old Tecumseh LV 35

Breen 1952

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A neighbor gave me an old high wheeled mower with a single front wheel a couple of decades ago to see if I could make it run... has a Tecumseh LV35 on it. Never seen a lawn mower engine with points and condenser before. Finally got around to working on it yesterday and today and doggoned if it didn't start up! didn't run but a few seconds each time, just enough to let me know the carb needs care. Discovered the engine was also used on old Craftsman mowers so I found it on the Craftsman Parts site. Ordered carb parts and am looking forward to rebuilding the carb and bringing the old engine back to life. (she snapped back once and the rope handle smacked the tip of my left ring finger... yes, it's swollen and blue.) All the springs were rusted out and the diaphragm was hard as a rock. The carb was really clean on the inside (after I removed the dirt daubers from the venturi.) Says a lot about old-timey leaded gasoline!

I haven't had any luck confirming the age of this engine. It and the mower frame, maker unknown, are painted light brown with the engine case being white. I suspect it is from the late '50s or early '60s.
The Craftsman #s are 143.234102, ser 3183N. Tecumseh #s are LV35 40034, ser 393 06238. It's a 3.5 hp. That Craftsman # actually crossed to a Tecumseh LAV 35. Same engine with an aluminum block, as best that I can tell.

Any further info on this engine will be appreciated.

Breen.
 

jp1961

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Hi Breen,

Tecumseh model/serial numbers can be a tad hard to decipher.

LV35 is the model number, it has a 2.5" bore and 1.844" stroke. Displacement is 9.05 C.I. or 148cc. L probably means light frame, V means vertical shaft.

For the serial number breakdown, my Intertek manual breaks it down as follows. For example a serial number of 8310C the 8 is the year of manufacture - 1978 the 310 is the day it was made or November 6 1978. The C represents the line and shift the engine was built at.

Regards

Jeff
 
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