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Source For New Gas Tanks?

4K views 21 replies 9 participants last post by  MailmAn 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Does anyone have a source for replacement OEM gas tanks that will fit a Bolens Estate Keeper EK-10 with a Wisconsin TRA-10D engine? The original gas tank on mine was pretty rusted and full of gunk and sediment. I sent it out to be hot tanked and cleaned up, but the shop just got back to me and said that there was too much rust in the bottom of the tank and it ended up with pin holes all in it, so it won't hold gas any longer. :( :wallbanging:

I'm currently running it temporarily with a used plastic gas tank that I got for free. It works and the tank was very clean, however I am afraid of it because it is plastic. The first time I ran my Estate Keeper for any length of time to mow my yard with it, the engine compartment got so hot that it looked like the plastic gas tank was melting on it! The sides and bottom started caving in on it and it is all distorted now.

I would like to put the original steel gas tank back on this tractor, but where can I find one that is clean and will work? Is there anyplace that sells replacement gas tanks that will fit this engine? Do any of our sponsors have NOS OEM gas tanks for this tractor by any chance? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

(I also need to do an oil change on this engine sooner rather than later. I think this might be PART of the problem with it running hot. I also noticed it was smoking a bit from the head after running it for over an hour. It is full of oil, but the oil looks pretty dark black and sludgey right now. I have no clue how old the oil is, but the tractor has sat for over 2 years in the garage before I finally got it running again, so it is probably a couple of years older than that even. Unfortunately, I still haven't managed to find the oil drain plug on this. It was my understanding that on the EK-10's, Wisconsin manufactured a custom engine case that had a drain plug directly on the bottom. However, I can't seem to find a good way to get under there to get a good look at it and I haven't managed to find it yet. I may need a set of car ramps to drive the thing up on so I can get a good look at the underside of it...)
 
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#3 ·
I will have to do some looking and see what I can scrounge up for a tank , if you want new those will not be cheap, last time I checked wisconsin tanks are running about $250-$350

Your oil drain plug is located on your side cover of the engine (same part the oil fill plug is located) Directly in the center on the bottom an alan screw is used for the plug so it does not stick out on the bottom.
 

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#4 ·
I will have to do some looking and see what I can scrounge up for a tank , if you want new those will not be cheap, last time I checked wisconsin tanks are running about $250-$350

Your oil drain plug is located on your side cover of the engine (same part the oil fill plug is located) Directly in the center on the bottom an alan screw is used for the plug so it does not stick out on the bottom.
$350! I would make a new tank, just bend some tin, weld the seams and be done.
 
#5 ·
I will have to do some looking and see what I can scrounge up for a tank , if you want new those will not be cheap, last time I checked wisconsin tanks are running about $250-$350

$350! I would make a new tank, just bend some tin, weld the seams and be done.
Damn!! :hitting_self_roller: :bs: My sentiments exactly. That's more than I paid for the whole tractor! I wish I knew enough how to fabricate a new gas tank up myself since I could do it for a LOT cheaper than that I would imagine.

Your oil drain plug is located on your side cover of the engine (same part the oil fill plug is located) Directly in the center on the bottom an alan screw is used for the plug so it does not stick out on the bottom.
Thanks for the info, Doc. Although, I don't see the oil drain plug at the bottom of the side case in your picture (unless that was not from an Estate Keeper?). At least I know where on the engine to start looking for it. I have a bad feeling I'll be getting the tractor, myself, and my garage floor covered in used oil trying to do an oil change on this thing... :(

Any recommendation for oil to use in this thing? I'd assume it calls for straight 30W conventional oil, but is there any problem running 10W40, 15W40 diesel oil, or like 20W50 in it? Since I'm running it in the summer and this thing likes to run HOT, I'm feeling like I'd want to be cautious and go with a heavier weight oil than just straight 30W... If I was going to run it in the winter though, I might want to run a thinner oil than that.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
30w is the heaviest that you mentioned. The first number is the weight of the oil, the second number is what it acts like when hot. Change it now. You should not trust old oil in an engine. Do an oil change immediately when getting an engine. It is cheap insurance. It does sound like you may have a leaking head gasket. Keep an eye on it for a while. Use Marvel in your gas. Good Luck, Rick
 
#7 ·
use either 30 or 10W-30 oil, do not use modern synthetic I have been stocking and using the Kohler branded oil as it is specially formulated for these small engines and has a zinc additive which most auto oils do not which helps with wear.

