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Being a chemist I know a bit about EtOH (chemist's term for ethanol) in gas. Here's a quick summary. 1) It's added to regular gas mainly to keep the corn farmers happy and profitable. not to mention Cargill etc. Great example of how powerful a lobbyist can be. 2) This is simple chemistry. A...

You ask many good questions and several folks have given fairly good answers. I've been working on all my cars and yard equipment for 60 years. I have a 20" rotary push mower that's well over 50 years old still going strong. I maintain my equipment and it serves me well. My Sears lawn tractor...

I've been using synthetic oil in my cars since 1988. It lubricates better than conventional. Several have gone over 200,000 mi. One big point. Using a synthetic blend makes about as much sense as blending cheap generec local store brand whiskey with super expensive top shelf like Pappy Van...

When you say "battery tender" using lower case it may confuse people. They might think you mean old fashioned trickle charger. "Battery Tender" is a trademarked brand name and as another posting said, is a smart charger. There are plenty of other good ones including CTEK and Noco Genius. A...

Fish, that was helpful info – TX muchly. Here's a shot of my ball joint which separated. Now back together after center punching around the socket hole as close as possible to the ball. The rod is 5/8" diam, the threaded stud is 3/8" x 24 NF.

Thanks for the tips. I have a commercial Miller MM35 MIG welder and might use that to weld a new ball joint on as posted from McMaster-Carr. They sell one with same size threaded shaft 3/8" x 24 NF for under ten bucks. Looks like one with female threads on the mount would work ok. What I did...

That is a different design from my drag link. Is that a Heim joint? Mine is a simple ball and socket. The socket is in the end of the rod, in the side of the rod end which is ground flat. Why can others attach multiple photos as you have, I just tried once more to attach a single photo and I...

The ball fell out of the socket. How would heating the drag link rod affect the heat treatment of the ball when it sits on the workbench on other side of garage? My idea was to heat the rod. let it cool, then grease and reinsert the ball in socket and use a punch to hammer in on the edges of...

Do you think heating up the socket end of the orig. link w. oxy-acetylene torch and cooling slowly might remove enough temper so I could use center punch to deform the socket to recapture the ball? I'm thinking nothing to lose except the cost of the gas if it didn't work.

You talk about using ethanol fuel.Sorry to disagree. I think you'd be much better off with non-ethanol fuel. In my area, a handful of auto gas stations sell non-ethanol gas. It's pricey at a dollar or more extra per gallon but when you add your own 2 cycle oil to this gas, it's MUCH cheaper than...

I don't think we are talking about the same thing. My original drag link is a solid steel rod 0.638" diameter with an integral ball joint in either end. The ball joints are not removable. That is why in my orig. post I put forth the thought of cutting the old joint off and welding on a...

Thanks Star Tech. The diameter of my drag link rod is 0.638". If I cut the failed ball joint off, there would be a challenge to mount the linkages you show from McMasters-Carr. I don't have the ability to turn down the link so it could be threaded to fit the new joint. Might have to weld. Also...

I've had this machine since new. I've done some major things to keep 'er running like replace transmission, weld up rust holes in the deck, numerous jackshaft replacements, switch to Kevlar belts which are near bulletproof, change over to solid state ignition, rebuild carb, replace seat with one...

There are three different Briggs & Stratton pinion gear designs. You mention a $2 price but the best price I can find for a single gear was about $7. I sure don't need 10. The price was not my objection, I have all the parts I need to get the tractor back running today and put away in winter...

Not sure what you mean Mark by the pitch being the same. It fits on the plastic armature spiral exactly the same when flipped over. This would be like taking a threaded rod and flipping it end for end. It will still thread properly into a nut of the proper size. Since I posted this question I've...

I have a 1981 10hp Briggs engine on a Craftsman 36" tractor I've got apart to replace points and condenser system with solid state. I noticed the plastic starter gear P/N 280104 teeth are worn. Several teeth are not just worn but have chipped teeth corners where they engage the ring gear. There...

OK thanks for the explanation. My flywheel has just one magnet on the outside, as you say the other 12 are inside to create AC current in the stator. My crankcase is aluminum so I'll try the Nova II type.

My engine does not have an ignition coil, it has a magneto. In the parts manual Sears calls the device which mounts next to the flywheel the "armature assembly" Not sure if you're talking about an ignition coil or an armature assembly. I checked NAPA and found this link to an Omega electronic...

I've read that B&S switched from points and condenser ignition to electronic in 1982. My 1982 Craftsman lawn tractor (orig. owner) has points and condenser so maybe that's wrong or maybe mine was one of the last old school ignitions. The conversion may have happened midyear? Recently I've seen...