Ok, not really, but I had a lawnmower that wouldn’t start. Changed the spark plug, nothing. Removed air filter and poured a little gas in carb, sputtered, but nothing. Removed gas line and drained, cleaned carb, tested the ohms on starter thingy, had continuity, so made sure kill connection was good and then reassembled.

Poured new gas and tried to start, nothing. “F” words flying all over the place. So, drink a beer and light a cig and think about it all. Spark plug I had was given to me by mechanic that wasn’t same part number, but he matched up and said it would work. Put old spark plug back in and pulled the cord.



Yep, it started. Now, I know nothing about lawnmowers, and the only vehicle repair knowledge I have is from trying manuals when certain things go wrong. I started this journey (only 2 hrs) knowing I couldn’t fix it. But after several youtube videos, The DOG is the lawnmower man (not the movie )

This just reminded me that I need to buy a lawnmower. Homeownership is expensive.

I love spring, summer and fall but hate, Hate, HATE cutting grass.

Sadly, my lawn mower always starts on the first pull and the rider starts within a second and they are both 8 years old.

Both Cub Cadets...I should have bought yard machines or John Deer or something that breaks easy, lol.

You're the man now, Dog...

(04-11-2019, 10:36 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: I love spring, summer and fall but hate, Hate, HATE cutting grass.

Sadly, my lawn mower always starts on the first pull and the rider starts within a second and they are both 8 years old.

Both Cub Cadets...I should have bought yard machines or John Deer or something that breaks easy, lol.

I own a Cub Cadet riding lawnmower as well and it’s been pretty dependable (with a little rigging here and there). As far as the boredom of cutting the grass, I use headphones to get me through it.

got my first lawnmower last year when I bought my first house...


And let me tell you. Mowing the grass sucks...

(04-11-2019, 10:13 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: This just reminded me that I need to buy a lawnmower. Homeownership is expensive.

Lawnmower.

then Weedeater/edger Grass Blower


then trimmers for your trees...   Grass Seed.    grass seed despencer, Hoses

Rakes, Shovels,   And more fun to come.

(04-11-2019, 09:28 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Ok, not really, but I had a lawnmower that wouldn’t start. Changed the spark plug, nothing. Removed air filter and poured a little gas in carb, sputtered, but nothing. Removed gas line and drained, cleaned carb, tested the ohms on starter thingy, had continuity, so made sure kill connection was good and then reassembled.

Poured new gas and tried to start, nothing. “F” words flying all over the place. So, drink a beer and light a cig and think about it all. Spark plug I had was given to me by mechanic that wasn’t same part number, but he matched up and said it would work. Put old spark plug back in and pulled the cord.



Yep, it started. Now, I know nothing about lawnmowers, and the only vehicle repair knowledge I have is from trying manuals when certain things go wrong. I started this journey (only 2 hrs) knowing I couldn’t fix it. But after several youtube videos, The DOG is the lawnmower man (not the movie )

Can I borrow that spark plug ?

I've been mowing my parents lawn (since I've lived in the province, anyways) since I was 12, so I don't mind; just put on some tunes and the half hour or so flies by! (used to be just under an hour at my old house).

Now that I've got my own place, I need to buy one as well lol, but I've got so little lawn that I may even get a manual mower

BTW, I LOVE the film, its a touch cheesy and all that, but its a great concept and Brosnan does good job; Fahey too.

(04-11-2019, 09:28 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Ok, not really, but I had a lawnmower that wouldn’t start. Changed the spark plug, nothing. Removed air filter and poured a little gas in carb, sputtered, but nothing. Removed gas line and drained, cleaned carb, tested the ohms on starter thingy, had continuity, so made sure kill connection was good and then reassembled.

Poured new gas and tried to start, nothing. “F” words flying all over the place. So, drink a beer and light a cig and think about it all. Spark plug I had was given to me by mechanic that wasn’t same part number, but he matched up and said it would work. Put old spark plug back in and pulled the cord.



