Tyler, thank you for the heads up. I didn't end up getting any, as I thought I'd leave it well enough alone for the moment and take care of the 'box first. Oh how I wish I did pick some up. Never mind, I'm going to need a few more parts now. Read on if you dare!
Gadge, thank you for the link. Why didn't I look in Tech Talk? I was too blind looking for a "Manuals" Subforum. To eBay it is. I’ve had a look for the plastic welding kit, but that one in particular has been discontinued. Looks like there are other options out there. I’ll give it a go on a milk bottle first, so I don’t stuff it. Funny you mention powder coating. I’ve heard what you say before, but surely there are powder coats, and then there are powder coats? Like Oils ain't Oils, kinda thing? I’m curious to know how paint can avoid this, when in theory it could trap moisture underneath as well?
Well, what a day. Just like prior attempts, nothing quite seemed to go to plan.
The first order was to see what that Tinnerman nut was holding on. As I suspected, it was keeping the drive cover on over the rear most pulley. No idea how that was put on, but I really didn't want to wreck anything getting it off. Tried "unscrewing" it. Nope. Tried a tiny hacksaw. Nope. Started to get annoyed and got the Dremel. Thankfully, that wouldn't fit... A bit of time spent with a pry bar and screw driver got it out in the end without damaging anything. Looks like the hole in the deck *is* factory though? I suspect that a bolt and nut may have helped hold the cover on originally. I'll work on a more elegant solution later. New air filter and BM6A plug goes in. By that stage, I reckon I'd earned myself a cuppa.
With that cover job for future me, I thought I'd drop the oil out of the 'box, or at least see if there was any. I looked for a drain plug and all I found was what looked initially like a rivet. It isn't a rivet. I think the thead has been mostly stripped. Not having anything at my disposal to rectify this problem, I shifted that job into the future as well and decided to see how the cowling comes off.
Removed the zip starter. A squirt of INOX and a few pulls got that nice and smooth again. A bit of rust under there as you can see in the photos. No to worry, a bit of INOX will also solve that! I'm so clever, job well done there. I took off the Prismatic fuel cap and set that aside. I undid the screws and lifted the cowling off. I didn't need to remove the fuel cap! Fuel cap back on, fuel hose removed. Oh, hello, a spring and another press clip thing, complete with zip tie!
Now I'm really curious. The drive worked, but it never really disengaged. Originally thinking that might have something to do with the cable tension, it had me confused a bit. So off came the other drive cover to see what, exactly, the cable moved. What I saw didn't look right. The idler pulley was hard up against the frame and pulling the drive lever really didn't seem to move much. Belt was really tight too. Then it dawned on me.
Remember that press clip thing, spring and zip tie? It looks like at some stage, a previous tenant tried to change the drive belt and installed the incorrect one! I tried to reinstall the spring, but the belt was just too tight. I then wondered if the idler was doing any damage to the deck if it was spinning and hard up against it. Time to remove the motor so I can get this belt off!
That didn't go according to plan either. The blade carrier nut is too big for any impact sockets I have, or any spanners, not that there was any real danger of getting it off with a stuffed elbow currently. Decided that I'll hit up Toolmart before work tomorrow. Motor stays on.
So, still worried about the idler, I cut the belt off. From memory it was an M31. I don't know what the correct belt is, but this most certainly was the INCORRECT one. Way too small. Looks like it was put on and then pushed into the corner of a shed, only to run again when I picked it up. Thankfully, I didn't decide to run it over the lawn right after I got it, as It had already started wearing a groove in the deck.
With no real progress made, the idea of actually mowing the lawn seemed like a great idea. No drive belt means no hole being chewed in my deck, so it was reassembled and despite looking blue and two-strokey, the fuel in the tank was drained and I put in my fuel which I know is 25:1. Doesn't look as blue, but who knows what the ratio was of the old fuel, and I put Sta-Bil in mine which changes the colour. Excellent! Fueled up, Zip-Start on and...
Nothing.
Not a damn thing. For some unknown reason the Zip isn't engaging anything. Well, that's got me stuffed as I didn't take it apart. Off it comes again, I have a look at how it works, and the penny drops. That INOX I sprayed in the starter cup housing thing seems to prevent the little spring loaded metal pawl things from grabbing. I guess the thing needs friction to work. On goes some de-greaser and a serious wipe down with a rag. Zip Starter on. After a few pulls it finally engages but not reliably and only in about the last 1/5 of travel. Nevermind, I figured I could see if it would start anyway.
What a magic motor! The tiniest of engagement and away it goes! I don't like asking too much of a motor straight off the bat, so I let it warm up for a while. I'm pretty sure the PT manual states a warm up time, so an old FC is just as deserving. In all the excitement noise and aroma, I forgot to put on the catcher. Motor off. Catcher on. Hot start position and away we go!
We're cutting! She's warmed up now, so how about we go MAX CHICKENS and push that throttle lever to the "firewall!" Man, this baby is loud. Is it over revving? Dunno, never had an FC before. Bit of smoke coming out from under the cowl. Or is that under the deck from the exhaust? Hard to tell. Smells a bit hot. *@$% WAS THAT A SPARK?! ABORT, ABORT!
Mild panic has set in. I'm starting to feel that the only FC I have ever owned is now about to burst into flames. How has this happened? A lot of smoke under the deck now, and she smells hot. Oh man, did I straight fuel it? I've never misfueled anything IN MY LIFE. These thoughts are going through my head as I think back to the colour of my fuel. Was it the right container? Check. Did I not pour in oil before I filled it up just recently? I remember throwing the empty oil bottle out, but can't specifically remember adding the oil to the tin.
I now don't trust my own fuel tin.
Now convinced the spark I had seen was molten piston ring, off comes everything. Starter, cowling, shroud, head, exhaust, cylinder. Actually, it doesn't look too bad. I've seen running PTs in worse condition. Rings are nice and free and springy. So now I've pulled the motor almost completely apart, the blade carrier is still on and the deck is covered in junk. Just great. Usually my mowers will be given the "Joe Carroll Special" treatment of degreaser and a pressure wash to minimise foreign object debris before I pull them apart. Too late, it's done now. This is going to be a slightly more detail "touch up" than anticipated.
Tomorrow is a new day. At least the Greenfield finished off the lawn for me. And after looking at the muffler, I reckon the spark was hot carbon shooting out the massive hole that had rusted away. Such is life!
Pictures and captions for your amusement.
Last edited by Mystyler; 21/04/2001:56 AM.
I don't collect mowers. I just require Multiple Mowing Solutionsâ„¢.