It could be someone swapped your motor , look at the sides of your engine if its from an EK you should see screws for the side plugs , if you see a square plug on the side its from another machine
 
#10 ·
use either 30 or 10W-30 oil, do not use modern synthetic I have been stocking and using the Kohler branded oil as it is specially formulated for these small engines and has a zinc additive which most auto oils do not which helps with wear.
Well, STP Oil Additive also has ZDDP (Zinc additive) in it that I could add to the oil... http://www.napaonline.com/napa/en/p/NCB65148/NCB65148

30W is the heaviest that you mentioned. The first number is the weight of the oil, the second number is what it acts like when hot.
So you think straight 30W oil is the best option then? I know it is a higher weight of oil and it is straight weight, but like you said, the other oils "act like" a 40W or 50W oil when hot, so I figured that might be better to run in the summer when it is hot. I mean, the oil is going to be hot most of the time while the engine is running anyways. That's my thought at least.

It could be someone swapped your motor , look at the sides of your engine if its from an EK you should see screws for the side plugs , if you see a square plug on the side its from another machine
No, no... You misunderstood what I said. I haven't checked my engine yet anyways for the oil drain plug. I was just saying that in the picture you posted above, I didn't see the drain plug that you were talking about. I wasn't sure if the picture was of the side case from a different engine, that's all. I wasn't talking about my engine at all. Sorry for the confusion.
 
#11 · (Edited by Moderator)
This is why so many machines wind up in the junk pile,prices like Wisconsin are asking is totaly out of hand,and there not the only company asking crazy prices,Kohler is not far behind (IMO)
It all depends on how you view things I guess, for a collector looking to finish a restoration the fact that even the majority of parts for these engines are still available is a small miracle in itself. Its just my opinion on this but I'd rather have the option of having the part still stocked and pay a bit more than to have them make everything NLA and be stuck with nothing.

Working with old equipment has and always will be more expensive than something new, its all part of the hobby and your enjoyment of using these old machines and preserving history.

:usa:
 
#15 ·
This is why so many machines wind up in the junk pile,prices like Wisconsin are asking is totaly out of hand,and there not the only company asking crazy prices,Kohler is not far behind (IMO)
Yes, I agree with this 100%. Of course, I realize that other than the small collector and enthusiast market, there is not a mass demand for these type of replacement parts, so there is a high overhead cost to manufacture only 1 or 2 of these parts as needed, which drives the price way up on them. But seriously, $300 is outrageous just for a gas tank! They would probably sell a lot more of them if the price was more reasonable.

No wonder so many of these old machines either get junked, as you mentioned, or else they get re-powered with a newer engine. I can buy a brand new (albeit Chinese junk) engine for $350 at Harbor Freight right now: http://www.harborfreight.com/13-hp-420cc-ohv-horizontal-shaft-gas-engine-epa-60340.html I would much rather keep the original Wisconsin engine on it to keep the tractor original, but with the ridiculous prices they are charging for replacement parts, they are making it increasingly difficult to do that! :( :mad2:

I have been seeing this a lot more with newer equipment too, especially lawn mowers. I know that they are purposefully trying to get consumers to buy new equipment rather than put money into fixing up their old equipment as it breaks to keep it running since that's where they make the most money is on people buying new equipment. But on say a newer Toro push mower or something, these new engines are coming with junk plastic carburetors that are not adjustable and are set just to run at a preset RPM only. When they get all gummed up from the Ethanol they put in the gas, they want like $120 (+ shipping) just for a new carburetor, when you can go out and buy a whole brand new lawn mower for $250-$300. It is just crazy! I know someone who was trying to fix up their John Deere tractor with a 13HP Kohler engine on it and the carburetor was all full of dirt and sand from sitting. Kohler ended up charging him almost $140 for a new carburetor for that engine. (Which is STILL a hell of a lot cheaper than Zenith is charging for a new carburetor for one of these old Wisconsin engines... Doc Bolens told me they are charging around $250-$300 for a whole new carburetor!)
 
