recommends 1 hp/inch.  We used a 130 inch model for years instead of plowing.  We didn't pulverize the soil like we do to gardens, but just broke it into small clumps.  That was an extreme HP draw.  It took everything the 1456 Turbo could give it.   My understanding is that one of the largest users of Howard Rotovators are contractors tearing up asphalt.  They really are that tough. 

[beenthere]

Here is a HP chart for the HR's  (I would be a bit suspect that they can be used to tear up asphalt if it was hot mix rolled down, as it isn't near as heavy as the big equipment built for that grinding work).

http://www.beavervalleysupply.com/sectionb/howard.htm

Used to run a 10' one every spring prepping corn ground. High maintenance but one-pass tilling made it worthwhile I guess. We'd run it 24/7 when it wasn't in the shop.

[maple flats]

On my old 42" Howard Rotovator which I bought, as is in about 1985 +/-1 It was siezed up. I applied some penetrating oil on the input shaft. About a week later I hooked it to my 20 HP Ford Diesel. It started hard, but then turned. I then lubed everything, changed the gear box oil and I started tilling. That first year I only did my own 3.5 acres of strawberry fields in virgin ground. The next year and for about 14 more years I also did custom tilling. Over the years since I went thru 4 sets of new tines but nothing else. In 2008 I bought the bigger brother to my Ford 20 HP, a 25 HP. I then started using the 25 to till. It did handle the load easier, but the only time the 20 lacked was on virgin ground. With this track record I doubt the ratio is 1HP/inch of tiller. The original had over 2.1"/HP (and that was engine HP, not PTO HP). I no longer till for hire and I can set the depth to do less at once if needed when on virgin ground. I did however already test it on new ground at full 6" depth in one pass with no problem, except it bounced up and down a little as has been common in virgin ground with my smaller tiller. By far, most of my tilling is not new ground. When I till I generally till 7" deep in one pass. With the Hydro drive I can go as fast or as slow as necessary to till properly.