Recent content by Hammermechanicman

After 2 "oh crap" moments trying to seat tire beads I got an air blast bead seater. One of my best purchases ever. Actually have 2 now. Once you use one you won't use anything else.

Tried to contact my toolaholic anonymous sponsor but didn't answer so I fell off the wagon again. Already have a 5 gallon one but that one is kinda awkward to use.

I only use Indian head gasket shellac on equipment of people I don't like. Put it on both sides of a paper gasket and enjoy. Right up there with Permatex #2.

I have had one troy bilt and one cub cadet (same mower different color) with the 3 pole switch that needed to have a small screw added to the plunger. I service another cub cadet that looks identical that uses the 2 pole switch. Look under troy bilt RZT50 and see if a diagram shows the 3 pole...

I believe that mower uses the 725-04232 switch for the brake. The switch snaps into a cutout and is non adjustable and the switch is fairly expensive. They are prone to not having the plunger pushed in far enough when the brake is applied. Wiggle the brake lever and see if it starts. If it does...

What does the spindle shaft mike to?

"But even that method after a short time would cause failure. The belt actually started on fire.: You either have a bearing locking up or the belt is rubbing something. "Chirp" tell me a bearing is locking up. Need a pic of a bad belt.

I just noticed on carded NGK plugs they have some brands crossed to their plug. My boxed ones don't have it. Funny the cross to Torch plugs. These came from Stens

It is not about the environment. It is about politics, money and power. Act accordingly Did I trigger anyone? "My battery powered mower is cleaner than your battery powered mower."

Jack's is a pain when you order stuff that says in stock and 3 days later you get an email that everything is backordered and it takes 2 months to get some MTD push mower wheels. Or almost 2 months to get some older husqvarna parts. If I order from stens I usually get it next day. Even if Jack's...

Was it leaking before you changed out the head and muffler? Does it leak the SAME with both mufflers? If you disconnect the plug wires and crank the engine can you still feel air blowing out at the leak point? If you do it is a blown head gasket. Install a NEW exhaust gasket and run engine for...

I have customers with all three different versions.

There are 3 different drivetrain versions of the z425. All 3 use different length belts. Be sure you have the correct one

I bought a handful of stainless bolts and nuts that I switch out on customer units when I find corroded battery bolts.

I always go with P&C kit. Meteor the best I found so far.

Sounds like it is starving for fuel. Fuel pump? Tank vent? Hot carb boiling fuel?

Nikasil cylinder is way harder than the aluminum piston and will have some transfer from the piston. Some fine lines. You can probably cleanup the cylinder and get by with a piston and rings. Compression is down because the rings are stuck in the piston...

Pull the carb and boot and look at the exhaust side of the cylinder https://www.hlsproparts.com/Meteor-Stihl-046-MS460-cylinder-piston-assembly-p/mcc1833.htm Nice thing about the stihl pro saws is you can do a P&C swap pretty easy.

Yeah, vertical column and a half turn lock to lock. You need popeye arms too.

Most 2 smokes when run lean or not enough oil gets the hottest at the exhaust port and that will score the piston and cylinder on the exhaust side. The cylinder you can see may look good but piston and exhaust side scored. Ran 30 seconds???? Sounds like you straight gassed it.

Appears that engine came with 3 different stators and regulators.

ILengine is correct. You need a battery to make the charging system work properly

When I have to order B&S or husqvarna parts I cringe. Some stuff took over 2 months.

You do realize Ferris is owned by Briggs & Stratton! I have a 10 year old IS3100Z with the 36hp engine. It has been a great mower with very few problems.

Many years ago when Dell was getting started. My company contracted to do 3 third party service on their business computers. Parts were always overnighted to the customer and we were to just install them. We were not allowed to troubleshoot. Only change parts that 9 out of ten times didn't fix...

Guy brought me a Kohler command twin that ran fine but whistled when cranking. Another shop said it needed a $300 carb. Was a blown head gasket.

The bearing said timken and USA but didn't have the number which I thought was strange

Look at it for writing. Most quality fuel line will have size and company name on it. I have seen the rocket scientists at auto parts stores sell vacum hose for fuel line because since it wasn't high pressure fuel injection that vacum hose would work. I was at a NAPA of all places last week...

