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My new to me $350 (early to mid 80s?) MTD snowflite. Matches my 81 lawnfllite. Runs pretty good, just needs a muffler, belts very soon and some carb work (leaks immediately if you don't close the valve before shutting it off). Oil pic was before I changed it. 2005 craftsman (AYP) needed cables...

I'm not seeing anything bad. Sure looks clean. At least you got a lot of hours out of it for a modern small engine. Hard to say whether you should dig deeper or just cross your fingers that it keeps going for a while.

Finally an update.... broke the choke cable installing the new carb and the new one is different than what was on there..... couldn't figure out why it was still not wanting to cold start when I manually operated the choke and throttle....tried it again today in near freezing temperatures and it...

Yes knowledge comes from years of experience or reading. I'm not claiming to be an expert but years of reading various sources (mostly bobistheoilguy as it is actually run by a chemical engineer of some kind and has a great FAQ section) I wanted to make sure I wasn't going crazy since almost...

But it calls for engine oil, so there really isn't a correct "transmission oil" for it. They want you to use 20w50 or 15w50 synthetic.

Just looking up the oil capacity for my snowblower and noticed on the maintenance tips tag.... viscosity is not even mentioned. The most important thing it says is "synthetic is recommended below 32f" which is what the conditions will be basically all winter. I wish you guys would just do some...

My last statement I meant to make is that if your hydro calls for 20w50 engine oil (like mine does) you can use synthetic 15w50. The shop I've been going to only seems to carry Mobil 1 15w50 for this application. Synthetic does not flow faster except when cold (as when cold all oils are way too...

I'm done reading your posts to their complete entirety because they are full of so much crazy info (especially about the oil holes being smaller for synthetic lol) viscosity is viscosity no matter what the base is. But I agree we got off topic. But the short of it is you clearly have no idea...

At least on automotive applications ignition coils seemed to fail more frequently when people didn't change their plugs on time. It might not be a big issue on older mower engines but the later ones that seem to he prone to coil failure could very well be susceptible to this problem also. So...

Personally I have not noticed a difference in performance between spark plugs on any of the engines I've owned. I replace them as preventative maintenance, but usually when they get replaced they could have gone much longer before causing any issues.

Btw, it is scary that you taught anybody on this subject.

If you care to read it, I posted some of your fiction material about this topic and got some good commentary on many of the specific things that you said, which are 100% not true and won't be found anywhere on any kind of legit research papers.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/ Maybe this will help you out.

Y It looks like you're just sending me on another wild goose chase, reading a bunch of math equations that have nothing to do with what difference there is between a conventional group 2 oil or a group 3 oil or Pao or ester oils. I'm no chemist or anything but there are several...

Can you share any sources for information about these examples? I have done a lot of research on oil over the last 20 years (just out of interest) and I've never heard of anything like this. And I've certainly never read that it flows freer.

I understand there is a difference with hydros and I have no experience with them other than seeing that both synthetic 15w50 and conventional 20w50 are recommended for mine. And once again you put words in my mouth...I never said it was a miracle product, I said we don't know if it increases...

My 1976 Oldsmobile 350 V8 never recommended synthetic oil but I've run nothing but since 2007 for the last 110k miles. Total mileage is probably we'll over 300k miles. Who knows whether it makes a 2% or 20% increase in lifespan but if you're not planning on replacing the vehicle for 40+ years...

My dealer carries Mobil 1 15w50 for Hydro's. It seems like you have some kind of beef with synthetic and try to discourage all from using it. Give me an example of a manufacturer that forbids using synthetic oil. Fyi most modern conventional oils that meet the latest automotive specs are...

I agree with just fixing things as they break. We've become too much of a throw away society. People will use minor breakdowns like this as an excuse to upgrade but it doesn't make financial sense usually. I just keep a second running mower so I can always mow the lawn with one or the other if...

In that case new machine or new engine at least. Could be fixing one thing after another on that engine.

I agree...a replacement used engine could have the same issue in the near future and also could have had poor maintenance.

Seems like the most common major failure. Not requiring any changes is a farce, so it should be up to you what you think is overkill.

The closest I had to starting fluid or gasoline was a bottle of mass air flow cleaner (labelled "very flammable" so I used that tonight as I needed the tractor to move some sod with my trailer...it still took several tries but definitely fired off quicker than by itself. Not sure if it would...

I haven't had a chance yet. It needs to sit overnight and I leave in the dark for work in the morning. For the price of the carb I figured I should get it ordered ASAP so I might have a chance to put it on before it's so cold that it wouldn't be worth doing. (not going to adjust it for cold...

1980s V8 engines in good health make it with 8.5:1 CR. I have less experience with newer engines but likely the increase in compression ratio is also accompanied by higher lift cam profile which probably offsets the higher compression giving a similar dynamic compression ratio. It's been a long...

I've seen inaccurate readings before but they always had read low due to leakage at the valve...also this formula must not apply to car engines since they typically get around 150 psi with 8.5:1 CR, and about 130 psi on my 8.0:1 V8? I believe the camshaft also affects the "dynamic" CR? I'm not...

