I bought one just like it. Mine was a 1970, It was very used when I bought it, Mowed 1 1/2 acres every other week for 15 years, and never had a problem. Awesome machines. Amazing how much usable power they got out of a so low horsepower motor.
THANK YOU for your excellent video. With your help, I installed a rebuilt (ebay) magneto on my 1970 Gravely. Only one injury. I kept my hand on the pulley and belt when I attached the blow gun to the spark plug hole. It forced the piston down (valves were closed) and wound my hand into the pulley--only a bruise... :) Gravely started and purred after not running for the last couple of years.
Thanks for posting this video. I spent the whole day on Saturday trying to set the timing on my old Gravely, only to put it away frustrated at the end of the day. I couldn't figure out top dead center on the compression stroke and in someone else's video, I followed bad info on the alignment marks. I aligned to the two dots rather than to the large score mark. Of course it is impossible to twist all the way to the dots, because the magneto fires and you have to go all the way around again. Anyway, I finally gave up for the day and then I watched your video. Next day on Sunday, in 15 minutes I had the timing set and the motor running. It runs a bit rough still and not dependably. It got dark so I had to pack it in for the night but I was actually cutting some brush. I think it is all fuel problems now though. Thanks to your video I can rule out timing as the issue. My machine is older than yours and I don't have a governor. Everything is worn so the choke won't stay in place and it and the throttle dance around a bit. Yesterday I was ready to give up, today I am ready for the new challenges. Thanks again!
+Richard Auber I'm So glad it helped you! The "dancing throttle" seems to be normal at least on mine. I'm not sure why but it works. Locate the bowl drain on the carb and make sure you don't have a half bowl of water. If that doesn't work, take the carb down and take a look for a blockage or trash. Most of the manuals are available on the net. These things are Tough as Nails! Good luck!
Thank you for the tips. I see there is a layer of crap in the glass bowl beneath the gas tank, but the carb bowl is clean. I pulled off the carb, opened it up, did some basic cleaning and put it back together. I didn't let it soak in cleaner or anything yet. The needle valve was replaced and does not interact with the float properly. It just drops by gravity and then the float lifts it back up as the bowl fills. It looks loose to me like it is too small and maybe gets jammed in the shaft where it rides up and down. But that is all a guess right now. I am waiting for the holidays to pass so I can score another afternoon in the shop and figure it out. Even running rough, I was cutting down saplings in the brush at 2" diameter.
+Richard Auber I think it is possible that your needle valve is doing what it is suppose to do. I believe I talked about that in the disassembly video. You will figure it out! The rough running could be that it just needs to be ran. I changed the oil and added 20% Marvels Mystery Oil hoping to get any crud out of mine without disassembly.
Great video. Very informative. I’m having trouble getting my ‘58 LI started, I’ll be trying this for sure. Thank you for taking the time to explain it.
I couldn't get mine started until I looked in the manual and did Exactly what they said. It started right up. I think it was 1/2 choke and no throttle but that is from memory. The tractor was sold 4 years ago.
I've operated and worked on these old Gravely's for over 40 years and you made an excellent video on timing procedure. Those governor's do wear those throttle shaft bushings out as it's moving the linkage constantly but it takes a long time too do so.
did not know how to set timing so i got it on compression stroke lined up marks like i thout it should be and now i can start it on 1or2 pulls of the rope.
+BCtruck, rebuild, repair,repurpose I should get a package from Richards Lawn and Garden today so I can get the carb back together and replace the muffler. The governor tear down is coming soon.
Mine had no spark when I got it and the governor was stuck too. I thought the same thing you did because it’s really bad to have an engine run without the governor especially after sitting for years and not warmed up. Your explanation was very good
There are a lot of spare parts still available for these tractors. I'm sure you can get it going again. Good Luck! Check out my series on the gravely repairs.
What part of Louisiana u from I got a gravely from my great uncle it was turning over when I got it but not starting. I thou it was the magnet I mess with that I took the kill wire off now it not working. And I found the carb was dirty I should check that before I mess with the magnet. Is there any way u can help me I live near Denham springs La
I bought one just like it. Mine was a 1970, It was very used when I bought it, Mowed 1 1/2 acres every other week for 15 years, and never had a problem. Awesome machines. Amazing how much usable power they got out of a so low horsepower motor.
No doubt they are powerful as long as they arent too worn out. They last and last unlike the junk made today with engineered failures..
Thanks for taking the time to show this detail of timing the mag.
+Pressed Earth That was a great shortcut and has helped several people out so far. I'm happy to have helped
Well done video. Have maintained two Gravley walk behinds since 1993 and your technique beats the manual. Thank you.
I had the manual as a reference but one can think outside the box now and then...