Yep, it started. Now, I know nothing about lawnmowers, and the only vehicle repair knowledge I have is from trying manuals when certain things go wrong. I started this journey (only 2 hrs) knowing I couldn’t fix it. But after several youtube videos, The DOG is the lawnmower man (not the movie )

Party on Garth!!    Me and small engines don't get along either. I have yet to take one apart and reassemble it correctly....lol
2 years ago, we were to have the storm of the century, 75 mph winds, which never materialized... Anyway, getting the old generator ready, I filled it with 5 gallons of gas and it wouldn't start. Wouldn't even make a noise, so I thought the plug was the problem. It's a Champion about 10 years old and for some reason the manufacturer put the spark in a position that wasn't easy to get out or in. So 2 spark plugs later, I finally got the right plug in and pulled the starter cord once, nothing..... Pulled again and the cord broke..... Meanwhile my beautiful wife is breathing done my neck and "asking" is this going to be ready... I said screw it, we are riding this storm out the hard way. I think we had a gust of 10 mph at the most that night....FML..... That is why I am fastly turning grey...  At least I got my new generator system out of it.

(04-11-2019, 10:13 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: This just reminded me that I need to buy a lawnmower. Homeownership is expensive.

Just some friendly advice from your uncle Wedge....  You haven't seen expensive yet, if you're thinking the mower is going to set you back!!LMAO
Wait til the remodeling season comes and your wife gets the bug!

(04-11-2019, 10:36 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: I love spring, summer and fall but hate, Hate, HATE cutting grass.

Sadly, my lawn mower always starts on the first pull and the rider starts within a second and they are both 8 years old.

Both Cub Cadets...I should have bought yard machines or John Deer or something that breaks easy, lol.

I love mowing the lawn. I can just think about shit and not be bothered, because I know for a fact ain't nobody gonna come out and ask to help or anything....

(04-12-2019, 10:58 AM)sandwedge Wrote: Just some friendly advice from your uncle Wedge....  You haven't seen expensive yet, if your thinking the mower is going to set you back!!LMAO
Wait til the remodeling season comes and your wife gets the bug!

Damn Pinterest! My wife get's that bug often.

(04-12-2019, 10:55 AM)sandwedge Wrote: Party on Garth!!    Me and small engines don't get along either. I have yet to take one apart and reassemble it correctly....lol
2 years ago, we were to have the storm of the century, 75 mph winds, which never materialized... Anyway, getting the old generator ready, I filled it with 5 gallons of gas and it wouldn't start. Wouldn't even make a noise, so I thought the plug was the problem. It's a Champion about 10 years old and for some reason the manufacturer put the spark in a position that wasn't easy to get out or in. So 2 spark plugs later, I finally got the right plug in and pulled the starter cord once, nothing..... Pulled again and the cord broke..... Meanwhile my beautiful wife is breathing done my neck and "asking" is this going to be ready... I said screw it, we are riding this storm out the hard way. I think we had a gust of 10 mph at the most that night....FML..... That is why I am fastly turning grey...  At least I got my new generator system out of it.

That sucks when the cord breaks.  I've broken enough of them in my lifetime, that now I'm actually decent at replacing them.   

Note about your generator.  Be sure to fire it up at least twice per year, let it run a few minutes each time.  Also, change the oil once a year, put some fuel stabilizer in the tank, and inspect the spark plug every time you test run it.  Wouldn't hurt to pull the air filter and spray a little carb & choke cleaner in there, from time to time.  That should guarantee you a clean start, when you really need it to run.

I'm with you though, every time I've taken a small engine apart?  That toothpaste never made it back into the tube..

(04-12-2019, 10:58 AM)sandwedge Wrote: Just some friendly advice from your uncle Wedge....  You haven't seen expensive yet, if you're thinking the mower is going to set you back!!LMAO
Wait til the remodeling season comes and your wife gets the bug!

Hmm.....  

Got any advice on plates? 

