Is using a Riding Mower to learn Engine Work a Good Idea?
Posted by bob999999117@reddit | projectcar | View on Reddit | 25 comments
TLDR: Is it a good idea to use a riding mower as a practice for building and swapping an engine?
The in long;
I've had this 1986 El Camino (with a 305 v8) for about a year now and I'm planning to put in a new engine (350 v8), and maybe even build one. I'd like to do this myself to save some money and learn the skills. I understand that this isn't usually a good idea to do if you've never done it before (or know someone who has), but I'm getting a (free) riding mower to go rebuild the engine and to see if it's even something I like doing. I should also add that I’ll probably need to do a transmission swap as well (currently have 200-4r turbo and I’d need no less than a 350r), and I should also add that on the El Caminos with 350 transmissions typically this swap is regarded as pretty simple given that with this generation you could option for 350 engine in the earlier years.
Here’s what I’m think my options are, which one do you guys think is the best?
1) Build an engine and swap it in myself
2) Build an engine and have a shop swap it in
3) Buy an engine and swap it in myself
4) Buy an engine and have a shop swap it in
OutrageousTime4868@reddit
I learned on mowers when I was 14 and now I do full-on restorations, by all means start that way!
filtyratbastards@reddit
Fix mowers and flip them for money.
Complete_Function_78@reddit
Fellow el camin-bro here I had a 305 with a blown head gasket that I only found out after getting it in "working" order. Be prepared to read a lot and buy yourself some of the manuals for the car. Forums are great if you know how to google but nothing will beat the manuals especially if you aren't mechanically inclined yet! These older cars are great to learn on, and often gave you more room then you know what to do with. I would fix up what you got, and do a good service, then toot it around until you get a hankering for more power. Be prepared to pay though I've spent a decent amount of money on mine swapped to a 400sb and a new th350 trans. Facebook market place is your friend!
teeksquad@reddit
Great idea. Even a push mower. You learn those and your ready to start building go kart motors. They have changed to overhead cam clones these days but when I was a kid racing karts, they were primarily the flathead 5 hp Briggs from old lawn mowers. That’s how my mechanic pops taught me the motors as a kid.
716econoline@reddit
What kinda lawn tractor? Anything fun? For the trans 200 4r has a numerically higher 1st gear and a fairly deep overdrive. Than a th 350 seeing as you already have the case I would build that trans.
Are you happy with your current gear ratios?
juwyro@reddit
(nearly) All piston engine short blocks operate the same. The big differences in engines is in the valvtrain, but even that's the same parts just oriented in different ways. The lawn mower engine will show you the basics, and you have one of the most common engines that get worked on and swapped. I say do a basic rebuild and swap it in yourself.
Kharon8@reddit
Free riding mower? Hell yea. Free practise target is always a good point to start.
If you like tinkering with it, then it's choice #1, if you don't, then it's choice #4.
3 is a bit less work than #2, but engine on a stand (i.e. #2) is a lot more easier to work on compared to shoehorning it in to the car.
bob999999117@reddit (OP)
How much work is it to build/rebuild an engine? Decent Facebook Marketplace 350s are around for decent prices where I'm at ($1.5k-2.5k depending on what you want)
Kharon8@reddit
If you do it properly, it is significant amount of work: Not just slapping new parts in, but you basically need to measure everything after disassembly and sort them to three piles: OK, needs machining and scrap. That takes time.
Getting a quote from a local shop would probably help more than I can, as prices vary a lot.
aj8j83fo83jo8ja3o8ja@reddit
i’m gonna go against the grain and say, sort of…
but you’re going to need to hunt down weird/rare/unavailable parts and gaskets, and a lot of small engine wisdom doesn’t actually scale up to car engines…
personally, I’d say fuck it and go right for the real thing. There is way, way more information and parts out there for how to rebuild a SBC compared to some random riding mower engine. Build the new engine and run it standalone on an engine stand stand. You just need a battery and a coil to do this.
take your time, take years. read books and watch YouTube videos. get it running perfect with no leaks before you pull out your current engine. that’s what i’d do
tk8398@reddit
With a place to do it, swapping the engine would be easy. I am not even sure there is any reason to ditch the 2004r. A TH350 would not have overdrive so it would actually make it worse to drive on the road. One thing to consider would be to have a shop assemble a short block and either rebuild the heads for you or get new ones, then do the rest yourself.
bob999999117@reddit (OP)
I got a small garage two car garage to do it in so building is no biggie, swapping would be weather dependant though since I don't have the depth to do so. For the transmission, I picked a 350 because I'm hoping to make somewhere in the neighborhood of 300-325hp which a 200-4r can't handle (at least that's what I picked up on from my research). I think 350 turbos are a thing, I guess I should be looking at that?
tk8398@reddit
A built 2004r can easily handle that, a th350 is cheaper but only a 3 speed. I wouldn't swap it to a different kind, just get an upgraded one if this one quits. Building the short block will take a lot of tools, measuring, keeping everything very clean, etc so that's what I suggested maybe letting a shop do that part if you want to get on the road faster without having to redo stuff. The rest of it is all pretty simple.
bob999999117@reddit (OP)
So with having a shop assemble the block would that be substantially cheaper than just going with a crate overall?
tk8398@reddit
Yeah and you could do the rest yourself and get exactly what you want.
TucsonTank@reddit
Small engine repair is an awesome way to learn some stuff. Plus, you can make a side gig out of it later. Good luck!
rqx82@reddit
Mower/small engines are where I learned. Used ones are cheap and plentiful, as are replacement parts. If you do something wrong and blow up a used 5hp Briggs, it’s not a big deal.
realsalmineo@reddit
Yes.
FormulaZR@reddit
Sure, starting out with a small single cylinder engine is a good way to learn the basics.
The good part about swapping a 350/350 combination into a G body is that the engine is easy and there is for sure already a transmission crossmember available for it.
BrentRussel@reddit
Yeah, that's how I learned. I took a mower engine to shop class and rebuilt it. Do that over and over until you have the process down, then move on to something bigger, wash, rinse, repeat.
prairie-man@reddit
The El Camino is your current transportation ? or a project car ?
Does the riding mower engine start and run ?
is the riding mower engine seized ?
assuming the El Camino is your transportation - learning about engine using a single cylinder small engine is a great way to begin your car repair journey.
bob999999117@reddit (OP)
El Camino is pure project and occasional backup. The riding mower no clue what's going on with it according to my dad it hasn't been ran in a couple of years but it's free
weasel5134@reddit
Learn on the mower. Worst case scenario you make it worse by breaking lots of things and lose out on parts cost and time
Much cheaper than learning the same lessons on a 305
prairie-man@reddit
so you are driving it from time to time.
100% - focus on getting the mower engine running, then take that experience and apply it to the El Camino.
rollingreen48@reddit
Yes, start with the mower, learn how gaskets get installed, bolts get torqued and how to clean and handle metal parts. A chevy 305 is a pretty basic engine to learn on. Lots of info, videos and tutorials on the web. Some times learning by doing is the best. If you have a motor, start wrenching. Start with basics like plugs and accessories, if you feel adventurous pull the oil pan, intake or heads. Best way to learn is to do.