Jacobsen lawn queen information

I'm in the process of fixing up a late 1940's to early 1950's Jacobsen lawn queen reel type mower. I was wondering if I could get some information it, like if they were very powerful mowers, were they very good quality back then, if they were easy to start and some of the history on them. If you have any info on them please let me know. Thanks.

[Andrew Mackey]

I had a 1958 Lawn Queen mower. It was not that powerful (engine was rated @ 2 1/4 HP), but it was very reliable! I bought it at a yard sale, and used ir for 6 years, along with a REO Royale, mowing lawns, when I was a kid. Both machines were retired after I bought a Jacobsen 30" rotary mower, and joined a friend in business repairing mowers and doing light landscaping. The Lawn Queen mower by this time, was pretty well worn out. The reel bearings were going bad, the bed knife (the actual cutting blade) was nearly worn out - no more adjustment, the tires were worn so badly that holes were apearing thru the tires, but the engine still ran well! I removed the engine, and mounted it on a scooter! (this was 40 years before this became popular!) Look at the Razor scooter today, and think of the Lawn Queen engine on it! My scooter was not fast (local cops clocked me @ 27 MPH), but it was fun to ride. The biggest problem I had with the engine is that the air filter, which looked like an aluminum scrubbing pad, kept vibrating loose. Even when the engine was mounted on the mower, I must have lost at least 20 mounting nuts! I still have the engine! I plan to take it to shows in the near future. Fuel-oil ratio was 16:1 (1/2 pint SAE 30 - non-detergent oil to a gallon of regular gas) 2 cycle engine oil was not being made in the 1950's like it is today. I would rather see the SAE 30, than the modern 2 cycle oil, as the Lawn Queen engine is a low speed engine. Mine has plain bronze bearings, and a bronze connecting rod. Top RPM was in the area of 2,000 RPM. The cylender was aluminum with an integral cast iron liner, piston was also aliminum, with 3 cast iron rings. A stepped piston timed the intake and exhaust, the exhaust port consisted if 4 5/16" holes within the exhaust manifold. With the hard use I gave the machine, I had to de-coke the ports yearly, as they carboned up, and got choked off. Every year at the beginning of the mowing season, the engine head was removed, the ports de-coked, the carbon removed from the piston top and the head, and the muffler was decarboned as well. I have seen some Jacobson carboned up so bad, that they would barely idle, much less run! ( the 30" Jacobsen rotary I bought was one of these - see my posting about 2 cycle engine oiling last year to see what I had to do) Tips for running your engine: 1 De-coke the engine and muffler, 2 use fresh oil and fuel mix, 3 remove starter and engine shroud and remove debris from engine cooling fins (this is the second main cause of engine failure on this type - first was improper fuel - oil mixing and ratio [put oil and gas @ 16:1 in seperate can, mix well and then pour fuel mix into engine tank]) You would be suprised at the amount of people who put oil and gas in the mower tank, without mixing it first! 4 do not adjust carb so engine 'sings like a bee' if you are going to use the mower. if you do, the engine will burn out the piston. If the engine is not going to cut grass, it can be set lean, but if the mower is to be used it must be set rich. E Mail me if you need carb set up instructions. 5 reverse the reeds on the intake plate. My Lawn Queen had 1 reed, I have seen some with as many as 4 mounted on the intake plate. Look at the reed(s) and make sure there are no fractures at the mounting holes, or at the pivot point.
make sure the reed isflush with the mounting plate. Do not attempt to bend the reed! If it does not sit flat and flush, try reversing. If it is still not true, replace it! A bent, or deformed reed will cause starting and running problems Make sure ALL mounting bolts, nuts, and screws are tight before running engine! Especially: carb mounts, reed plate - intake manifold mounts, gas tank mounts, engine side bearing mount bolts, head stud nuts, or bolts (early engines had studs). An important thing to remember - air leaks are your enemy in a 2 stroke engine. Have fun!
Andrew

Thanks for all your info Andrew!

[toolazy]

Yes. Thank you also. Very informative post.

[Anthony J. Wiegand]

