ls99
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
- Joined
- May 2, 2008
- Messages
- 6,506
A few days ago my 50+ year old Montgomery Ward died. The actual problem, the starter's bendix broke apart. Would have been an easy fix, but along with the totally worn out steering quadrant, a pie shaped metal piece with gear teeth on the circumference part, was no longer turned by the steering wheel worm gear.
Since it died at the end of the driveway, taped a large sign on it saying FREE.
Posted on Craigslist as well.. And described the problems. Withing 10 minutes there were 10 responses. By 6 PM three were willing to show up from as far as 60 miles away. To all I wrote first to show up gets the goods.
The next morning it was gone. No idea who got it.
Next morning at the greasy spoon I describe the tale to The Truth and Veracity League. A charter member said he know of a late model Troy Bilt with a bad carburator. After sufficient coffee was consumed, off we went to have a look. There were many shiny pieces of trim on the floor, a 17.5 HP Briggs looking good and a crankcase full of gasoline.
I said, to the fellow if you transport it to my house it is worth $150 cash on delivery. He made s call to the owner who was busy making a living at some j*b. Agreement was reached.
Yesterday the patient arrived.
I am truly fascinated a the fuel shutoff design, and exasperated at number of safety interlocks to keep morons and stupid people from doing harm to themselves and others. But it does have a cup holder and shift on the fly feature. What else would one need?
The fuel bowl is held on by a screw on solenoid which is supposed to shut off the the fuel flow to the main jet when the engine is off. Well the least bit of crud will jam it, resulting in all the fuel from the tank ending up in the crankcase. Lovely. The fools designing it failed to provide a weep hole in the intake manifold pipe to at least create a bypass and visible indication of something wrong. Also the MFG saved $1.00 at their cost for a manual shutoff valve.
Any whoo. Drained the the gas from the crankcase, chucked the stupid solenoid, cut to length a suitable bolt to hold float housing in place. Cleaned the orifices. Re installed bowl, add 1.4 Qt oil. Remove 5" diameter mouse nest from under cowling. Add manual fuel shutoff valve. Put in a good battery turn the key........... and nothing.
Now to examine and make user friendly the moronic set of interlocks that prevent starting.
You have to be sitting on the seat or it won't start. Got rid of that feature. Left the brake/clutch and blade safety switch. For now.
Hit start, fired up at full speed. Turned it right off. Well, we now have fuel, spark and air in the right combination, in the right place. I failed to notice the previous helper turned the idle adjust screw fully in, thus negating any speed control. Back out the idle adjuster to ballpark, re-start, sounds sweet.
Put back sheet metal decor, take it for spin. Runs good, get to the grassy area, engage blades. Lots of vibration. disengage, back to the garage.
Jack up mower's front, observe bent blade. Remove blade, straighten, sharpen, balance, reinstall.
Back to the grass, engage blades, smoooth. Try reverse, engine shuts off. WTF? Over.
Well, it seems, to prevent morons from running over little children while cutting grass going in reverse one must turn the ignition key to the reverse position, press a yellow triangle shaped override button, get a bright red LED indication, then can put gear select in reverse without engine shutoff.
Made short work of eliminating that feature as well.
Now it is useable. No wonder with all these stupid features the lawnmower shops are constantly fully employed. And get to charge 20 plus bucks for a solenoid.
//end rant.
Since it died at the end of the driveway, taped a large sign on it saying FREE.
Posted on Craigslist as well.. And described the problems. Withing 10 minutes there were 10 responses. By 6 PM three were willing to show up from as far as 60 miles away. To all I wrote first to show up gets the goods.
The next morning it was gone. No idea who got it.
Next morning at the greasy spoon I describe the tale to The Truth and Veracity League. A charter member said he know of a late model Troy Bilt with a bad carburator. After sufficient coffee was consumed, off we went to have a look. There were many shiny pieces of trim on the floor, a 17.5 HP Briggs looking good and a crankcase full of gasoline.
I said, to the fellow if you transport it to my house it is worth $150 cash on delivery. He made s call to the owner who was busy making a living at some j*b. Agreement was reached.
Yesterday the patient arrived.
I am truly fascinated a the fuel shutoff design, and exasperated at number of safety interlocks to keep morons and stupid people from doing harm to themselves and others. But it does have a cup holder and shift on the fly feature. What else would one need?
The fuel bowl is held on by a screw on solenoid which is supposed to shut off the the fuel flow to the main jet when the engine is off. Well the least bit of crud will jam it, resulting in all the fuel from the tank ending up in the crankcase. Lovely. The fools designing it failed to provide a weep hole in the intake manifold pipe to at least create a bypass and visible indication of something wrong. Also the MFG saved $1.00 at their cost for a manual shutoff valve.
Any whoo. Drained the the gas from the crankcase, chucked the stupid solenoid, cut to length a suitable bolt to hold float housing in place. Cleaned the orifices. Re installed bowl, add 1.4 Qt oil. Remove 5" diameter mouse nest from under cowling. Add manual fuel shutoff valve. Put in a good battery turn the key........... and nothing.
Now to examine and make user friendly the moronic set of interlocks that prevent starting.
You have to be sitting on the seat or it won't start. Got rid of that feature. Left the brake/clutch and blade safety switch. For now.
Hit start, fired up at full speed. Turned it right off. Well, we now have fuel, spark and air in the right combination, in the right place. I failed to notice the previous helper turned the idle adjust screw fully in, thus negating any speed control. Back out the idle adjuster to ballpark, re-start, sounds sweet.
Put back sheet metal decor, take it for spin. Runs good, get to the grassy area, engage blades. Lots of vibration. disengage, back to the garage.
Jack up mower's front, observe bent blade. Remove blade, straighten, sharpen, balance, reinstall.
Back to the grass, engage blades, smoooth. Try reverse, engine shuts off. WTF? Over.
Well, it seems, to prevent morons from running over little children while cutting grass going in reverse one must turn the ignition key to the reverse position, press a yellow triangle shaped override button, get a bright red LED indication, then can put gear select in reverse without engine shutoff.
Made short work of eliminating that feature as well.
Now it is useable. No wonder with all these stupid features the lawnmower shops are constantly fully employed. And get to charge 20 plus bucks for a solenoid.
//end rant.
It is probably something really simple, but it just won't start....probably that itty bitty piece of trash you mentioned....but I wouldn't know a solenoid (actually had to check your post for how to spell it!) from a thingy majigy...
