Hi Grumpy,
Sorry for the slow reply. I have been away with work in the Torres Straight. Really busy and no time for mowers!
The mower usually starts on the first of second pull at worst from dead cold.
I tried to seal the valve cover with the permatex and it didnt work, it leaked quite badly. I then went and bought some of the sealant you mentioned (I bought the selley's brand) as they had it at Supercheap and it worked perfectly. No leaks at all.
I took the mower for a good run today and mowed down some long grass for a good 20 minutes or so and it didn�t miss a beat. It is reving nicely and sounds really sweet just like the chondas I am used too.
I have included some photos of the finished product after a wash.
Thanks for all your help as usual, its been a good learning experience.
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