One speed. SLOW! it will climb a steep ramp at idle. The thing was designed to do actual plowing. Parts of it is built like a tank. Front wheel hubs are cast iron. You can see Tiger in the casting. The front axle is cast iron. Rear end is a modified crosley car rear end. 60 series chains in the...

got a guy who likes to pick up things like this and then brings them to me to get them running. Thus is a mid 50's Tiger Tractor made in west Virginia. Couldn't save the carb so had to replace it and swap out the throttle shaft to make the AM carb work. Fixed the hydraulics. Put a kill switch on...

I have found automotive vacum line and cheap ebay fuel line does this in a couple years. Get rid of it. You can get fuel line cheap. Good quality 1/4" line will last at least 10 years.

We talk about this very thing in our toolaholic anonymous meetings. I was doing pretty well for a while then I relapsed.

I don't have a big need for brass drifts. I have 1/2" and 3/4" rod stock about a foot long that does what I need.

If I recharge a battery I just crank the starter for a few seconds and it removes the surface charge.

They say made in Israel. I have had new mowers including JD where I am the first to change the OEM filter and they say made in Israel on them. I have put over a hundred of them on mowers with no problems. These have the barb on the 1/4" end. Holds fuel line way better than the smooth barbless ones.

I have the HF internal resistance tester. One thing about It compared to the 2 other is that it is more particular about how well the clamps are attached to the battery than the others. One of the nice things about the testers is you can tell a customer the actual CCA capacity of the battery...

I have 5 different chargers all probably 30 years old and all still work. Even the one I tried to back the boat trailer over. Bought a HF smart charger on sale. Crapped the second use. Bought a name brand smart charger and it crapped about the forth use. One 200 amp booster charger I got very...

I have 3 of the internal resistance type testers. I bought 3 to compare them. They all three agree on all the measurements. They also agree with a $$$ snap on tester.

Goes on everything with a fuel pump.

LOL 😂

Either someone drained the gear lube or it leaked out.

Do not use the stens wheels. They have the plastic gear. I have some. The gear teeth barely mesh with the drive gear and will start slipping almost immediately. I have tried them on different toro mowers. Only way I could use them was to swap the old gear off a wheel to the new wheel. Crap fix...

If the trans was very low or out of fluid you will need to change the seals on the wheel axles and the tine shaft. Check the shafts for pitting where the seals ride. The seals fail and water can get in the seals and rust pit the shafts. Very common prob on those tillers.

Does the engine have the 2 barrel niki carb? If so here are the most common issues that cause surging. Main Jet o rings failed Emulsion tubes dirty Idle passages blocked Manifold o rings failed Cracked plastic intake manifild Does it surge at idle? Full speed? Under a load?

First make sure the rear wheels have the same PSI. If tire pressure is even and still uneven speed adjust the handle forward stops to make it even.

Back when the government mandated ethanol gas huge amounts of corn exports was diverted from Mexico to ethanol production. Caused a massive food shortage for a couple years.

You mean the 4 ply rated ones smashed flat and banded and stored that way for years?

The local Cargill plant has 2 main products. High fructose corn syrup and pure ethyl alcohol. Used to go in there to do service. Biggest fear wasn't employees stealing the booze but rather an alcohol fire. Hard to put out and you can't see the flames in sunlight. They took no smoking very...

Ethanol sucks but...... the white stuff is not lime from water absorbed from the air. There are no minerals in it. Water that evaporates from the ocean into the air does not contain any salt or minerals. Ground Water that enters the atmosphere from evapotranspiration also does not contain...

Got tired of fighting with tires. Got the HF mini tire changer. The HF manual tire changer. A 5lb bucket of tire soap. A quart of bead sealer. Half a dozen various size tire spoons and an air blast bead seater. Life is easier with tools.

Once you find a new rim.......... You can always use the tried and true redneck bead breaker. Place the wheel and tire with the valve core removed in front of the front tire of a car so that when the car rolls forward it only gets the tire and not the rim. This takes 2 people. After you break...

Take apart the yoke and put an oring on the bottom and under the top washer on the top of the shaft. This helps keep the dirt out. Give them a couple shots of grease with each mowing. If the bushings are worn replace them before they wear into the yoke shaft.

Got a 30+ year old S21ZPM lawnboy. Ran the LB green can oil at recommend 32:1 for about 20 years. Last 10 or so different oils opti, stihl, red armor, at 50:1 with regular pump gas. All runs the same with no problems. It's not the space shuttle.

There is a hole under the sticker on the cover. You can poke a screwdriver through it and release a clip.

Sam adams summer beers.