New wide fender purchase - data plate info

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Air Doug
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New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Air Doug » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:50 pm

I just purchased an October1968 Baifield Industries A5 wide fender. Serial Number 11979, Registration Number 02A-20568. Attached is a picture of the data plate. Chuck W., please add this to your database, or let me know if it is already in the database. Any insight into it from the registry is appreciated.

It has wide fenders, wide wheels with (seriously rotted) Goodyear tires, what looks like the original electric start box on the steering column, Prestolite starter, hinged lid battery box, two-pulley crankshaft output, and MOPAR alternator. The solenoid is missing. There is no voltage regulator on the back of the battery box. It has been converted to 4-wheel steer. A janky floor headlight dimmer on the steering column box is the starter switch.

My idea in purchasing it was to use it as a "driver," but if it is particularly desirable or rare, maybe I should have it restored? It ran fine for about 5 minutes then stalled and I am chasing a fuel supply issue now. There are plenty of little (and not so little issues) to keep me busy for awhile.I am interested in any comments on what I should do with it.

Thanks
Attachments
Angled pic 4MP.jpg
Data Plate.JPG


RC_Esmond
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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by RC_Esmond » Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:13 pm

I'm sure most here will suggest pulling the engine cover and evicting any freeloaders and their nest. Then drain the drop gear housings and watch for metal. I've read that the wide tires are hard on the gears/bearings.
Randy
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1968 M274A5
1953 M37

Chuck W.
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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Chuck W. » Mon Mar 29, 2021 10:35 am

Nice mule! It is right at the cutoff between Baifield Corp and Automatic sprinkler Corp. In fact, I list one mule with a lower serial number as being manufactured by Automatic Sprinkler Corp. Other than the manufacturer issue, the serial number, registration number and the manufacturer date fit right into the database sequence.

The column box looks original. The regulator and solenoid are available.
Image

Voltage Regulator:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-VOLTAGE-RE ... Sw54NdrgXN

This solenoid will work just fine:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-For-Club-C ... %3A2334524

Good luck with your project and post photos of the finished project!

Air Doug
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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Air Doug » Mon Mar 29, 2021 5:26 pm

Chuck, thanks for the registry info. My sense was that it was very close to the last Baifield. And thanks for the pic of where the solenoid and VR go. I knew they went on the back of the battery box but not where. I haven't looked closely enough to see if the alternator is the old style or a newer one wire. I will wire accordingly but don't intend to revert to an older 4-wire. Thanks also for the links to the parts. I have a momentary switch already and want to revert to a solenoid as soon as possible.

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Air Doug » Tue Mar 30, 2021 6:04 am

Thanks RC. I checked for nests before purchase and all was clean.
I was planning to replace all fluids but didn't think about doing it one at a time into a shallow pan to look for metal. Thanks very much for that tip.

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Chuck W. » Tue Mar 30, 2021 9:57 am

At one time, Saturn Surplus had the two correct switches for the steering column box. Looks like they sill show the 2-wire momentary toggle switch, but I don't see the 4-wire On-Of.
http://saturnsurplus.com/electrical/2switch.htm

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Chuck W. » Tue Mar 30, 2021 1:07 pm

Here are a few more photos that might help.
I said 4-wire toggle switch, but it's actually a 6-wire switch. Not sure where you'd find one now.

Image

Image

Image

Air Doug
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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Air Doug » Tue Mar 30, 2021 4:23 pm

Chuck, as usual your responses are super informative.

i should have been more specific about the starter box. It looks original and has the 6-wire start/stop switch at the top in working condition. The bottom momentary switch is still there but is inoperative. Instead of using the floor headlight dimmer switch as a momentary switch to operate a solenoid to the starter, a PO went to the trouble of running battery cable all the way up to the starter box. Kinda crazy.

Anyway, you are right about Saturn Surplus. I ordered a new momentary switch from them last week and have it in hand. I am now sourcing eBay for the male shell/female socket M series connectors to replace the ones a PO cut off to a nub.

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Chuck W. » Tue Mar 30, 2021 5:03 pm

Great! Sounds like you are on top of the situation. let me know if I can help, looks like you have a great mule.

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Air Doug » Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:15 am

Chuck, I will take you up on your offer to help. I am wondering if there is anything that I can do for a probable fuel supply problem short of replacing the carburetor.

