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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...

I think I would go to a boneyard and take a 'rollover switch' from the cab of a Ford Ranger or other car/truck so equipped. Lots cheaper and easier to find than a mercury switch. I have not tried to find a mercury switch, but the EPA and other Feds do not like mercury and may have put them on...

I think it would be easier and perhaps safer to use a regular pulse operated pump as found on yard mowers/tractors. The pulse of pressure that occurs inside the crankcase as the piston(s) to to BDC can be used to operate the pump. No wiring, no excessive pressure, and regular vacuum lines to...

Is it possible your muffler got filled with mud dauber buildings? They will find semi protected spots and start to add mud if not disturbed. That could cause exhaust gas backup/back pressure that would make the engine able to run for a while and then ... not. Had that happen on a SYM Super 9...

Good luck with the new carburetor. The results seem mixed for new imports. Some brands work right out of the box, and others become another problem area. Most(not all) will get the engine to start and run, which would be a good thing. Be prepared for the float to be sticky when you first...

You might be concerned that the throttle will be wide open when the engine is at rest. That is normal, as the governor will close the throttle to control rpm once the engine has started. The manual engine speed control just adjusts spring tension set to open the throttle which is matched by...

Look for scored surfaces. Those are the bits that leak and reduce performance. If you cannot get a very smooth surface using abrasive paper and a flat surface, it likely may disappoint. Don't be afraid to spend a bit more on the parts you find questionable. Pistons and cylinder that are...

Run and stall sure sounds like a fuel flow problem to me. Ima few years behind you but still able to do a lot of things I expect will be more limited in a few years. I would remove the fuel tank, and check the outlet fitting for debris that can get drawn to the outlet by fuel flow and...

All the mowers I have used did not vibrate excessively. If the vibration is happening once the deck is engaged, I would suggest removing the blades and checking their balance. You can balance on a screwdriver through the hub, and the blade should stay pretty level when allowed to move. Remove...

Price based on what you have invested in material, parts and labor. I assume you are not donating your time, and want to be paid for your efforts. I do not think price should be related to a percentage of new. I think it all depends on the machine(brand/mfg), its condition, and the local...

Just my opinion, but I would look for a used AYP(craftsman, poulan pro, and others) and do a bit of refurbishment to make it usable and reliable. I also tend to want a Kohler CV single as the engine. I have a 6 speed geared, but would like a hyrdo sometime in the future. I know very little...

You could have a worn out starter relay. The relay has internal contacts that get a good spark every time the starter is engaged. The contacts arc and get a pitted surface that may become less conductive, and limit current fed to the starter motor. You can jumper across the two large...

Depending on vintage, you may have a safety lockout that kills the ignition whenever it wants. Older models had a black plastic capsule/cylinder with several wires that grounded the magneto when certain switches were open/ closed. It fails in a miserable way, causing misfire intermittently...

Honda engines command a good price when they are offered for resale. If you don't get the crankshaft straightened, you could use a HF vertical mower engine to replace the Honda. Good places to look for a used engine seem to be Facebook and Craigs list web sites. Likely you can find a new...

Have you removed the intake valve guide seal to compare guide heights? One other thing that can help cause guide migration is having clippings and critter nests above the cooling fins on the cylinder and head. The detritus blocks cooling air and causes overheating, which can allow the guides...

The only way to bend a valve is for the piston to collide with a valve that is not on the seat. A sticky valve can cause the valve to remain off the seat. The bent pushrod can be caused by too much clearance allowing the push rod to fall out of the rocker arm and get tangled with the mechanism...

I would take a look at the deck belt mechanism. If you cannot move it far enough to engage fully, so that the blade brake releases completely, then there is something wrong with the mechanism. Many times clippings can build up on the deck, and either start to jam the mechanism, or keep it from...

I think those are kept in the hen's teeth drawer of the parts bin. Never had to find one. I did not look closely at the posted image, but some carb<>governor links use a thin long spring to keep tension on both ends. If that spring is missing or broken, slop on either pivot point can get the...

Your geometry is correct as far as I can think it through. I'm 77 now, hoping to increase as time goes on, and find the 33" I have getting harder to lift as time passes. I do lock the rear wheels by setting the parking brake and putting it in gear, one or the other, or both. You might think...