The cylinder would still have had some of the oil and transmission fluid I squirted in....so it would have been probably somewhat inflated by that. But I'm thinking that would typically only make a difference of like 10-20 psi usually.

Will do that next. The weird thing is after multiple attempts it eventually comes to life like a switch turned on and it revs up quickly. Then it has plenty of power for mowing and towing once it's warmed up a minute or two.

How long do you estimate it should take to empty the float bowl? It eventually shuts off and will not restart but it could be leaking a small amount.

Yesterday I shut off the fuel and let it completely run out (took like 60 seconds at least idling before it finally died - maybe the shutoff isn't sealing perfectly?) This morning I turned on the fuel and immediately tried to start it ..still the same thing, fires briefly and stalls...over and...

Most things come down to money. Yes it makes sense to create more efficient/lower emissions equipment as time goes on. Fixing the old gear and not having to scrap it and manufacture the replacement machine is probably a lot better for the environment even if the old machine creates more...

So, after running thrcfurk Yes. They could do a lot of good but they just waste money.

I'm not a big EPA fan, my daily driver 3 of the 4 seasons is an 84 Oldsmobile with a 350 V8 from a 75-76 Cutlass. My work truck and winter beater is a 2005 Silverado. The less technology the less things to mess up imo.

So I just did another cold start...took about 15 tries to keep it running again. Then I shut off the fuel again and let it run out and die for tomorrows cold start. Then I pulled the plug cause I figured maybe it's fouling the plug slightly with whatever way left in the bowl. I'll attach a...

I've searched online for typical compression results and it's tough since most of the newer engines have ACR which lowers cranking compression. I don't know if the model 25 Briggs has it (it does not say "easy spin" on it like our old 74 8hp did). Either way I haven't seen anyone with 150 psi on...

Did they make this change before 1981? The previous owner had a gravel floor in his shed and the gas would be completely empty when I came back several weeks later to mow his lawn..oil always looked perfect (but it was always being topped up as it leaks like a sieve). No smell of gas. In my...

I mentioned above that it has this from the factory, I've been shutting it off which is why I don't know how it could flood the carb.

I'm still having a hard time understanding where it's getting into the engine... float bowl gasket will leak onto the ground.... I'll have to look at it closer to see the bowl vent but since my first attempt to clean the float/needle and seat didn't work I may just take it to a guy I used to...

This must be the problem. It's back up to 61 degrees Fahrenheit after being almost down to freezing this morning...just started it up and it's doing what the problem started as....several cranks to get it to start. Could see a slight bit of black smoke a few times. After the first couple...

Normally no smoke out of the exhaust even on cold starts where it was having trouble starting. I think I read that this model of 1 piece Flojet carb only leaks externally when the needle and seat is sticking..which is consistent with the puddle it leaves on my garage floor if I don't shut the...

Well she seems to be fixed. I assumed you were probably right about a valve issue... unfortunately I don't have a before compression test result. Last night I pulled the plug and sprayed a bunch of cleaner on and in behind the valves the best I could, spun it over a few times and sprayed more...

One more day until I find out for sure... But if it's a valve issue it has to be due to buildup causing it to stick and not wear from a sinking valve seat... because it started as a cold start issue...then wouldn't run at all, then ran like new again for several minutes before dying again and...

I will have my friend bring his compression tester when he comes....if it is a valve issue think it could just be carbon buildup? Not really a huge deal to clean it all up and fix the oil leaks over the winter if the rest of the engine is a good as o think it is...

The last time I messed with it after confirming my fuel filter and new fuel line wasn't the issue...it stayed running on external fuel....despite fuel being present at the clear fuel filter.... at this point choke adjustment needs to be redone since I bent the rod trying to get it to close...

Hopefully Thursday night with my friends help I will know more. I took off the float bowl and sprayed the needle and seat, reinstalled and now I can't get it to stay running without external fuel. Unfortunately there was a few things at play here and I don't know what caused it. It was running...

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nzQs7vEqYxtctRd9A Cold start issues first start of the day. Runs perfectly after that. Thought the choke was too lean so tried bending the choke rod to shorten it.. didn't help. Not sure why it's smoking so much while cranking when it never smokes while running...

I was running it at full throttle while towing that load for maybe 15-20 minutes total. I was towing it with the 81 MTD 11hp first and could tell it was overloaded as it kept spinning the tires. So I switched to the much larger cub cadet to finish the job. Sounded like the trans didn't like it...

On flat ground should I be able to roll it with the hydro engaged? I don't have a ramp to test it on but I can push it fairly easily and I believe I couldn't the first time I tried to push it (when the starter was bad). The trans also sounds noisier than usual while taking off or going in...

So if you couldn't even begin to push it (before knowing the hydro had to be bypassed) then it's probably okay too.

This is with the hydro disengaged for pushing I assume? I'll have to check mine but if I remember correctly it still had resistance but I was on flat ground.