Originally Posted by Andrew Mackey

I had a 1958 Lawn Queen mower. It was not that powerful (engine was rated @ 2 1/4 HP), but it was very reliable! I bought it at a yard sale, and used ir for 6 years, along with a REO Royale, mowing lawns, when I was a kid. Both machines were retired after I bought a Jacobsen 30" rotary mower, and joined a friend in business repairing mowers and doing light landscaping. The Lawn Queen mower by this time, was pretty well worn out. The reel bearings were going bad, the bed knife (the actual cutting blade) was nearly worn out - no more adjustment, the tires were worn so badly that holes were apearing thru the tires, but the engine still ran well! I removed the engine, and mounted it on a scooter! (this was 40 years before this became popular!) Look at the Razor scooter today, and think of the Lawn Queen engine on it! My scooter was not fast (local cops clocked me @ 27 MPH), but it was fun to ride. The biggest problem I had with the engine is that the air filter, which looked like an aluminum scrubbing pad, kept vibrating loose. Even when the engine was mounted on the mower, I must have lost at least 20 mounting nuts! I still have the engine! I plan to take it to shows in the near future. Fuel-oil ratio was 16:1 (1/2 pint SAE 30 - non-detergent oil to a gallon of regular gas) 2 cycle engine oil was not being made in the 1950's like it is today. I would rather see the SAE 30, than the modern 2 cycle oil, as the Lawn Queen engine is a low speed engine. Mine has plain bronze bearings, and a bronze connecting rod. Top RPM was in the area of 2,000 RPM. The cylender was aluminum with an integral cast iron liner, piston was also aliminum, with 3 cast iron rings. A stepped piston timed the intake and exhaust, the exhaust port consisted if 4 5/16" holes within the exhaust manifold. With the hard use I gave the machine, I had to de-coke the ports yearly, as they carboned up, and got choked off. Every year at the beginning of the mowing season, the engine head was removed, the ports de-coked, the carbon removed from the piston top and the head, and the muffler was decarboned as well. I have seen some Jacobson carboned up so bad, that they would barely idle, much less run! ( the 30" Jacobsen rotary I bought was one of these - see my posting about 2 cycle engine oiling last year to see what I had to do) Tips for running your engine: 1 De-coke the engine and muffler, 2 use fresh oil and fuel mix, 3 remove starter and engine shroud and remove debris from engine cooling fins (this is the second main cause of engine failure on this type - first was improper fuel - oil mixing and ratio [put oil and gas @ 16:1 in seperate can, mix well and then pour fuel mix into engine tank]) You would be suprised at the amount of people who put oil and gas in the mower tank, without mixing it first! 4 do not adjust carb so engine 'sings like a bee' if you are going to use the mower. if you do, the engine will burn out the piston. If the engine is not going to cut grass, it can be set lean, but if the mower is to be used it must be set rich. E Mail me if you need carb set up instructions. 5 reverse the reeds on the intake plate. My Lawn Queen had 1 reed, I have seen some with as many as 4 mounted on the intake plate. Look at the reed(s) and make sure there are no fractures at the mounting holes, or at the pivot point.
make sure the reed isflush with the mounting plate. Do not attempt to bend the reed! If it does not sit flat and flush, try reversing. If it is still not true, replace it! A bent, or deformed reed will cause starting and running problems Make sure ALL mounting bolts, nuts, and screws are tight before running engine! Especially: carb mounts, reed plate - intake manifold mounts, gas tank mounts, engine side bearing mount bolts, head stud nuts, or bolts (early engines had studs). An important thing to remember - air leaks are your enemy in a 2 stroke engine. Have fun!
Andrew

It looks like you hit the nail on the head.

[wheelhorseboy]

I have an old Jacobsen Lawn Queen a customer gave to me. It is in great shape considering it sat outside beside her garage for the past 18 years. Got it running good and now have it torn apart to repaint it. But I don't know anything about it. My partner used to be a Jacobsen dealer back in the 60's and 70's (I'm only 33 by the way) but dosn't have any of the literature anymore.
The numbers on the tag are 2A21 67069.
Any info would be great, and if someone knows how to tell a year of manufacture from the serial #(like toro does) that would be awsome.

[Andrew Mackey]

I have no production records for jacobsen. You might try thr ASECC site.
Andrew

[keith alvin]

your lawn queen # 2A21 67069 is a 1957 hope this helps, keith.

[Don T]

Hi...

New to the forum ........

I have a Jacobsen Lawn Queen 21 with numbers 2021 79531 that was my father's since new. I think it goes back to the 50's or 60's ?

Are there any sources for parts and repair manuals ? Any idea what make the carb would be and a source for parts ?

.........thanks for the assistance

Don

[keith alvin]

hi don welcome to smokstak, your lawnqueen # 2d21-79531 is a (1960) the jake orange paint # 313913 if you can find any,or maybe have some made. if the handle bar and posible the wheels are white,paintcode is 545281. the carb without seeing any pics, maybe a walbro. ( not the oil bath type air cleaner) if you dont plan on running the mower long or at all, i use hank rust guard #1620 orange. near perfect match, just dont spill any gas on the tank. have fun keith

[Andrew Mackey]

An auto parts store that carries engine paint should have chevrolet orange. it should be a close match, if you can't find the paint recommended by Keith
Keith, thanks for the help with the Lawn Queen info
Andrew

[tostein]

Can anyone tell me what year my lawn queen mower is with serial # 221-38942??? Is the paint code the same as the previous post?? It runs great after a little work. Thanks, Todd

[keith alvin]

hi todd your 21" lawnqueen is a 1952. the color should be the same from my last post. keith

[Andrew Mackey]

Don, your carb may also be a tillotson. does it have a round float sitting vertically in a small reservoir, set to one side of the carb,with the carb top held in place with 3 screws? or is it a more conventional looking carb?
Andrew

[tostein]

Thanks for the info. Todd

[Walt in Jaxn Tn.]

I have a Jacobsen engine that I bought at a show in Houston Mississippi bout 5 or 6 years ago. I got it cheap and want to use it to power a fan, but, I need to find a rope starter pulley for it as the one on it is broken. I have some photos in photobucket that I'd like to post here but, not sure how.

[woodhazl]

I think I have a Jacobsen lawn queen also. I does not run and needs an overhaul so I've got it for sell. What do you guys think it might be worth?