Reason i said about the trays and tubs etc, is that it can get a bit hectic and before you know it youve got stuff everywhere. Some jobs are just not worth going on with. Go back to them later when you have the time, jobs get sat aside to use as parts.
Ive usually got 2 or 3 on the go at one time. Get one sorted, set it aside for final service, or to pull the motor and swap it onto something else. Get one going, wash it and wait for it to dry. Others washed and in under cover before i start on them. Some of the 4 strokes i wash, they dry, i lift the cover and then it goes back out to wash again.
Also theres three different shaft lengths on the 4 stroke. 42mm, 62mm and 81mm. The short one ive only seen on Victas mounted sideways. the middle one goes on Victas with a spacer ring, some masports etc too, mainly older ones. The long shaft is common to rovers and most of the late model stuff.
Be mindful of those lenghts, ive got about 10 motors on the floor in the shed that are all good, 62mm go up one end, the 81mm go up the other. The Victas dont last long enough to need a spot.
If you get a steel base full crank and remove the engine. Get the tin plate that goes under a power torqe and sit it on the base and using a ruler get it centralised. Then you can mark it and drill it. Then cut a steel template. Mark both full crank and power torque on it and drill it out so it will bolt on, then find a dual drilled power torque victa base and you can mark it and drill it to suit a forward facing engine. My template even has a bit to mark out where the hole needs to be cut for the power torque muffler to go.
Then i cut the centre out with the plasma cutter. If you dont have one im not sure how youd cut the middle out efficently.
The degreaser im talking about is pink.
Even though ive got a largish shed outside is a bone yard. A stack or two of good bodies that i need catchers for or handles or something like that. If the frames have handles, standing them up on their nose with the handle up is the go. can get about 4 into the space of one mower on its wheels and there les chance of scratching etc. Its also the only way to store a power torque out in the weather if the plastic cover is off the engine.
Ive stacked fixed mowers with the handles folded. its not good to stack anything on a Victa with the rubber coated plastic wheels. They deform especially if the inner side wall has popped out and gone walkies.
Theres Stacks of engine cowlings/covers. A collection of handles. Blade plates galore.
A box of 5/16ths coach bolts is the go. Good for putting in handles. Grab a bolt and go out and look and pinch a handle bolt out of a mower you havent looked a yet, saves buying heaps as some mowers are not destined to live.
An empty 44 or three is a good idea too. Steel in one and ally in the other. For the time it takes, i pull the dowels and punch out the valve seats so the dead blocks are 'clean' ally. only ones that go irony ally round here are the I/C blocks.
A trailer load (probably about 1.5 cubic meters) of busted frames and stripped engines got me $240 so its worth collecting it.
Steel is still here but its cheaper so i will wait till the pile is big.
Another 44 to hang handles in.
It takes up way more space than i thought it would. I mean mowers arent real big, how much room do you need.
Geez another rant
