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Post by ShrimpBrime on Jul 10, 2018 0:25:16 GMT -5
That trick works for determine the head gasket. But with bad or going bad rings, gotta do a leak down test. Has to hold it's compression not just achieve it.
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Jul 10, 2018 7:20:23 GMT -5
Ok so now you're saying using you finger IS accurate?
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Post by Macsbeach98 on Jul 10, 2018 10:05:07 GMT -5
I'm pissing myself laughing here.  For what its worth Rodney my Brother in law had a Husky ride on with a Kohler Courage 24 they are a beautiful motor it never missed a beat I couldnt say that about the rest of the mower but to be honest he used to give it a hard time. I replaced about 5 of the aluminium blade bosses he used to run over cut off stumps and it would snap the lugs off the bosses where they bolted on. He recently traded it in on a Toro zero turn. |
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Jul 10, 2018 16:54:59 GMT -5
Laughing is good for the soul. Glad you and Shane get a good laugh  |
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Jul 10, 2018 21:00:43 GMT -5
On a serious note, you find Koehler pictures and some issues they have. Head gaskets are pretty common in the small engine world. Always running 75-100% for most tasks. Digging on a motor is no fun. Do a leak down test and go from there. Pull the head if you need to.  |
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Post by Vinster on Jul 10, 2018 21:28:50 GMT -5
^That'll buff out...
Vin
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Jul 11, 2018 18:00:04 GMT -5
Haha. Spit shine that valve. No problem  |
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Post by Bones on Aug 13, 2018 1:31:48 GMT -5
Removed the carb today to get it right.
The inside of it was actually clean, removed the jets and they were clean and clear too but the fuel shutoff solenoid is suspect.
So far it hasn't worked and will do a straightup test of it soon, obviously if the solenoid is bad I'll replace it.
I did note what looked like a piece of trash at the needle valve but can't really say if anything was actually there or not but probrably was. Regardless I cleaned and blew out that part of it, the float itself is fine and the needle valve itself was perfectly clean of any gunk or corrosion, it's seat in the body is also spotless. Did the cleaning anyway and will finish up with that later, then reassemble and see what happens.
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Aug 13, 2018 22:33:31 GMT -5
Hope it started up and ran good! It only takes one small piece to stop a carb from working well.
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Post by Bones on Aug 25, 2018 9:46:13 GMT -5
I've mowed the yard with it twice since doing the work to it and so far, so good. Runs like it should, haven't noted any gas getting into the oil or anything else over it. Should be OK now but from now on I'll be sure to shutoff the gas when it's parked and check for any further gas seepage or thinning of the oil due to it. Since mowing season will be over before too long I'll have to make sure the carb has been ran dry once parked for the winter.
BTW thats what I've started doing each time I park it, manually shutoff the gas and let it run the carb dry. |
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Post by Bones on Sept 8, 2018 11:00:57 GMT -5
Since doing the work to it the mower has been fine, I even mowed with it yesterday and forgot to shutoff the gas. Right before posting this I remembered and checked it, the oil was OK, no gas smell from it so the work I did earlier solved the problem. However I still need to remember to shut off the gas just in case. Good thing is I didn't really have to do much of anything except to clean the carb out, didn't even have to use a kit or anything to get it done. On a side-project I'm working on I now have a clipping of an old 7-sisters rose bush from my parent's old home I want to plant by next spring. Tried to do this a few times last year but each clipping didn't make it, then this year thought of a different way to get one so tried it. The first attempt got messed up by someone cutting the yard and they ruined what I was trying to do, this time it was undisturbed for the time needed to get a clipping started in the pot and it now has a small sprout meaning the root system has began to take form. Hopefully it will live and by next year I'll be able to plant it, then let it grow.