Here's the story: Seller's father used the mule as a parade mule for about 20 years then died last year. Seller's brother reported the mule running fine last fall. Seller drained gas tank before winter. A few weeks ago, prior to sale, seller added new gas but had trouble getting it to run smooth and it kept stalling. I don't know what all he did but he messed around with the fuel filter, which he said had "dust" in it, and maybe disconnected lines at the fuel pump (I am guessing there). He said he took some stuff off and put it back on and finally got it running smoothly. He recorded a video for me, and I bought it sight unseen (yeah, I know, I know). We rolled it from his trailer onto mine, because the battery cables were backward for my battery and wouldn't reach.
At my farm, I hooked up the battery, applied the choke, and it fired right up and ran smoothly at the normal fast mule idle. I drove it around for about 5 minutes, checking all the gears, brakes, and hi/lo. All okay. I headed back to the barn and it sputtered, caught, sputtered, caught, then died. I tried to restart it a few times and it caught a time or two but never ran. It has 1/4 tank of gas.

I came back to the farm a week later and tried to start it. It seemed to want to start once, but never again. I pulled the fuel filter bowl to check the filter. No filter. Grrrr!! I cleaned a small amount of very fine sediment out of the bottom of the bowl, installed a new Wix filter, and reassembled it. Next, I removed the fuel return flow line from the T fitting on the carburetor. There was a flake in the orifice but gas would still pass it and spout up a little. I cleaned the orifice with a fine wire while running the fuel pump and gas flows freely through the orifice now. I blew through the return flow line and could feel air going into it, and my grandson could hear air flowing into the gas tank (good ears!). Gas cap valve is open, by the way. I put the return line back on and tried to start a few times but no luck.

One other thing, the engine oil on the dipstick smells faintly, but definitely, of gasoline. I will have to replace the fuel pump.

So, a couple of questions. With an empty fuel filter bowl and 1/4 tank of gas, would I need to crank the engine a long time before expecting it to start? I only tried three or four times, about 10 seconds each try.

Considering the mule's history, and since I have to replace the fuel pump anyway, should I just go ahead and replace the carburetor? There is a good chance that the same stuff that plugged the gas return line orifice has also plugged something in the carburetor, I think.

Any advice is welcome.

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Chuck W. » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:51 am

I would definitely replace both the fuel pump and the carb, since you don't know the history. There is a small screen in the carb behind the gas inlet fitting that can become plugged, especially if your fuel pump is failing or you are finding crap in the sediment bowl. Do you know if the fuel filter inside the tank has been changed? If it sat dry, it may have expanded and could be damaged, depends on which filter it is. If it were me, I'd drop the tank, remove the pickup and filter assembly, clean and inspect the inside of the tank, replace the filter (or just leave it out completely), then replace the fuel pump and carb. I would also encourage you to purchase another spare carb, as these will eventually be hard to find and are the weak point in the fuel system. (thanks, ethanol!)

Other things: make sure you are running the correct spark plugs. None of the mules I have owned or worked on liked Champion plugs. Autolite 2223 is the correct plug, but hard to find. I use to find Autoliote 2224 plugs on e-bay, in fact, I purchased about 50 of them, but I don't see them listed anymore.

I know you have checked under the shrouds for mice nests, but also make sure to check the air filter housing, too.
So, a couple of questions. With an empty fuel filter bowl and 1/4 tank of gas, would I need to crank the engine a long time before expecting it to start? I only tried three or four times, about 10 seconds each try.
I have had one or two that just would not pick up prime from the tank, even with a clean tank and no filter in the tank. I used a little air pressure on the tank to get fuel flowing to the sediment bowl and then everything was fine.

The best thing you can do for your mule's fuel system is to run only non-ethanol gas!

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Air Doug » Sun Apr 18, 2021 4:27 pm

I'm still in the process of assembling the proper tools for doing the fuel pump and carb replacement. The flare nut below the T fitting going into the carburetor is rounded so I will try to buy a new fuel line from pump to carb from Emery Mule Supply before attempting the job. I also got used 1/2" and 3/8" inch wrenches at a roadside flea market yesterday and will bend them up as needed.

At the same time, I need to install a solenoid (Chuck, thanks for the eBay suggestion, I got one and it looks like a quality unit) to eliminate the dimmer switch bolted onto the steering column and significantly shorten the battery cables. I need to purchase the proper size lugs to put on the shortened cables after I cut them. I measured OD of about 1/2 inch on the existing cables, including sheath, and estimate the actual wire size as about 0.3 inch, meaning about 0 or 1 gauge. Does anybody know what the original cable size was in the Mules?

Thanks!

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Re: New wide fender purchase - data plate info

Post by Chuck W. » Sun Apr 18, 2021 5:49 pm

On the battery cables, 4 AWG is what I would use.
Do yourself a favor and go ahead and pull the blower and blower mounting bracket before you start on the carb and fuel pump, you will save time in the long run.


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