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It's been years since I used the type of spark plug cap (Sparky, if I recall correctly) in your picture on my dirt bikes. As I recall, I lubed the wire insulation with motor oil and stuck in into the small end of the cap until it bottomed at the 90 deg. turn. I then used needle nose pliers to...

I worked as an industrial maintenance manager for years. When equipment failure caused production stoppage (most often from operator error), production personnel wanted to know how long to get it operational. I would estimate how long I thought it should take and then tell them double that time...

Does #2 cylinder miss at all rpm ranges? Idling or gradually revving through the rpm range while sitting still; riding while coasting or under different loads/power levels? If it misses only at a certain rpm range or loads/power levels, it might help identify which fuel circuit in the carb is at...

Manual 2-stroke compression releases were used for braking, when the drum brakes back then would wear out in one enduro, sometimes before it was over. Disc brakes solved that problem.

I would expect the tolerance to be in percentage, or linearly, in proportion to the length of the belt. If a 3" variation in length for the same part number (3.14% in this case; a 50" belt would be 6%) is the best the manufacturer can hold, they need to get out of the v-belt business. Maybe...

Brand loyalty would likely be dependent on experience with similar equipment of a particular brand. Once an owner has a bad experience with a previously trusted brand, trust is eroded and justifies a close look at other brands.

If nothing else is available, spray can chain lube goes on as a thin liquid to penetrate into the side plates, rollers and pins. The carrier solvent then evaporates to leave lube the consistency of tacky grease that doesn't sling out of the chain. Should work on suspension components if you can...

Much of the used oil is fired in cement kilns and other fired equipment that can get complete combustion of the waste oil. Gasoline and other combustibles in the oil are not an issue for these types of equipment.

Many years ago, when things were simpler, and much less technical, it was known that Quaker State brand engine oils were refined from paraffin based crude oils from PA. Most other engine oils at the time were asphaltic based. When wet clutches that were lubricated by engine oil were using...

It would seem that if the mower rep has admitted the cut is poor, they and the dealer should be more involved in identifying a solution. If the rep isn't sufficiently experienced, a factory specialist should be involved. Let this be their problem to resolve. It isn't likely that you are the only...

Different subject, but still gas container related. I found that a 3/4" PVC pipe cap will fit my old Blitz-type cans that have a rigid poly spout. The PVC withstands fuel, and they are easy on/off with a twist/push/pull. The original caps seem to have a way of disappearing over the years.

Was there any entertainment value to this inquiry and subsequent thread?

If you only need to use the splitter in colder weather a few times a year, keeping a can of starting fluid handy might resolve the issue in the easiest manner I can think of. It is not a very technical solution, but how much effort is it worth to get it to start in the cold so rarely?

I noticed the same thing you did. I suggest cutting the same area again while pushing the clippings to one side to clear the surface of excess loose grass, then inspect the area afterward to reassess the evenness of the cut.

If you purchased a head gasket set, could the seals have fallen out unseen when the package was opened? The seals look new; no oil. How well does the pushrod fit the hole in the seal?

It might not be more or not much more expensive to hire someone to cut your grass with their equipment, compared to renting a mower. There might be delivery and pickup charges with a rental that have to be added to the cost of rental and fuel cost as well. Then your time is worth something. Just...

My understanding is that clearances between mating parts are much tighter in current automotive engines, compared to what was normal in the past. This requires a lower viscosity oil to get between mating parts, which also reduces friction and improves fuel consumption. Tighter piston to cylinder...

Are we still talking about engine oils, or did you switch things up when I dozed off for a moment? Salad dressing, maybe?

Does that eliminate the need for castor oil? Or is the canola oil already extracted from the canola before meal time?

That must be where naugahide.

I prefer peanut oil, it tolerates higher temps better than canola oil. Besides, I don't even know what a canola looks like or where it lives. Not many people around these days that remember re-refined oil, I suspect. I had a friend in high school who had a Fairlane w/ a V-8 that burned so much...

I prefer peanut oil, it tolerates higher temps better than canola oil. Besides, I don't even know what a canola looks like, or where it lives.

I generally keep my equipment, so I maintain it reasonably well myself. I have never had an oil related failure in any of my engines, but I use the recommended grade of oils and filters, if so equipped. In a 12-month automotive maintenance course I took after high school in 1968-69, we had an...

V-belt manufacturers have generic info on their websites, cross-section, length, etc. Bearings and drives distributors are also a good source for v-belts, and their websites usually have sizing methods too.

This is somewhat off-topic but related to the hard start problem. Compact engines usually have a smaller diameter starter cord pulley, which makes them harder to pull over due to having less leverage than a larger diameter pulley. I suspect that is what led to the easy start systems. I have a...

Try running it with the fuel tank cap loosened to rule out the possibility that the vent isn't allowing air into the tank as the fuel level drops. If so, a vacuum forms in the tank and fuel flow into the carb bowl is gradually reduced until the engine stops. It is simple to test and costs...

When trying to insert a hose into a slightly smaller hole, I sometimes trim the outside diameter of the hose to put a slight bevel on it to help start it into the hole. Some lube on the outside of the hose (KY-jelly... oh never mind, I may be thinking of something else; just use motor oil) can...