The way I did it this time was to take one end of a vine/branch of the bush and literally bury it in the potting soil with a small part of the end sticking out and hold it there with a small rock so it would stay down where it needed to be. This way the plant would "Sense" this part of it was buried and begin to create a root bulb for it to grow with. Earlier today I snipped it loose from the parent branch and maybe it's grown enough to live on it's own now and believe it is. The other times I tried with was simply to snip off a small branch and stick it into the pot as I was told to do by a person at a garden center. Didn't work of course.  The plant itself makes clusters of red-pink roses with 7 blooms at each place they appear, hence the name. This kind of rose bush/plant is very rare nowadays and that's one of the biggest reasons I wanted a clipping for my home and had to get it before the old house sells. Now that I have it, I'm hoping it will make it until next year when I can set it into the ground where I want it to be. |
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Sept 13, 2018 21:40:20 GMT -5
Did a little searching on the 7 sisters roses you're talking about. Also known as Heirloom Roses. They look to grow pretty big and even climb fences and walls or what have you. Very pretty looking bush I must say! Looks like you can find them on Etsy for a reasonable price actually.
Hope your's grows heartily Rod! Good luck!
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Post by Bones on Sept 13, 2018 21:47:26 GMT -5
The clipping didn't make it this time. I'll have to try again and it's probrably too late in the year anyway BUT doesn't mean I still won't try it again next year.
May even try it again and let it root, keeping a light on it and just letting it grow period until Spring.
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Sept 13, 2018 22:09:21 GMT -5
Oh bummer. Yea I think you're right about the time of year. You could still pull it off if you can get some roots within the next month. They do grow best in the spring for sure.
We used to use Burlap on the Red roses for the winters. They where tough to transplant near this time of year. Some would make it in the spring some would not.
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Post by Mr.Scott on Sept 14, 2018 16:10:34 GMT -5
Best time for cuttings is when they're dormant. Usually fall. Start them inside over the winter.
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Post by Bones on Sept 20, 2018 22:50:12 GMT -5
That's a thought and can try it. Will have to go get another and see if it works or not. My sister did say she was going to dig up the bush and do it that way so I can get a clipping later.
On a different note I fixed my weedeater and tomorrow will see how it does.
Replaced the priming bulb and such, had to get another carb and that turned out to be a good deal I scored on fleabay. Got an entire engine assembly for $25 (plus shipping) with everything so stripped off what I needed - Best part is the engine itself could be OK (?) itself.
Well, the parts are certainly there including some of the really hard to find pieces for the one I have.
May mess around with it later just to see.  |
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Sept 23, 2018 11:39:25 GMT -5
Did the weed eater go? Hope so About 6 years ago I picked one up a guy was throwing out. Asked if I could have it... Well I used it many years. His problem was there was no oil in the fuel and he didnt know it was a two stroker lol. |
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Post by Bones on Sept 23, 2018 12:10:59 GMT -5
Ran great - Fired up on the second pull. Carb does need cleaning out because I have to leave the choke on a little for it run right but it does.
As for the engine I got it's probrably good enough to run. I do have another engine (Leaf blower) that seems good too but only one carb between them, that coming from the blower. Maybe one day I'll feel like messing around with it when bored or something.
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Sept 23, 2018 14:34:19 GMT -5
Keep your eye out for people trashing old motors. Always good for parts imo. Glad the weed eater runs good. Sometimes the smaller motors are harder to get running once they start acting up. I noticed on mine, you need a special tool to adjust the carb. Is yours like that?
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Post by zila1 on Sept 23, 2018 16:27:02 GMT -5
I really like the older machines vs the new ones. I think they were built better. A nice simple carbureted setup with idle and mixture adjusters. And metal carbs. Not that plastic crap they are putting out now.
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Post by bud on Sept 23, 2018 18:55:08 GMT -5
Two days ago I was out on the front porch and I heard a strange sound.
Two houses south of me was a neighbor mowing the lawn with and electric mower that was cordless.
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Sept 23, 2018 19:02:57 GMT -5
Batteries have come a long way. No doubt in the next 10 years, battery powered equipment for the homes will be the norm.
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Post by Bones on Sept 23, 2018 20:04:30 GMT -5
I really like the older machines vs the new ones. I think they were built better. A nice simple carbureted setup with idle and mixture adjusters. And metal carbs. Not that plastic crap they are putting out now. That's how this one was originally and the engine I got was too so it all matches.
The other carb from the leaf blower will fit and work on it but since it's from a blower there is no actual throttle contol, only the speed setting that you can use and it will run at that speed until you change it. No mixture adjustment either but if the need is really there it will work at least.
The carb on this one has a screwdriver slot so no special tool needed fo it - I guess I got it right before they changed to that but no huge deal if it was, I have my ways to get around that.