THANK YOU for your excellent video. With your help, I installed a rebuilt (ebay) magneto on my 1970 Gravely. Only one injury. I kept my hand on the pulley and belt when I attached the blow gun to the spark plug hole. It forced the piston down (valves were closed) and wound my hand into the pulley--only a bruise... :) Gravely started and purred after not running for the last couple of years.
They are a blast to work on; most old stuff is... I'm glad you got it going and know you will have fun tinkering on it for years to come.
Thanks for posting this video. I spent the whole day on Saturday trying to set the timing on my old Gravely, only to put it away frustrated at the end of the day. I couldn't figure out top dead center on the compression stroke and in someone else's video, I followed bad info on the alignment marks. I aligned to the two dots rather than to the large score mark. Of course it is impossible to twist all the way to the dots, because the magneto fires and you have to go all the way around again. Anyway, I finally gave up for the day and then I watched your video. Next day on Sunday, in 15 minutes I had the timing set and the motor running. It runs a bit rough still and not dependably. It got dark so I had to pack it in for the night but I was actually cutting some brush. I think it is all fuel problems now though. Thanks to your video I can rule out timing as the issue. My machine is older than yours and I don't have a governor. Everything is worn so the choke won't stay in place and it and the throttle dance around a bit. Yesterday I was ready to give up, today I am ready for the new challenges. Thanks again!
+Richard Auber I'm So glad it helped you! The "dancing throttle" seems to be normal at least on mine. I'm not sure why but it works. Locate the bowl drain on the carb and make sure you don't have a half bowl of water. If that doesn't work, take the carb down and take a look for a blockage or trash. Most of the manuals are available on the net. These things are Tough as Nails! Good luck!
Thank you for the tips. I see there is a layer of crap in the glass bowl beneath the gas tank, but the carb bowl is clean. I pulled off the carb, opened it up, did some basic cleaning and put it back together. I didn't let it soak in cleaner or anything yet. The needle valve was replaced and does not interact with the float properly. It just drops by gravity and then the float lifts it back up as the bowl fills. It looks loose to me like it is too small and maybe gets jammed in the shaft where it rides up and down. But that is all a guess right now. I am waiting for the holidays to pass so I can score another afternoon in the shop and figure it out. Even running rough, I was cutting down saplings in the brush at 2" diameter.
+Richard Auber I think it is possible that your needle valve is doing what it is suppose to do. I believe I talked about that in the disassembly video. You will figure it out! The rough running could be that it just needs to be ran. I changed the oil and added 20% Marvels Mystery Oil hoping to get any crud out of mine without disassembly.
Great video. Very informative. I’m having trouble getting my ‘58 LI started, I’ll be trying this for sure. Thank you for taking the time to explain it.
I couldn't get mine started until I looked in the manual and did Exactly what they said. It started right up. I think it was 1/2 choke and no throttle but that is from memory. The tractor was sold 4 years ago.
I've operated and worked on these old Gravely's for over 40 years and you made an excellent video on timing procedure. Those governor's do wear those throttle shaft bushings out as it's moving the linkage constantly but it takes a long time too do so.
did not know how to set timing so i got it on compression stroke lined up marks like i thout it should be and now i can start it on 1or2 pulls of the rope.
Thanks for the comment!
Thanks great! These old tractors are still awesome
Awesome! I know I was pretty exited the first time my gravely started up after more than 2 years in the weather!
+W.Co.VIDS I'm working on the carb assembly now and should have it together soon. Thanks for watching!
sweet music!!! Congratulations! I think I heard some diplomacy fly over in the beginning of the video.
+BCtruck, rebuild, repair,repurpose I should get a package from Richards Lawn and Garden today so I can get the carb back together and replace the muffler. The governor tear down is coming soon.
Mine had no spark when I got it and the governor was stuck too. I thought the same thing you did because it’s really bad to have an engine run without the governor especially after sitting for years and not warmed up.
Your explanation was very good
Thanks for the comment!
Great video! Thank you. I have hope for getting this thing running now and that's good since this factors heavily in to my homesteading dreams,
There are a lot of spare parts still available for these tractors. I'm sure you can get it going again. Good Luck! Check out my series on the gravely repairs.
Measuring may be a challenge for a 6.6 li. With a slanted spark plug
I don't think the slanted plug had any affect on that. I had the original service manual.
What part of Louisiana u from I got a gravely from my great uncle it was turning over when I got it but not starting. I thou it was the magnet I mess with that I took the kill wire off now it not working. And I found the carb was dirty I should check that before I mess with the magnet. Is there any way u can help me I live near Denham springs La
I'm in Bossier (NW LA) If you can drag it up here I'll take a look at it.
I am in Port Allen, LA.... we should form a support group.
Good video but my spark plug goes in at angle.
Check the manual; there still might be a way. Good luck!
comment faire le réglage de des vis platinée de lalumage moteur gravely
I'm not sure what you are wanting to adjust.
i need gas tank and a starter fore a supper convertible
Contact Richards Lawn. The link is in the video description. Good Luck!