20 Ton freebie splitter rebuild thread

[s0ulP@tch]

I recently was given a free non-working splitter for the low price of moving enough of a wood pile to access the machine. A lady at church just wanted it gone. It had been sitting for 3-4 years, poorly covered under a fraying tarp. The only legible placard says it’s a Central Hydraulics 20 Ton splitter, but I can’t find anything on the Interwebz about this one. It looks similar to a Brave VH1326, so I’m using its manual as a reference.

Known issues upon pickup:

1. Tires have dry rot & wheels grind as they roll. Need new bearings and tires.
2. Carb jet & emulsion tube were tarnished. Jet passage was completely corroded, keeping the engine from starting.
3. Gas cap is cracked, and the tank filter screen is not in good condition.
4. The ram wasn’t retracted fully, and some of the exposed shaft is rusty.
5. Hyd oil cap is missing, so I assume there’s moisture in the oil.
6. Oily dirt is ALL. OVER. I assume I’ll need to reseal all threaded fittings w yellow tape.
7. Lots of the paint is flaking off and much of the metal is rusty.
8. The owners wanted to keep the hitch lock, but couldn’t find a key. I purchased a new adapter at HF and put it on.

I pumped up the tires and drove it home. Free is free, and I do enjoy bringing useful junk back to life. Time for a project 😊

I'm super cheap when it comes to builds, so I'll track what I purchased for those who are like-minded. Oil and gas I had on hand, along with some spray paint and tools for sanding/prepping the metal.

Running Total: $135.15
Parts & Cost Breakdown

5gal AW32 Hyd Fluid	$59.99
Honda GX160 Carburetor	$6.23 (on sale!)
Wix 51551 10micron filter (x2)	$29.96 ($14.98/ea)
Buyers HBF12 breather cap (3/4 NPT threads)	$14.99
Metal gas cap & strainer kit	$7.99
2" ball coupler from Harbor Freight	$15.99

 

[s0ulP@tch]

The Engine: Predator 212cc 6.5hp
Thankfully the engine was easy to get running. I took apart the carb. That’s when I found out how corroded the jet was. The center hole was completely filled with green patina. I used an o-ring pick to chip out as much as I could and cleaned it with brake cleaner, then reassembled.

After replacing the oil & gas, it only took a few pulls to get going. The idle needed a little adjusting but it works pretty well! It wouldn’t run without some sputtering, so the jet would need replacing.

I found out that the Honda GX160/GX200 engines use the exact same carb & jet, so I ordered a $6.25 carb on Walmart.com along with Hyd oil filters and 5gal AW32 oil. The carb was a direct replacement and came with line filters and gaskets. She runs very smoothly now, and I have spare parts if I need them.

After some run time, I checked the oil and noticed the new oil was kinda glittery and gritty. The engine was probably knocking loose all the corrosion from sitting. I changed the oil again.

 

[John Mc]

You bought a new carb for $6.25?

 

[s0ulP@tch]

You bought a new carb for $6.25?

Sure did! It was on sale for $4 off its already low price of $10.23. Getting new brass pieces & gaskets would've cost far more. Since so many small engines (apparently) use the same carb, clones are everywhere. I got free shipping since I bought it with other parts.
Wasn't much of a gamble, and it works tons better than the old one. Two thumbs up!

 

[hedge wood]

You will find the Predator engines are pretty tough. I have several out here on the farm. Pump water all summer into a sprayer with the 6.5 HP like you have. If you find the cylinder is bad Surplus Center in Lincoln Ne has them not cheap but has them item 903993. Have fun with the new toy.

 

[salecker]

If fittings are leaking look into using hemp for resealing them
When i built my storage tanks i experimented with hemp as my HVAC guy convinced me to try it
Regular tape leaked on fittings
pipe dope was a bit better
Hemp did not leak, and if by chance it does as soon as it gets any liquid it swells up.
Over 200 threaded fittings on my system and zero leaks when i tested it, 15 years later still the same
I now use hemp for all my threaded fittings

 

[s0ulP@tch]

Fascinating… I’ve never heard of using hemp. I have a roll of yellow sealing tape and will use that for now. If that doesn’t work, I’ll give hemp a try.

 

[stoveliker]

Yellow tape was more for gas fittings I thought.
Hemp used to be common (as in the only thing used for water fittings in our home) for fittings when I was a kid.