Welch plugs

StarTech

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Heck, even some of the OEM's won't sell their authorized dealers the tools to adjust them.
Maybe that why the Chinese got involved. I got most the tools except the 20 spline one.
 

ILENGINE

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Maybe that why the Chinese got involved. I got most the tools except the 20 spline one.
Husqvarna limits their dealers to 3 per year shipped directly from them. And MTD at one time supplied the adjustment tools to their dealers, but stopped about 10 years ago citing EPA warnings about since their dealers didn't have the proper testing equipment to maintain emissions compliance they could get into trouble for supplying the adjustment tools.
 

RevB

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There is one problem with fossil fuels. Its a limited resource; therefore, we need a mix of fossil fuels and renewables. But we can't depend only on one type solely.

One of our main problems is population growth. Now that DJT is moving Space Command to Huntsville, AL it is going to nearly double the population there. And traffic is bad enough that weekday morning is backed up for over 1-1/2 hours. All those sitting in traffic jams is not helping the pollution levels at all, not to mention how nerve racking it is. Just went to Walmart today and even Sunday the traffic was terrible. Just think what another 100K+ people is going to cause.

On the carbs it is also OEMs not allowing independent shops have access to necessary tools, just so their dealers can charge a large fee for doing it. And they are also making out like we are idiots that can't read and follow instructions. Without being able to tune an engine, it can be place in service and pollute even more.

I know some techs that work for dealers that can't even figure out how to get out of a wet paper bag with both ends open.
Only 9400 in USSF. You might see 15k tops.
 

StarTech

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Well they would have a lot support contractors too as well. The FBI offices have already added a lot to HSV population. The traffic has already became a problem to a point that I have decided to avoid HSV from now on. I just don't have the time or patience to deal with a 1.5 hours travel time one way when it was only took 30 mins before all the added vehicles.

Just in the morning I got to buy $200 in animal feed so I just traveling North or West instead South to get it along some more groceries since the shelves was bare of a lot the things I went for Sunday. So the budgeted $150 for groceries was only $21 spent. And I couldn't even get near the restaurants Sunday for my normal Sunday out meal as they were covered up too so basically I came back and fixed myself some chili favored fried rice.
 

RevB

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Well they would have a lot support contractors too as well. The FBI offices have already added a lot to HSV population. The traffic has already became a problem to a point that I have decided to avoid HSV from now on. I just don't have the time or patience to deal with a 1.5 hours travel time one way when it was only took 30 mins before all the added vehicles.

Just in the morning I got to buy $200 in animal feed so I just traveling North or West instead South to get it along some more groceries since the shelves was bare of a lot the things I went for Sunday. So the budgeted $150 for groceries was only $21 spent. And I couldn't even get near the restaurants Sunday for my normal Sunday out meal as they were covered up too so basically I came back and fixed myself some chili favored fried rice.
And just as a historical note....when Wernher Von Braun moved to Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville there was a conspiracy to welcome him...whenever he said "Huntsville" all the engineers would correct him with "Huntspatch" in a faux German accent. After a bit he started saying "Huntspatch".
 

StarTech

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And just as a historical note....when Wernher Von Braun moved to Redstone Arsenal near Huntsville there was a conspiracy to welcome him...whenever he said "Huntsville" all the engineers would correct him with "Huntspatch" in a faux German accent. After a bit he started saying "Huntspatch".
Sounds about right for the Southern Rednecks and I have live the area all my life except a few months in Germany when I was under two years old. As always there are JackAs everywhere. And some have to be peppered with Rock Salt to get their attention. Rough on the shotgun barrel if I don't clean it right after the use.
 

Tiger Small Engine

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Sounds about right for the Southern Rednecks and I have live the area all my life except a few months in Germany when I was under two years old. As always there are JackAs everywhere. And some have to be peppered with Rock Salt to get their attention. Rough on the shotgun barrel if I don't clean it right after the use.
I grew up in Decatur, Alabama so I know all about the growth in recent years in Huntsville. Huntsville is now the largest city in Alabama passing Birmingham.
I have lived in Missouri for many years and avoid traffic as much as possible.
 

R Williams

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Turns out I was completely wrong on my initial assessment.
Upon removing the valve covers the issue is much larger than the welch plugs allowing dust in the engine.
The entire valve train was loose, the nut holding one of the u-shaped pieces that holds the rocker arm was so lose you could spin it around. One rocker arm got lose enough to lose the push rod, it's now bent. There is damage to one head that is not fixable, and the valves still intact showed measurements like .014 and .024 as opposed to .004-.006 as stated in the book.

My book states to adjust valves every 300 hours. This one only had 272. After doing some research I've noted that many people recommend adjusting the valves in these Kawasaki's every 50-100 instead of 300, wish I had known that before but nothing I can do about it now.

After adding up the cost for parts it was decided to purchase a complete new engine, I'll be adjusting valves more often in the future.

As far the spark plug threads, I checked it again and I have no explanation, the 14mm compression tester fitting will not thread and the spark plug that came out of the hole fits a 9/16 X 18 thread checker perfectly. I first though maybe it got hot, but I don't see how, every time this machine is used it's blown off with compressed air and when the outer shields were taken off all the engine fins were clean. Oil was checked with every fill up of gas so it never ran out of oil.

I used to run a lawn mowing business and have had many small engines over the years but never had anything happen like this. My last commercial mower, before this one, was a grasshopper with a three cylinder Kubota gas engine, I put thousands of hours on it and now a family member with acreage uses it, we don't know how many hours are on it now, over twenty years old the hour meter broke years ago and the valve cover has never been off. Regular oil changes and tune up's, that's it. Too bad that engine is no longer an option.

Thanks for the replies.
 

R Williams

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1st time post has not been back. MIA
Been busy working, not much time for sitting behind the computer lately. I farm now and pulling corn and cutting hay take up most of my time lately.
 
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StarTech

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Turns out I was completely wrong on my initial assessment.
Upon removing the valve covers the issue is much larger than the welch plugs allowing dust in the engine.
The entire valve train was loose, the nut holding one of the u-shaped pieces that holds the rocker arm was so lose you could spin it around. One rocker arm got lose enough to lose the push rod, it's now bent. There is damage to one head that is not fixable, and the valves still intact showed measurements like .014 and .024 as opposed to .004-.006 as stated in the book.
FX691V clearance is .002" to .0039" not .004" - .006"
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