(04-12-2019, 11:01 AM)sandwedge Wrote: I love mowing the lawn. I can just think about shit and not be bothered, because I know for a fact ain't nobody gonna come out and ask to help or anything....

The second half is true, but not the first.

Plenty of times I turn around and she is standing there ready to stop me for something else...



My problem with mowing is that life and Mother Nature don't allow me to do it at regular intervals, so when I finally get to do so it is in overgrown grass housing billions of insects that engulf me in a swarm as a pass overhead chopping it down.  There tiny wings are no match for the adhesive strength of my sweat, nor does their movement create and wind chill effect from the blistering heat of the inevitable 98° in the shade and blistering torch like sunlight.  It is a virtual guarantee that some branch of other debris will lay as an obstacle, forcing me to leave the comfy seat of the rider and allowing Mr. Sun an opportunity to use the "laser" beams in his forehead to bring that comfy seat up to the temperature of near liquification in 2.3 seconds to insure a good scalding of my ass.  Good times.  Goooood times...

Years ago I was visiting my parents and helped mow the lawn. After lunch the mower would not start. I am not much of a mechanic but my dad was brilliant with anything mechanical. He worked at checking everything and could not get it to run. Small engines are actually pretty simple. He was getting spark and fuel but it would not run.

He bought a kit to rebuild the carburetor, but when he was taking it apart he noticed something funny. He could actually notice the difference in the smell of gasoline and kerosene. When I was using the mower I re-filled it with kerosene instead of gasoline. Since the engine was really hot the kerosene started and worked. But once the engine cooled down it was not hot enough to ignite the kerosene/air mixture.

My dad didn't keep his kerosene in a different colored can than his gas (I used blue and red). He just had it marked so he could tell the difference. I did not even think to look. I just grabbed a red "gascan" and filled the tank.

(04-20-2019, 11:45 AM)fredtoast Wrote: Years ago I was visiting my parents and helped mow the lawn. After lunch the mower would not start. I am not much of a mechanic but my dad was brilliant with anything mechanical. He worked at checking everything and could not get it to run. Small engines are actually pretty simple. He was getting spark and fuel but it would not run.

He bought a kit to rebuild the carburetor, but when he was taking it apart he noticed something funny. He could actually notice the difference in the smell of gasoline and kerosene. When I was using the mower I re-filled it with kerosene instead of gasoline. Since the engine was really hot the kerosene started and worked. But once the engine cooled down it was not hot enough to ignite the kerosene/air mixture.

My dad didn't keep his kerosene in a different colored can than his gas (I used blue and red). He just had it marked so he could tell the difference. I did not even think to look. I just grabbed a red "gascan" and filled the tank.

Similar thing happened to me. When I was 16 I needed to put water/coolant in my car radiator. So, seen a bottle of prestone in the garage and poured it in. Didn’t know my stepdad was using it as a kerosene jug. Didn’t even mark it.

(04-20-2019, 10:23 AM)jfkbengals Wrote: Hmm.....  

Got any advice on plates? 

Steal the nice white ones from nice dining halls!!

(04-20-2019, 10:33 AM)jfkbengals Wrote: The second half is true, but not the first.

Plenty of times I turn around and she is standing there ready to stop me for something else...



My problem with mowing is that life and Mother Nature don't allow me to do it at regular intervals, so when I finally get to do so it is in overgrown grass housing billions of insects that engulf me in a swarm as a pass overhead chopping it down.  There tiny wings are no match for the adhesive strength of my sweat, nor does their movement create and wind chill effect from the blistering heat of the inevitable 98° in the shade and blistering torch like sunlight.  It is a virtual guarantee that some branch of other debris will lay as an obstacle, forcing me to leave the comfy seat of the rider and allowing Mr. Sun an opportunity to use the "laser" beams in his forehead to bring that comfy seat up to the temperature of near liquification in 2.3 seconds to insure a good scalding of my ass.  Good times.  Goooood times...

When it's hot like that, you mow about 1AM! Turn the lights on if your mower has them