Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[sean donato]

Yea, its got the famous top main "chuckle" at low idle that is caused by not enough oil splash from low idling, which makes sense because my grandfather babied everything mowed at a fast idle with it its whole life. I just try to always have it running at 1/4 throttle if it idles for extended periods. If it blew up tomorrow I couldn't be mad, 2000+ hours on a splash oil air cool flat head is pretty dang good and I don't think it would be worth an overhaul, so I'll probably just run it till it lets go one way or another. I have 2 other just straight MTD/Lowes lawnmowers, not garden tractors, that have the same engine that ran great till the transaxles grenaded, so I have some immediate spares.

I'd have to look and see how many hours are on my 582 cub, last new mower/garden tractor my pop bought back on the farm. Mowed ~5 acres every week till we moved off the farm, + plow/till the garden. Had several other mowers with them too. Current mtd junker has a newer 18hp on it. Basically no hours on it though.
They used to be under $200.00 in parts for new rods, pistons and all the gaskets/seals. Haven't thought about rebuilding one in years now. Still have a few spares tucked under the skid rack just in case. Truthfully I've had more issues with the kohker kt17/19 engines then the Briggs. The 782 cub I have got it's third and final transplant/upgrade to an m18.

 

[abbott295]

I also use a foam gun. I have had it for several years and might have used a couple dozen cans of foam in that time. Beats the heck out of single-use cans. I don’t use the cleaner through the gun, but I never take the gun off, except when putting a new can on. I keep the outside clean; clean it early and often. Spray can of GoofOff works; it’s acetone.

I have only recently learned that if I keep the can vertical, I can avoid the mess of foam escaping when putting it on a new can. It has worked on the last two cans anyway.

I have another gun that is plugged up. This is one of those tools you don’t want to loan out.

Also, I have marked with paint on the flow control knob one of the flutes in the knob so I have a reference to know how much I am turning it.

 

[bob kern]

Hard to get a good picture with just my iPhone, but I think that this one is as good as my photo of the ‘e’-clips!

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Philbert

Boy you could really clean up with puns like that!

 

[GrizzlyAdams86]

This mower sat for about 15 years at my grandparents place, not one nest in it. It can't sit for more than 2 weeks at my house with out this happening, 3rd time I have had to clean this **** out.


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I had something similar happen this year. Mice usually leave the mower (well worn Gardenway by Troy Built 16.5 OHV Briggs) alone all year but after not having to mow the yard for 2 weeks (too dry) around Labor Day I started it it up in the little shed I park it in and it was like being inside a dust devil with all the grass clippings and dust that shot out from under the engine shrouds the mice had stuffed under them. Spent 30 min cleaning off the engine before mowing.

 

[Philbert]

Boy you could really clean up with puns like that!

I post some of these photos at a local saloon: I’m the Bar Keeper’s Friend!

Philbert

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Remember this pict. I posted the other day when I treated the deck on my PJ trailer,,

Well, here's what it looks like today, the boards have sucked it all up!

I'll do it again next summer.

SR

 

[Haywire]

 

[GrizG]

Speaking of spray foam… my son had air sealed his house and when we ripped bad plywood (baked to death…. not rot) off the roof today we found lots of yellow jacket and wasp nests. This one was interesting…