Sounds like he was one of the "educated beyond his level of intelligence" students.

The float sticking shouldn't cause the fuel line to empty after 15 minutes of running. If anything, it should allow the fuel line to be full if there is no flow into the carb. With all that has been tried, the problem sounds a bit tricky and less common. If the lack of fuel flow is causing the...

Efficient engineering will design a product that spends no more than necessary for it to last through the warranty period. The exception is for a product that pays for the higher price through reduced failures and production downtime (i.e., Caterpillar, for example). Many years ago, Black &...

A K&N should last if given some care. I think I saw on the K&N website that they have a lifetime warranty. You might want to check, if you buy another, be aware that they are proud of them and don't give them away. An opening in the intake manifold would allow dust into the engine and cause...

In the lower picture, I see a parting line on the intake manifold, where the molds join together during the plastic injection process. Is the flashing at the parting line that misaligned, causing a shadow in the picture, or has the manifold split open at the parting line? Does the air filter...

Duckbill valves should vent in only one direction, if they seal well.

Try removing the battery cable connections on both battery terminals and clean them well. I've experienced similar symptoms due to corrosion between the cable connector and the battery post (or solenoid, or ground). If this happens, its possible nothing electrical works: starter, lights, etc. It...

You didn't describe the issue you are experiencing. Vapor lock is caused by a liquid being heated enough to cause it to vaporize. When it cools enough, it will go back into liquid form. Like water, if it is under pressure, it takes a higher temperature to vaporize. Rerouting the fuel line away...

Going from a 105 mm drive pulley to a 120 mm drive pulley would speed up the travel speed by ~14.3% to ~5.9 km/hr, not reduce it. If you meant the driven pulley instead, the speed would be reduced by 12.5% to ~4.6 km/hr, which is in the ballpark. If the other recommendations fail, an industrial...

Try jacking the front end off the ground, grab the tire and wiggle it to check for loose bushings, etc. I would expect them to be quite worn if it is apparent just looking at the wheels. There should be bushings on the steering and the wheel hubs. It would take a lot of force to bend the axles...

You might try loosening the fuel cap just slightly after you stop the engine to see if that fixes the problem. I have a Hitachi hand held blower that had a similar problem, unless I loosened the cap after use. Pressure build up in the tank would force so much fuel through the carb, sometimes it...

No one wants to spend much for anything! Everyone has a different opinion as to what is too much, so it is best to determine the customer's perception of too much before starting. It could be obvious that repairs will be more expensive than they are willing to spend. I want to spend only enough...

If the fuel tank is located close to the engine, or above it, heat can radiate from the engine to the fuel in the tank when the air flow from movement is stopped. Still, I would think a 1/16" hole should sufficiently vent enough vapor to prevent pressure buildup. Have you tried removing the cap...

This might not be your problem but several symptoms are common with this problem. I've had neighbors leave the key on with mowers that have fuel shut-off solenoids on the carb bowl. It kills the battery and, if there is enough fuel in the tank, fuel overflows into the engine. After charging the...

I have read that 2 cycle oil tends to stabilize gasohol and have had no problems w/ 2-stroke engines. I had filled a couple of outboard tanks and added oil in anticipation of using my boat, which didn't happen, so after about 6 or 7 years I used the fuel in trimmers, chain saw, etc. w/o any...

Something to check for is flooding of the bottom end of the engine w/ fuel, which would make it too rich to fire. Enough fuel in the bottom end can make it hard to crank over, or even cause a hydraulic lock w/ the plug in. Fuel can saturate the air filter and be discharged from the muffler when...

If the engine ran w/o oil for any length of time, it might be damaged, which could cause oil consumption. Since this happened so soon after being new, it might be hard to determine if there was a defect or if it happened after the oil was lost during operation. If you have the ruptured filter...

Good call to cut twice; once at highest setting and again at normal setting. This should allow occasional use of mulching deck w/o over taxing the engine. Also, run the engine at higher RPM, especially when cutting high grass or uphill, etc., which causes a high load on the engine. Make sure the...

How much is the oil level dropping between changes? You'll need to know how much the oil level it dropping, in however many hours, if you get the dealer involved for a potential warranty issue. Are you checking the oil w/ the engine level after the oil has time to drain back into the crankcase...

The max. pressure on the sidewall is for the max. recommended load for the tire. The max. load should also be listed on the sidewall. Your mower is likely considerably lighter than the max. load rating for the tire. The recommended pressure in the owner's manual is based on the weight of the mower.

At TDC on the compression stroke, both valves will be closed (on their cam base circles). This is normally the proper position for adjusting the valves. I usually remove the spark plug when troubleshooting with a cool engine and put my finger over the plug hole while manually turning over the...

If you decide to rebuild the carb, get a rebuild kit with all the gaskets, o-rings, float needle/seat, etc. That should resolve not having a part that needs to be replaced once you get it apart.

Could it be a failed cam-mounted decompression mechanism that is used on some B&S engines? Symptoms sound similar to engines with this common problem.