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
Like it or not we as consumers are to blame for the ''Cheap" stuff made today, manufactures will make what they are forced into with the EPA regulations hence (Non adjustable carbs) and will then make and cater to what the average consumer wants (Cheap as possible equipment)

Any of these manufactures could bust out a classic garden tractor again but who is going to buy it when it costs $7,000 dollars, The average consumer dosent even want to pay $600 for a lowes special, dont forget with inflation our beloved Bolens were just as expensive as a car was back in the 60's, it was an investment you made and something you were proud of and took care of , today the average consumer considers owning a mower a nuisance and will put little to no money in the machine until it breaks and they buy a new one, most push mowers never get their oil changed! In the small engine world parts will always add up to more than what a whole engine costs its just a fact, any engine you buy would cost more to buy it piece by piece instead of whole its just they way it is.

Having a lousy economy dosent help much either but thats all I'll say about that :(

My .02 :thumbs:
 
#17 ·
You could check and see how bad the holes in the old tank are and whether it can be repaired with modern day products - one of the nice things about the market and progress is that items such as JB weld and red-kote are now available at a reasonable price to repair what was once considered unrepairable in my opinion. If the original tank can not be repaired and you cannot find a good used one then you could probably make a new one out of sheet metal and solder it together using the original as a pattern - you could probably reuse the filler opening and the fittings from the original. A good metal working fabrication shop that makes ventilation ducting could probably bend up the pieces for you or a high school tech shop might help you out by making it a class project for a small donation - just some suggestions.
 
#18 ·
Unfortunately this is the norm throughout the the small engine and power equipment industry from all brands of equipment. We are a throw away society in a mass consumable market. Nearly everything manufactured today is built with planned obsolescence. Sadly, it will continue to be this way. Even as collectors and enthusiasts, we are a dying breed. As even our own community here places lower and lower values on our beloved old tractors and equipment, it becomes difficult to convince people to put money into replacement parts to keep them going. The less parts sell, the demand goes down and the price goes up, until each part is ultimately discontinued. Many will simply go down to the box store and buy a $700 POS and put it on their credit card. It will break down in 1-3 seasons of use and they'll have to do it again (even though they haven't paid off the first one yet). The manufacturers know this and bank on it.
 
#21 ·
Here's the tank, probably will need to be painted, they are "Take offs" which means they have never been used or have gas in them but were installed on a complete engine, then removed if a customer needed a different tank for the engine they bought new or engines that never sold.

Send me a PM if interested
 

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#22 ·
Change it now! You should not trust old oil in an engine. Do an oil change immediately when getting an engine. It is cheap insurance. It does sound like you may have a leaking head gasket. Keep an eye on it for a while. Use Marvel in your gas. Good Luck, Rick.
Well, I do regret not changing it earlier, especially before I already ran it once this year to knock down some very tall grass and weeds with it. In retrospect, I REALLY should have put some fresh oil in it before making it work under an extremely heavy load to mow tall, thick grass. But, it managed to survive the one day abuse I put it through and then was rewarded with a fresh oil change for its troubles!

I WAS going to post the pictures of the oil change here, but I thought I should make its own post for it just in case anyone else might find the information useful. That way they won't end up having to hunt through tons of posts in a thread to find it and it will be in its own separate thread. Pretty thoughtful of me, right?

Here is the link to the other thread: http://gardentractortalk.com/forums/topic/55611-changing-the-oil-on-a-bolens-estate-keeper-ek-10/
 
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