Category Archives: Out door power equipment

May 23 0 comments
Out door power equipment, Repairs, Tools

Small Engine Repair

Most outdoor yard equipment uses some type of gas powered small engine.  Generally, these units are reliable and will give good performance.  Every once in a while, however, they won’t start.

This year, I went to fire up the trusty rototiller (Yard Machines 21A332A700) to start working on the garden and I spent quite a while pulling on that rope with nothing to show for it.  It turns out, there were several problems.  These are the basic trouble shooting steps:

  1. Check the fuel.  Gas goes bad after a while, bad gas will smell funny.  If the gas has sat in the tank all winter, drain it out and replace with fresh gas.  Check the carburetor, most have a drain bolt on the bottom, drain about 1 tablespoon of gas out.  If the unit has a fuel filter, check that too.
  2. Check ignition.  Remove the spark plug and check for damage.  Check for proper gap.  The spark plug should have slightly grey/brown ash on it, that is normal.  Black gunk indicates a more serious problem.  If several attempts at starting were made, the spark plug should have a slight coating of gas on it and the cylinder should smell like gas.  Wait about 5 minutes then ground the spark plug on the engine and pull the starter.  You should see/hear the spark.  If not, there is an ignition problem.
  3. Remove the air filter and be sure that the choke plate is closed.
  4. After several starting attempts, the carburetor throat should be slightly wet with gas.  If not, there is a fuel problem.
  5. If everything looks normal (fuel and ignition okay) then the flywheel key might be bent.  This could happen if the engine was stopped after hitting something.  In many cases, the fly wheel key can be replaced.
Briggs and Stratton 6.5 HP engine with flywheel cover removed

Briggs and Stratton 6.5 HP engine with flywheel cover removed

With the rototiller, I found two problems, no gas and no spark.  The gas problem was due to a clogged carburetor port.  I took apart the carburetor and blew out all the ports with 35 PSI compressed air to make sure that no other junk was stuck in there.

Briggs and Stratton 6.5 HP engine ignition coil

Briggs and Stratton 6.5 HP engine ignition coil

The ignition problems were due to a mouse nest under the fly wheel cover.  The mice chewed through the insulation on the kill wire.  I tried to re-insulate the wire, but there was still no spark.  I replaced the entire ignition coil.  Briggs and Stratton has a good web site where one get know how and order parts directly.

I also installed a new, properly gapped spark plug.  Total cost of repair, about $40.00.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Jan 30 0 comments
Out door power equipment

Tool Review, Husqvarna 240 E Chain Saw

In order to put up our Photovoltaic system, we had to remove an old pear tree.  The tree was exactly in the prime location for the array, and figuring that we could replant an apple tree, which I like apples more than pears, everything would be just fine.

I got out the old chain saw, fired it up and began cutting the lower branches.  Then, I climbed up a ladder and started cutting away the upper branches.  Next, the saw quit running.  Now, truth be told, it wasn’t a very good saw to begin with and it was quite old.  Naturally, stopping in the middle of a project, while the rented excavator was sitting idle in the yard, called for some fast action.

Previously that day, I was at the local Williams Lumber store and noticed they had a trade in deal on Husqvarna chain saws.  I took my old, non-running unit in and purchased a Husqvarna 240 E.  It was a really good deal and I had always heard that Husqvarna made good chain saws.

Husqvarna 240 E chain saw

Husqvarna 240 E chain saw

I was not disappointed.  The 240 E is a good small chain saw that made quick work of the pear tree, which was suffering from an advanced case of heart rot, as it turns out.  I have since used it to cut up all of our fire wood, harvested from our wood lot out back.  It consistently starts on the third pull, has lots of power to cut through hard wood like oak, maple and black locust.

It has a 16 inch bar, but I easily worked through the pear tree which was at least 24 inches at the base.  I would recommend this for anyone needed a good small chain saw.

Popularity: 1% [?]

May 02 3 comments
Blogging, General, Out door power equipment, yard

First planting, Lawnmower, New clothes line, blog videos

I would post more often but we just are not working on the house right now.  I have been very busy working two jobs…  The second job (solar business) is doing well.  It is still difficult, in this economy, to sell high end alternative energy gear but not impossible.

