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"All single cylinder motorcycles over 250 have a compression release" My kawasaki 350 Bighorn didn't have a compression release.

I have used copper wire in damaged aluminum threads.

Get a couple small zip ties and cut pieces the same length as the holes are deep. Put a piece in each hole and install the carb. Zip ties will fix the wallowed out plastic threads.

I give up.

The cheap HF compression tester doesn't have the Schrader valves at the end of the hose. You can't use it for small engines or motorcycle engines It it ain't like this it ain't gonna work

I have a customer with an RT8. Parts are getting hard to find for these units. I rebuilt the tine drive about 10 years ago. Most of those parts are NLA now. Good luck finding parts.

The commercial Z mowers and the bigger JD and Kubota tractor style mowers and others use Marbain steel blades. There is a big difference between regular and Marbain blades https://www.fisherbarton.com/products/turf-care/marbain/

No mulching kit works well in tall wet grass.

Many times when an engine has been loose the bolt holes in the aluminum gets wallowed out a bit just tightening with locktite won't keep them tight. Some engines have enough material I can just drill and tap to the next size. Some I put in inserts and use locktite. If your engine comes loose...

I have a hot staple kit that I use to fix cracks in plastic hoods. Cheaper than buying a hood.

You need some old iron to work on.

Back in my service rep days I would tell customers I was psychotic not psychic so I can't read your mind.

Need to get a new crystal ball.

You should have .004-.008 endplay of the crankshaft and the block. You place some kind of small pry bar or screwdriver between the block and flywheel and pry up just enough to bias the crank and flywheel up that few thousandths.

I remove those by installing a longer bolt that bottoms out in the crank threads then use a pry bar to bias up the flywheel and hit the bolt with the air hammer.

If you used a lot of oil when you put it together that can cause a high compression issue. There are lots of Asian automotive compression testers that use 2 hoses the first connects to the guage and has the Schrader valve and then a second hose that adapts the plug thread. Not good for small...

I wonder who the rocket scientists were that thought putting the sediment bowl where you can't even come close to reaching it leat alone removing the bowl. Full of bad gas. I guess I will have to pull the tank to get to it.

Thanks for the links. I am hoping that it is just the points. He wants this for a show on the 8th. The guys who brings me all these relics is a bit of a wheeler dealer. This thing is rare enough he wants to keep it. He just sold 5 pieces. 2 of them were Struck Big Job tractors. That leaves him...

1965 Work Bird with Wisconsin engine. Been sitting for years. Controls rusted up. No spark. Gas left in carb. Plus the 50 other things i will find when I dig into it

I always try to get the highest capacity battery I can for any mower. As lead acid batteries age they lose capacity. The higher the capacity, usually listed as CCA, the longer the battery will last. Interesting fact. I take a battery tester with me that will measure actual CCA when I go to...

On a lot of new "stuff" without being able to scan for error codes you will never be able to diagnose and properly troubleshoot it. Been working on stuff for half a century and made a living carrying a toolbox for over 40 of it. The problem is usually not the scanner but people trying to out...

Had a guy just the other day bring in a JD445 and said I serviced it 2 years ago. The oil filter said 2021 on it. When I showed him he was surprised.

Normally you can just twist the belt onto the the PTO pulley. If it is too tight to to get on the pulley it sounds like something is wrong with the deck. I don't think you have a switch problem.

Put it all back together. Start it up and engage PTO at full throttle. Does it kill engine? If it does remove the deck belt from the PTO pulley. Start engine and engage PTO. Does engine stay running and PTO pulley spin? If yes then you have a deck problem as long as there is no issue with...

A guy had a new $20k mower in for service that burned. He was just out $20k

We had a shop burn down a few years ago https://www.whio.com/news/local/flames-have-engulfed-germantown-lawn-care-equipment-business/Q0La39LcEu8ZKUDvuMVSmK/ Had more than one new customer tell me they had equipment there and their equipment wasn't insured, only the building and tools not...

Don't put flyers in mailboxes. A guy who used to work on mowers before he got cancer was printing flyers and putting them in mailboxes. Got a visit from post office police and was given a mean letter.

Depending on your area a good place to leave business cards is a hardware store and auto parts stores.

Just a fun project. It was pulled out of a barn that was being cleaned out and was headed for the shredder. The town holds a farm day parade every year so I will drive it in that. Maybe I will use it to get the mail and call it my redneck golf cart. LOL

Thanks

Almost finished with my trash picked little deere. New tires, carb, starter, seat, fuel pump, air filter, battery, labels and rattle can paint job. Steering gear and spindles were seized, brake was seized, mouse nest in engine cowl.

Another starter generator/voltage regulator problem. Third one this month. Maybe I should throw some parts at it.

How to test a boat spark plug Drive to the middle of the lake Remove spark plugs Carefully place them on the water If they float they are good If they sink they are bad

The old 2 stroke LawnBoy mowers were very bad for blowing coils if the plug wire wasn't grounded or attached to the spark plug.

No snap ring. Just rusted and stuck. An acetylene torch is your friend.

I ran Into that with the first toro engine mower I got in the shop. Have to stock another filter.

I wondered who that was

8675309

Pretty sure I saw Scrub in the back row.

Nobody getting into OPE repair and working at a dealership is going to get rich. Tractor dealer near me just had their old 40+ year mechanic retire. He was the highest paid guy at the dealership. They won't work on anything more than a few years old now. They can't keep good new help because...

Yesterday a guy brought in an older water pump with a 5hp briggs that wouldn't start. Nobody else would work on it. Turns out the points plunger was stuck so no spark. Fixed it in about 20 mins. He told one of the shops what was wrong and they told him it didn't have points. Had a stihl string...

I have had those not work with the double gasket trick. I wind up using a very light coat of The Right Stuff sealant on both sides of the gasket. Let it set for about 20 mins then assembling and not overtightening it. Works with the warped covers too.

I have literally had customers with blades so worn you couldn't tell the front from the back.

After everyone has sharpened their blades to that nice razors edge at the angle of your choice mow for about 10 minutes and check the edge and see how sharp it is. Rotary mowers don't cut grass as much as rip it. Sharper is better but blades round over in a matter of minutes. Ever notice new...

Rotary 15181 crosses to toro 136 7848

If you soak that 25 year old roll in a bucket of water for a few days it will make it less stiff and brittle.

You are applying a mometary high voltage to a glass bulb filled with neon. Enough energy will dissipate into air to excite the gas. It doesn't take that much to excite the neon gas. The air has super high impedance so essentially no current flow. My old school noninductive timing light would...

Orange is nice but the only dealer near me is a high end "motorsports" dealer and doesn't like selling retail parts. I think their parts motto is. Hey John deere hold my beer warch this.

My oil is better than your oil but not as good as scrub's. 🥸