The other carb I picked up was indeed plastic, that one was for my push mower. Since it always runs at a preset speed I guess that's well enough for it BUT I'd still rather it be as they were years ago when they actually had throttle control.
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Post by zila1 on Sept 23, 2018 20:15:56 GMT -5
I really like the older machines vs the new ones. I think they were built better. A nice simple carbureted setup with idle and mixture adjusters. And metal carbs. Not that plastic crap they are putting out now. That's how this one was originally and the engine I got was too so it all matches.
The other carb from the leaf blower will fit and work on it but since it's from a blower there is no actual throttle contol, only the speed setting that you can use and it will run at that speed until you change it. No mixture adjustment either but if the need is really there it will work at least.
The carb on this one has a screwdriver slot so no special tool needed fo it - I guess I got it right before they changed to that but no huge deal if it was, I have my ways to get around that.
The other carb I picked up was indeed plastic, that one was for my push mower. Since it always runs at a preset speed I guess that's well enough for it BUT I'd still rather it be as they were years ago when they actually had throttle control.
Yup. On my brand new Craftsman push mower, it has that new style plastic carb with no idle adjustments or mixture adjustments. So I drilled out the jets to my liking and bent the throttle linkage to my desired idle setting. It now runs on par with my older machines. But, mods needed to be put in place. It runs like a champ now. |
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Post by zila1 on Sept 23, 2018 20:20:22 GMT -5
Two days ago I was out on the front porch and I heard a strange sound. Two houses south of me was a neighbor mowing the lawn with and electric mower that was cordless. That is so weird to see something like that. I too have a neighbor with one something like that. I tripped out when I saw him mowing the lawn one evening with it......................it's got head lights on it for night time cutting.  And my sister just purchased a electric snow blower with those lithium ion batteries...........the snow blower has headlights too. It's sacrilege I tell ya.  |
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Post by Bones on Sept 23, 2018 20:21:36 GMT -5
Could probrably find one if I really tried but it's working as is so no need to do that.
Start it and let it mow.
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Post by casanova on Sept 23, 2018 22:38:48 GMT -5
I really like the older machines vs the new ones. I think they were built better. A nice simple carbureted setup with idle and mixture adjusters. And metal carbs. Not that plastic crap they are putting out now. I totally agree. Not just engines, but everything built from 80'ies and earlier used better parts. And, tbh, i don't like to say that back that time things were slower, imo time was passing just normal, the problem is that nowadays everything has to be on the top of the list... Take hardware for exemple, i'm finishing to build a 1989 386 system that was accumulating dust in a corner of a room from a local TV station. Almost 30 years later it's working like a charm. |
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Post by ShrimpBrime on Sept 24, 2018 6:56:15 GMT -5
My old montgomery ward lawn tractor was one of the best mowers I ever had. Like an old square body car. Always started right up.
Oldies are the best.
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Post by zila1 on Sept 24, 2018 9:42:53 GMT -5
John, funny you should mention Montgomery Ward. I still have a 40 year old Montgomery Ward brand snow blower. It's one of the old squared off ones that looks like a Mississippi River Boat cause of the paddle design. Still works to this day. The color is what attracted me to it when I was a kid.............it's Mopar Orange. LOL
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Post by Bones on Sept 24, 2018 10:30:30 GMT -5
Messed around with another one this morning I have that's junk.
Bought it, brought it home, assembled it and from the word "Go" this thing never acted right. I've had it for at least 5 years now and it's only been ran a few times at most because of how crappy it is (Troy-Bilt). It cost me more than my older Weedeater brand did yet never ran nearly as well either.
Today I did get it to run a little better and maybe it could be "salvaged" as in if it would start running right then I'd like it alot better - May even use it on occasion. Once it's running it goes but doesn't want to idle and always seems to choke down if not giving it gas in the first place.
And I ALWAYS give myself a blister on my finger starting it.
The pullcord handle is why and it's a poor design that wants to make a blister whenever I use it.... I'll have to work on that if I keep the thing. The biggest reason for that is I'm always having to restart the damn thing and if I can just make it run like it should then that would be much better.
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And my sister just purchased a electric snow blower with those lithium ion batteries...........the snow blower has headlights too. It's sacrilege I tell ya. 
