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Unless my dad got extremely lucky... craftsman was making good tractors as recently as 2003. His has over 1100 hours on it, lots of abuse pulling his trailer through the woods. Not sure of the model but it's a 46" with a 23hp Kohler command v twin. He had to weld the deck where it broke a mount...

If no gas is coming through the primer, maybe there is a crack in the fuel hose causing it to suck air in? That's the problem I just had with my ancient leaf blower. Once the cracked fuel hose was replaced it worked fine.

My new backup lawnmower. A 1981 MTD 497 with original 11hp Briggs and 3 speed gearbox. Runs perfect still. Just leaks oil badly. Using this one now until I get the valves adjusted on the 2007 cub cadet so it doesn't take out another starter.

Do you find the hydro gear transmissions hold up better than the tuff torq? I have a 2006 cub cadet lt1050 with 300 hours on it (came with the house we just bought). I'm trying to figure out if I can change the fluid. Information online is very hard to find. My dad has a 2003 craftsman with a...

Sometimes an engine can be harder to start when hot, so it is possible. Especially if the starter is right next to the exhaust. But most of the time mine still starts right up with no sign of a weak battery. It always seems to have 12.7V and more than 80% state of charge according to my battery...

EFI sounds cool, but I don't have any issues with the carb on mine. I don't know the maintenance history but it starts flawlessly when I use the choke. Rebuilding the old one sounds fun and rewarding though.

Still a crappy way to get your money back. I'd be pretty annoyed by that. Either way they should have to fix the smoke issue on a new engine. Mine is 15 years old and doesn't smoke at all. My dad's 18 year old Kohler command smokes on startup, but it has 1100+ hours on it.

This chart for your particular engine is all you really need to know about oil choice. Note the "including synthetics".

Not trying to personally attack, was just trying to help dispel the myths.

I'm curious about the outcome of this. I just inherited a 2006 CC with the 23hp v twin. It would only crank half a turn and stop, but I was able to get it going after several tries it would crank just enough to start. I replaced the starter which cured it and it started flawlessly until it had...

It's not thinner except when cold. You would have to research that to know it though.

I will use full synthetic in my Kohler because it's cheap insurance on a hard worker engine and there is no downside to it. Mowing downhill with synthetic will never cause a failure, ever. The same people that make statements like that usually still think all Quaker state caused sludge etc

I agree with your first sentence 100%. That's why I spent (or wasted) so much time researching the subject but at least now when I read a statement like "synthetic oil splashes differently" I know it to be false.

Exactly!

If you seize up the engine and can't mix the fresh oil with the old oil it will be readily apparent when they crack it open that you did this on purpose. That could be an uncomfortable situation.

I agree with everything you've said except for your comments on synthetic oil being "incompatible". It does not splash differently or flow differently or have different oil pressure. When cold it will be not as thick as conventional but that is only a benefit. My experience has been that most...