Hi, all.
I suspect a problem with the transmission in my 149. Here are the symptoms...
1. Groaning sound especially audible after turning off. A fellow forum member (Userj8670) had posted a
video some time back that is EXACTLY what I'm hearing.
2. Lots of resistance in the Speed Control Lever (both directions).
3. Speed Control Lever does not fully return to neutral when break is depressed.
Prior to all of this, I made the mistake of pushing the tractor 3 feet back and 3 feet forward (to address another issue) WITHOUT engaging the release lever. (I know-- I'm really quite new to this!)
Not sure if it is significant diagnostically, but I think I may have intermittently achieved some elimination of the sound when applying pressure (or otherwise jiggling) various parts of the cam assembly.
So I have a few initial questions:
1. Am I risking doing more damage by using the tractor in its current state (temporarily)?
2. Are there any "quick fixes" worth trying? (I'm imagining some variation of "reversing" the rolling back-and-forth thing that may have introduced the problem in the first place, if such a thing is possible.)
3. Is there a particular sequence of steps I should take to diagnose and possibly correct the problem?
Background on me: I am NOT very experienced in mechanical repairs (and so some procedures and lingo may get lost on me), but I am game for taking on projects and repairs. I have always opted for old, well-made things and will put the time into figuring things out to repair and restore them (rather than buying new crap that has to get tossed).
My "shop" is woefully under-equipped-- No jack, no pneumatic tools, no electricity in fact-- you get the picture. I have no pickup truck or trailer to get this thing to a mechanic. I live in Ithaca, NY and have about an acre to mow. So while it's not life-or-death to have this working, it has been really helpful to have. Plus, I really love this machine and want to take good care of it.
I would be grateful for any advice (and/or words of encouragement) from you folks, and hope some day to be in a position to offer help to others. Thanks in advance.