Recent content by grumpyunk

If the added spring was attempting to correct the poor idle, I would remove it. Having only one cylinder firing would make the idle a bit less than strong.

Some will disagree, but it may be possible to straighten the crankshaft to within a few thousandths. "Darryl Fixes All" channel on YT has a video where he demonstrates how to straighten a whanged crankshaft. As far as doing piston & rings, if it was running well, did't burn oil, had good power...

In the past, I used a Philips screwdriver with a round shaft to balance the blades. It sorta worked. I finally bought the balancer your image shows. It works. It even indicates if the balance is correct front-to-back. Most times a little bit of trimming will bring it into balance that...

I got a set of 'sand blades' from PSEP dot BIZ for my AYP 42". They have lasted a pretty long time here in GA. I think I have had them in use for over 10 years. Memory says there has been one sharpening over that time. They are a lot thicker gauge than what is normally supplied from the...

Almost 1/4 acre to cut... Ego sells at least two models, self propelled and you-push-it. They are not cheap. I have a drainage ditch alongside the drive, and have used an old Sears 19" which is 'bare' of the flap on the back, and it was a workout just going back and forth on one side. It is...

A;most done with my 70's, so take this with a grain of salt. There are string trimmer attachments that support the heavy end of the trimmer on two wheels. The whole assembly is still light weight and easy to move around. If you are mowing downhill into a ditch, and then pulling back over and...

I would just put it back together. You can get white smoke from the exhaust if oil got into the muffler. It will produce smoke until it all has been evaporated and shoved out of the muffler. Engines are not clean and will get deposits no matter what you do to prevent them - in almost all...

Have you checked the oil fill port cap for being fully sealed? I lost the O-ring on my Kohler once, and it decided to blow oil everywhere. It has been a while, and I really don't remember the exact details, but the O-ring either got damaged or fell out when I was checking the level 'out there'...

Is it possible to install the breather valve upside down? Some have tiny drainback holes that need to be at the lower side/end. If upside down, they can essentially fill with oil to the point they no longer flap back and forth as needed. Another thought is the seal on the dipstick. If the cap...

You say three years is the time limit to replace the fuel filter. Hmmm. I have yet to replace the fuel filter on either Snapper or Craftsman, both with Kohler Command CVs. IMO there's no reason to replace because of time constraint. If the plastic decides to go bad, OK, I will replace. The...

I have a Kohler Command on a Snapper. One day it decided to let the fuel out of the tank via the float bowl. Had worked perfectly for years before and given no indication of a problem with float bowl shutoff. I decided that it was cheaper and safer to add an actual fuel cutoff to the fuel...

Only thing I can add is that paying a premium for a 'name brand' such as diehard seems foolish. They cost 2-3X as much as a lowly WallyWorld, with the same warranty. If the Wally failed, you can buy two more, and still have paid less than the name brand. I checked with auto parts stores, farm...

I'd check the fuel flow at the carburetor float bowl inlet. Disconnect and collect the flow in a glass jar so you can check for water pearls. The flow should be full diameter with the shutoff valve wide open. If the flow is more of a trickle or slow, the interior of the fuel line could be...

You will likely not be able to pull the tubes apart if you have the brake on as the brake cable will keep them from moving as it is conected to both ends, brake pedal and the lever on the brake shoe. The cable will not stretch much. That could be why you cannot tension the belt. Release the...

I have not figured out if you need multi-grade oil to handle low temperature operation. I would personally consider buying the Walmart SuperTech brand of synthetic in a 10W30 which would cover most temperature swings. If, OTOH, you operate in higher temperatures, I would look at a 15W40, and...