Tar babies

[PTmowerMech]

Tar babies is a term my dad taught me a long time ago. It's sort of a problem that you can't get rid of. Like it's got tar on it, and you can't get it out of your hands.

Well, this craftsman mower I took in, in lieu of another Husqvarna, with a blown engine. The Husq is very nice. 46" deck. All the belts, pulley and spindles are in good shape. Very good tires. No dents or dings. The craftsman, the customer wanted it running. Part of the deal was that I'd furnish the labor and 1/2 the parts cost.

Well, after replacing the flywheel, coil, solenoid, a little wiring, welding the exhaust pipe, fixing a valve cover leak and a few other odd & ends, it's finally ready to go home.

Well it was until a friggin hole blew out in the head. (CV15S) Right next to where the exhausts bolts on. For the record, I took the exhaust pipe off, before I welded it.


Anyone ever seen a hole blow out in a head before?

 

[tom3]

Post a picture of that. I can't even imagine that.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

Wow, never heard of a hole blowing in the head... you don't have any welding slag blocking the exhaust pipe do you?

 

[PTmowerMech]

Wow, never heard of a hole blowing in the head... you don't have any welding slag blocking the exhaust pipe do you?

The part of the pipe that goes up into the head, was clean. I remember wiping it off before I stuck in back into the head.

For the record, this pipe, at that same spot had been welded a long time ago. Customer said the other small engine guy installed it about 2 years ago.

 

[PTmowerMech]

Post a picture of that. I can't even imagine that.

I'm gonna try to get one tomorrow. It's already been pulled around back. And was busy busy today.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

TAR BABY mower service.
New name for your business.

 

[PTmowerMech]

TAR BABY mower service.
New name for your business.

It seems like it. I'm about to start on a cub cadet ztr this morning. That's gonna be one, I can feel it. It's been sitting in a pasture for like 2 year. The guy got it to crank before he brought it up. But only by jumping the solenoid.. So since it cranks, he thinks it's gonna be a cheap easy fix. Maybe he's right. But I doubt it.

 

[PTmowerMech]

Ha, there's actually an online definition of it.

TAR BABY: a difficult problem that is only aggravated by attempts to solve it.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

It seems like it. I'm about to start on a cub cadet ztr this morning. That's gonna be one, I can feel it. It's been sitting in a pasture for like 2 year. The guy got it to crank before he brought it up. But only by jumping the solenoid.. So since it cranks, he thinks it's gonna be a cheap easy fix. Maybe he's right. But I doubt it.

Did you tell him "probably at least a couple hundred, mabe more" that's what i say when those roll.......er..dragged in. Those "been sitting awhile" mowers are ALWAYS labor and parts money pits to get to the point i will warranty any work.

 

[PTmowerMech]

Did you tell him "probably at least a couple hundred, mabe more" that's what i say when those roll.......er..dragged in. Those "been sitting awhile" mowers are ALWAYS labor and parts money pits to get to the point i will warranty any work.

When they ask me "how much do you think it's gonna be?" I always reply, "$10,552.48." I suppose they realize there's no way to really answer a question like that.