Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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What’s your thought on when I should change the break in oil I put in the Predator? It’s been maybe 5hrs and oil is cheap enough. I was gonna go 10, but since oil costs me 0.00 I was thinking of doing it this weekend. You think by now, it’s “clearanced” itself?
What’s the manual say ? My Honda said 20 hours and to use 10-30 oil . I put synthetic in it . I just did the yearly oil change a few weeks ago . I also changed hydraulic fluid . Have to admit I went way over the scheduled change . But the fluid looked like new and the filter was clean .
 
Was up at the cabin on Tue/Wed. The logging is about done, and I got my final check from the logger. The $ received was on the high end of my expectations as about 1/2 of my property cannot be logged because a tornado wiped out the trees in 1998. I got almost the same amount as another guy that bragged about getting for having 100 acres logged. Most of it was Ash, but also some Black Cherry, Hard and Soft Maple, and a few Red Oaks.

While up there (alone) I moved the main solar panel up on the roof of the new bathroom. Was tough to do alone, and I did it Tue night as heavy rain was predicted for all day Wed, but did not arrive till 3:00. Had to make a rope handle for the solar panel (to make it less likely to drop) and put legs on it (so it would not slide down), but I got it done.

I ratchet strapped the top of the ladder for safety, but when you are up there alone on a ladder in the dark you still get a bit nervous. But I figured the logger would find me in the morning if anything went wrong!

I also used an $18 water pump from HF (powered by my cordless drill) to transfer water from my gutter collecting 55-gallon drum to another one so we will have enough water when we do the floor. Worked surprisingly well, looked like I was running the hose from home!

Also hung two more trail cameras (we now have 4), cleared some shooting lanes and cut some Ash rounds and even split some with the X-27. No pics of the Ash as I was too fatigued by then.
 

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Definitely out of the thousands out there most are ok, but if there is a bad one you can guarantee it is going to find its way into my possession.

I have been burned more than once by them so I generally just stay away all together.
that sucks. I was pretty skeptical of them years ago, but that thought has long since left the building.
110% true, but in here…. You and I surely have a leak down tester, not sure about the other fellas. But I’d bet 75% of them have a compression gauge

What’s your thought on when I should change the break in oil I put in the Predator? It’s been maybe 5hrs and oil is cheap enough. I was gonna go 10, but since oil costs me 0.00 I was thinking of doing it this weekend. You think by now, it’s “clearanced” itself?
Very true about the leak down teater, i often forget not everyone has tools kike that laying around.
5 hours would be sufficient imo, not unusual to see 10+ hours listed in manuals though. More worried about flushing any debris/ metal etc from the sump then anything. Rings and cam should be seated pretty quickly, really. Getting a decent load helps the rings more then anything.
Generally I try to change oil yearly after that break in period.
What’s the manual say ? My Honda said 20 hours and to use 10-30 oil . I put synthetic in it . I just did the yearly oil change a few weeks ago . I also changed hydraulic fluid . Have to admit I went way over the scheduled change . But the fluid looked like new and the filter was clean .
Changing hydro fluid is mostly pointless. If it's not contaminated, (dirt, system debris or water.) Or been overheated there no real reason to change it. It doesn't experience the same demands as engine oil and isn't subject to combustion gasses or the high temps. Bright and clear leave it be imo.
 
What’s the manual say ? My Honda said 20 hours and to use 10-30 oil . I put synthetic in it . I just did the yearly oil change a few weeks ago . I also changed hydraulic fluid . Have to admit I went way over the scheduled change . But the fluid looked like new and the filter was clean .
I’ll check the manual tomorrow

Now you got me thinking I should install a filter to protect my new pump.

Hmmmm
 
I’ll check the manual tomorrow
As many times as I've seen junk (swarf) come out of those engines on the first oil change, I change it the first time, after a couple hours. You don't really believe they have "break in oil" in them, do you?

Like you said, oil is cheeeep!

SR
 
I’ll check the manual tomorrow

Now you got me thinking I should install a filter to protect my new pump.

Hmmmm
There should be a fine screen pre pump and the filters are usually on the return side. Idea is if anything craps out it will be caught before the tank and not risk starving the pump of fluid, which will cause issues with the pump.
 

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