So far everyone says sayanora to this B&S. OTOH, it does not have the head gasket failure so common to the brand. The valves themself seem to have a lot of meat left on the seating area, and could be ground or lapped to improve compression. Need a picture of the valve seats built into the...

SAE 40 has been hard to find for decades. It was specified for use in Midget/Sprite transmissions back in the 1960's, and was almost not anywhere on the shefl. No WEB to search either. I kind of remember getting it as Sears Robuck in their automotive section. That for sure will not work too...

GR:"The 17 hp has over revved and basically blew up! it will start and overrev and blow oil out the breather tube all over." If it will start and run, then the internals have not blown up yet. For both the Briggs and the push mower, check that the governor linkage is still connected and moves...

The governor pulls the normally Wide Open Throttle - WOT- closed to attain idle speed. The throttle will sit at WOT if the governor is not pulling it closed. The run quality might be affected by the fact the engine is being started from cold, and would normally have need for a slight choke for a...

If it revs too high, then the governor did not pull the throttle plate closed as the rpms increased. You can get a full service manual in PDF at Kohler's web site. It covers a lot of the CV series and more. I would look closely at the throttle linkage. The throttle plate normally is pulled...

QUOTE: "The never ending debate with 87 corn gas will never cease." Fuel that has ethanol added does have a more limited shelf life, or actually 'tank life' than plain gasoline. If left in the carburetor, exposed to atmosphere, it will tend to absorb water from the humidity in the air. It...

If you want to know if your fuel is adulterated with ethanol, pour some into a glass jar. Add a glug of water, say 1/8c into a peanut butter jar half full. If there is ETOH in the 'premium' fuel, it will be drawn from the mixture and combine with the water. It should then fall to the bottom...

Given the quality control level present in most factories, it is difficult to predict battery life. I have had the term vary from 2 years to 7 years. Allowing the battery charge to go low when stored will decrease battery life. If nothing else, put a charger on at least once a month during...

You could try several things to help sealing. A cotton swab(Q-tip) dipped in valve grinding compound and twirled around while held against the seat may polish the rough edge enough to allow a good seal. You could attempt to remove the seat and flip it end for end and re-install it. The other...

The 2A setting is for motorcycle batteries and those of similar capacity. If you charge a small battery at a higher rate it will make the battery temperature rise. Many new batteries that are shipped w/o electrolyte will have instructions to charge around 2A. My OLD Sears charger has 8A/2A...

Search for 'tachometer digital' on aliexpress and you will find a good selection. There is one model that wraps around the plug wire for its input. It will register rpms, and also has a resettable hour meter, such as for oil change intervals. One version has a non-replaceable battery, and the...

To get the engine to 'hydrolock' from being tipped on its side/end would take some time UNLESS your rings were pretty well worn out. Hydrolock is the situation where there is liquid in the combustion chamber that prevents the piston from fully traveling to TDC(top dead center) and which may...

The late 1980's Snapper has/had a module that required the shift/gear lever be in neutral in order to enable the ignition. There is no seat occupancy switch, and, it's been over 20 years, it may have had a blade release cutout switch also. It was not powered by the battery. In Neutral and with...

FWIW, Amazon has had a bunch of counterfeit parts on sale recently. Motorcraft spark plugs and filters are a couple I have read about. ebay may also have the same thing. I think I would be careful and inspect closely any auto parts etc from both sites. I have ordered Stens and other parts...

When mowers were $99 each at K-mart, repairs were not even considered. Changing the oil or the air filter? Maybe. The preceptrion is likely still that OPE is cheap, and repairs are expensive. I do not think perception has caught up with reality. Ten years ago the lowest price push mower with...

I have done all the work ever done to my machines. My experiences with 'professional' mechanics has not been something I wish to repeat. Had a camshaft replaced under warranty and the tech forgot he had closed the drain petcock on the radiator, and closed it with a wrench. At least I can make...

If you want to try the spray vs purchasing some silicone oil, I'd spray a bit on a paper towel and wipe it onto the surface. You don't want it wet and oily, but just a sheen. Kind of like using oil on a cookie sheet, just get is barely wetted, wipe with a damp towel, etc. tom