OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Finding and Swapping Tip & Curb Side Finds Gilson Roatary Hoe Tip Find

Hi guys.
My newest tip find, a Gilson Rotary Hoe with B&S 5HP motor. Just got it home so haven't had time to go through it and sort what needs doing yet. Seems to have compression and suction, haven't checked for spark yet. Engine codes are 130202 0135-01 78031007
Did a search here on Gilson but nothing showed. Anyone familiar with these?

I know nothing about the rotary hoe, aussietrev, but here is the IPL for the engine:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/Z6kpuAVJ1DajI.pdf

Here is the Operator's Manual:
http://bsintek.basco.com/BriggsDocumentDisplay/flhsuIX-nfBhU7y.pdf

It was made on 10 March 1978.

Hello aussietrev and GM grumpy,

These machines bring back memories.

In the late seventies and early eighties there was a gardening revival and an interest
in the power products offered for sale. Rover Mowers were the Gilson agents and importers,
and these sold very well across Australia.

Gilson tillers were well-engineered and highly successful.
This tip find is a good one, representing the decline in mass-interest in home gardening.

All very interesting.
----------------------------------
JACK.

Thanks Grumpy and Jack. Do you think it a worthwhile resto project Jack? It turns over okay, the drive engages and disengages fine. I think maybe it has just lost spark from first looks.

Hello aussietrev

Absolutely a worthwhile project Trev!
Mower shops in the late '70s and '80s had tillers for sale.
In my experience, the Gilson and the Masport Home Gardener were extremely
big sellers. Snapper also offered a good range.

Maybe that BBC TV show "The Good Life" had something to do with it ...
[More senior members may remember this show]

This machine looks complete and an easy resto.
An astute tip find mate.

I wish I could find some Rover brochures presenting these machines.
[They would have made Rover a lot of money]

All very tillervating.
----------------------------------
JACK.

Have you tested the spark? Just remove the spark plug, reattach the lead to the plug and hold the metal plug body against the cylinder head, then with all controls set in the Start position, pull the starter cord and watch the spark plug gap for an even series of blue sparks. If you don't get them, let's talk about fixing it.

Hi Grumpy. Yep, tested for spark, none. No kill switch to disconnect, just a piece of metal on top of the head that you push across to short the plug. I will pull the cowl off tomorrow and check if it is perhaps the HT lead or if the coil is finito, too damn hot and humid here at the moment to get stuck in. On another matter, the correct size grommet and fuel pick up turned up for that Pope Line Trimmer tip find today so fitted that, half a dozens pumps on the primer and zooooooom, running like a damn champ it is. As well as the hoe today I scored two more line trimmers, both the same model so can probably make at least one from two as one still has all the air filter etc, as well as a Husqvarna Model 136 chainsaw. All in all, a good day.

I think you may like those trimmers, aussietrev - I like them a lot. Trimming edges has become an acceptable chore instead of a real pain in the backside. I just can't feel comfortable working with any engine that runs like a two-legged dog, which is what every previous trimmer I'd used, ran like at steady speed of around 2,500 - 3,000 rpm with a variable load. Both of mine also start like yours did. I always drain the fuel tank and pump the fuel system dry right after I use them, and every time I drag them out, it is just pump till the bubbles stop then two pulls with the ignition on, and it runs like a car engine until I turn it off.

That rotary hoe looks promising too: having a Briggs engine takes away a whole lot of potential issues. Personally I would only use such a thing for at most 15 minutes per year though, so I couldn't justify giving it house-room.

Hi Grumpy,
Well I know what you mean now about those Pope style trimmers. Man is that thing sweet. Can hardly tell it is running at idle it is that quiet and smooth but blip the trigger a couple of times and you could be on the start line of a 250cc bike race. I'll be selling my old GMC now, different model to the version you have, a half crank engine that whilst it always starts easy and runs well it is not a patch on this one.
As to the hoe, have sprayed it down and will pressure wash it before I start to strip it but it is about 38 degrees and about 90% humidity here again today so it is going to have to wait a while yet.

Thanks for the update, aussietrev. Please keep us posted, with pictures, as you bring the rotary hoe back to life. We don't have nearly enough threads on rotary hoes, and you have an interesting one there. Sorry about my ignition diagnostics advice - I had thought Briggs had stopped making the secondary (spark plug top) shorting kill switch by 1978 and switched entirely to the primary (at coil or magnetron) shorting type. It now seems they were still making both at that time.

Hi Grumpy.
Took the pull starter and cowl off and removed the coil pack. It has two wires coming from it, one that is grounded under one of the mounting screws and one that disappears down inside the engine so I am thinking oil level switch?, or is it a points type engine? I can't quite work it out from the parts list. I disconnected it and still no sign of a spark. If it is the coil then I'm afraid the cost of restoring it going to be out of the question with the coil pack somewhere around $90 to $100 since the compression feels low and it will probably need rings at least as well.

Your engine was manufactured in 1978, and Briggs did not fit the Magnetron electronic ignition until 1982, so it has breaker points, and that is where the wire that runs under the flywheel goes.

The first thing you need to do is test the coil, then ground it properly and set the flywheel to coil yoke clearance properly, and see if you then have spark. If you don't, there are various ways to proceed from that point. To restore the engine, you would begin by removing the flywheel and taking the tin cover off the compartment which has the points and condenser inside. You might find the points have closed up, or just possibly the compartment is swimming in engine oil. If you do, you will know what is wrong, and would have to choose between keeping it original, or fixing it permanently and easily by fitting a second-hand Magnetron (a simply bolt-on replacement for your original coil). Keeping it original would involve resetting the points if there is little or no oil in the compartment, and seeing if it then has spark. If it doesn't, you'd need to consider a new condenser. If the compartment is full of oil you could begin by replacing the plastic plunger which operates the points, but if it is still leaky with a new plunger you'd have to ream and bush the crankcase where the plunger passes through it: a costly process because of the need to buy a reamer and bush.

So, you have a choice: post a request for a Magnetron on the Wanted forum (giving your model number of course) or remove the flywheel and find out what is going on.