Yet Another Distraction

[OzFab]

As is my usual form, I often get distracted or side tracked from my main project; for the last few weeks, as well as working on my shifter, I've been regluing the cover on my bench. Finally got that finished & then, as I was going for dinner on Saturday night, I noticed a lawn edger on the footpath along with a pile of junk.

On my way home, I stopped & had a look at it. There didn't seem to be much wrong with it so, I knocked on the front door; no answer. Oh well, I tried. So, I loaded it into my car & off I went.

After dinner I took it into the garage & pulled on the handle; it turned easily enough but, only so much. Intrigued, I pulled the handle again; it pulled but, not nearly as much as the first time. A third pull went nowhere.

I removed the spark plug & gave it another pull; oh boy

Who can guess what that is?

 

[landuse]

Ummmm....you couldn't make it to the toilet on time??

 

[fowler]

I hope those chunks are grinding sparks and not what came out

 

[Nodroz]

Ummmm....you couldn't make it to the toilet on time??

Haha

Goodluck getting that back to life!

 

[OzFab]

Ummmm....you couldn't make it to the toilet on time??

Umm, no :toetap05:

I hope those chunks are grinding sparks and not what came out

Chunks?

Haha

Goodluck getting that back to life!

Wait for it

Yep, y'all guessed it, water & lots of it!

Now, in case you missed it...

I pulled on the handle; it turned easily enough but, only so much.

...so, my hope was that the water wasn't inside the engine but, instead, simply built up in the intake tube (hey, I can hope).

Based on that theory, I sprayed a fountain of WD spray in through the plug hole & set about dismantling the carb to dry it out, breaking the vacuum cover in the process

I spent a bit of time on Sunday cleaning & drying the carb, intake tube & the machine in general.

First thing monday I was off to the local mower shop for a new vacuum cover & intake filter (it was a bit wet ) & started putting everything back together.

When I was almost done, I discovered that the small brass screw that holds the float cover on was missing Madly search the area... found it

All reassembled, double checked it had spark, poured some fuel in, pressed the primer a few times, pull the starter... it started ... then it died

Check for spark yet again; yep, definitely has constant spark & plenty of compression, must be fuel.

Step one: Is the fuel getting to the carb? Check
Step two: Is the fuel getting from the float chamber into the throat? Well, it does when I press the primer bulb but, how else does it get through? It was then that I realised that little brass screw that holds the float cover on is actually the main jet Is it clean & clear? Umm, no!

Sprayed the strainer end with degreaser & broke out the O/A tip cleaners to clear the jet. Put it back together, pulled the starter & IT'S ALIVE!!!

Click on pic to see video:

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Nice! You've gotta love the cheap/free stuff, eh? Sometimes, you just have to wonder how an engine gets a sufficient volume of water in it to hydrolock. Sometimes it's obvious, other times, a real head-scratcher.

Recently, a friend scored an old lawn tractor. He found the crankcase so full, that the intake manifold and carb were nearly up to the brim! The mystery? The tractor had been sitting with the hood ON!

The bonus? With the carb bowl full of wateer and a good ol' Canadian winter, the float had imploded!!! Yup- bowl full of water, water froze and expanded, mercilessly crushing the poor brass float like a beer can at a superbowl party!!!

So- what have you in store for this edger?

 

[kendelrk]

He could always straight pipe it and put a high flow intake on and offer to edge old peoples lawns With his "racing" lawn edger for $20

 

[OzFab]

Nice! You've gotta love the cheap/free stuff, eh?

Oh, he// yeah!

Sometimes, you just have to wonder how an engine gets a sufficient volume of water in it to hydrolock. Sometimes it's obvious, other times, a real head-scratcher.

True enough.

Thankfully, this one's a no brainer. Machine was obvioulsy left out in the rain, allowing water to enter through the throttle control. Given that the actual control mechanism is offset & the canister is round, any runoff would run straight in & build up in the air intake tube below. Thankfully, that's where it stayed until I pulled the starter.

So- what have you in store for this edger?

My ex is always bugging me to borrow mine (technically, my mums) which can be a pita given that it's a 45 minute drive so, this one goes on permanent loan to her

 

[OzFab]

He could always straight pipe it and put a high flow intake on and offer to edge old peoples lawns With his "racing" lawn edger for $20

 

[Doc Sprocket]

My ex is always bugging me to borrow mine

I'm gonna interrupt you right here. Your ex. Ex. EX! Really- need I say more?

 

[OzFab]

We're on really good terms (if you know what I mean ), & not just for the sake of our daughter