I've broken my Dexta
Last weekend I was merrily cutting the grass with the 3 blade mower on the back, it was a beautiful sunny day and I was thinking "what could be better than sitting here in the sun on a Dexta doing a nice simple job" then it suddenly came to a halt, the mower had stopped turning too - the engine was still running nicely. I had a little think to myself and remembered that recently I had heard a bit of a clunk when releasing the clutch and taking up the drive, so my first thoughts were I've broken the gearbox, but then I calmed down a bit and hoped it might just be the clutch. Had to tow it back to the shed and then split it at the bellhousing and sure enough the centre had broken out of the clutch plate. Brian will probably say I told you so after my rotovating session.
In the picture you can see that it has sheared the rivets that hold the centre in the clutch plate.
I have noticed that with the single plate clutch, whatever implement you are using with the pto, it tends to keep driving the gearbox forward after you have depressed the clutch, so I think this must have been the main problem. I have now invested in an overrun clutch for the pto, hope this helps.
I'm in the process of putting it back together now after getting a new plate sent up from agriline.
I'm taking the opportunity to clean down some of the bits around the back of the engine and the top of the gearbox and while doing this I found an original information plate attached to the bulkhead between the engine and the battery box, buried under exhaust soot and dirt that gives details of oil type, firing order and starting procedure.
The plate is a bit scratched but I think you can see most of the detail.
I'll be back in action again this weekend !!