I have managed to do a few things around the house:

radishes poking up through the ground

radishes poking up through the ground

A few weeks ago we put in the cold weather crops, peas, carrots, lettuce, radishes, and spinach.  All are coming up, I think we will have radishes in about a week or so.  I plan on planting the rest of the garden around the middle of May.  That will include tomatoes, beans, squash, peppers, broccoli and onions.  More posts/pictures as the time gets closer.

strawberries about to flower

strawberries about to flower

buds breaking on the grape vine

buds breaking on the grape vine

I did the annual lawn mower maintenance including sharpening the blade.  I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to find several large dings in the blade.  Funny, I don’t really remember hitting any rocks or anything last year.  Anyway, I sharpened the blade on the bench grinder.  Nothing worse than a dull lawn mower blade to maul the ends of the grass blades off.

new clothes line

new clothes line

I also replaced the clothes line posts.  We had a really niffty hydraulic post hole digger for one day in mid April.  I managed to drill several 3-4 foot deep holes around the yard for various purposes including enlarging the garden fence.  I replaced the clothes line because we seem to have a lot of laundry and the old one seemed a little light duty.  Plus, we had a really niffty hydraulic post hole digger.  I cannot recommend this unit enough.

Going to town with the Earth Auger

Going to town with the Earth Auger

I apologize to my regulars (if there are any left) for the lack of posts over the last few months.  When it comes to this blog, I decided that I would rather have quality over quantity.  Staying more or less on topic seems to improve my search results and nets me more Adsense revenue.  To that end, I went through and deleted many of the old off topic posts that were not very popular.

Speaking of adsense, say goodbye to the home improvement videos.  Google, in there infinite wisdom, decided to discontinue the Adsense video service.  I made a fair amount from those videos, but I must have been the only one.  I am going to start moving away from Google and selling ad space on the blog myself this year.  I have had many people tell me that they have greatly increased there revenue by doing this.

Otherwise, stay tuned for some up comming projects this summer.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Jan 12 5 comments
Out door power equipment

Snow Removal (or moval) Equipment

Ever since we moved here in 2004 I have been threatening to buy a snow blower.  Every year, it seems the same; I shovel the first few snow falls, then figure that winter is almost over and why on God’s nearly green Earth would I want to buy a snow blower in the spring time.

Well, this year it’s different.  Friends of ours have moved out of the area and in exchange for keeping an eye on their house (until it is sold) they have given me a snow blower.  For free! Free is always a plus.

Craftsman 2 stage 28 inch snow blower

Craftsman 2 stage 28 inch snow blower

This is a Craftsman two stage 28 inch snow blower with a 9 HP engine.  It has an electric start option, which is really nice.  To use the electric start, an extension cord is needed, but this is really no big deal.  I have used it three times this year to clean out the driveway.

I can say that the snow moving is quite fun, sort of like mowing the lawn only smaller and faster.  I thought it might bog down in the heavy wet snow at the end of the drive way but it went right through it.  It goes fast, much faster than I imagined.  This last 6 inch storm I did the whole driveway in about 20 minutes.

I've got better things to do than sholve snow

I've got better things to do than shovel snow

Now that I actually own a snow blower, look for warm, wet, snow free winters from here on out.

Popularity: 2% [?]

May 21 37 comments
Out door power equipment, Tools, yard

New Cub Cadet CC4175 String Trimmer

Happy Birthday to me! With my Home Depot gift certificate from Aunt Barbra and Uncle Jim, I purchased a new string trimmer to replace the old one which met its demise earlier this spring. She’s a bute! There are several nice things about this unit; first, it has a 4 cycle engine. No more mixing oil and gas and hoping that I don’t foul a spark plug. Plus, it always seems that each tool, e.g. chain saw, string trimmer, hedge trimmer, used a different fuel to oil ratio, making life difficult. Second, it has several different attachment head accessories that can be bought, so not only is it a string trimmer, it can be a pole chain saw, hedge trimmer, brush cutter, mini rototiller, edger and so on.

cub cadet cc4175 4 cycle gas trimmer

There were two units to choose from, the less expensive, less versatile curved shaft unit, or the straight shaft unit. I like the straight shaft units better because it seems to be a better design; less friction, less wear and tear on the power transfer cable, etc. Perhaps I am just imagining it, but it seems to be much more sturdy that the old Pouland string trimmer.

Since it has a 4 cycle engine, it requires crank case oil and there are all sorts of warnings and stickers to that effect. Guessing they may have had problems with that in the past. Anyway, a 3.04 ounce bottle of SAE 30 HD motor oil is provided. I am going to keep the little bottle to measure out oil changes when needed in the future. I also noted that it is about 1 to 2 pounds heavier than the old string trimmer. It seems to have more power than the old unit, and no smoky exhaust to breath while trimming up the yard.

Some assembly required.

I am looking forward to finishing up the trimming over the weekend.

Popularity: 15% [?]