Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

kyfdx

jipster said:

@explorerx4 said:

My mower is about 10 years old.

Took it in for service 3 years ago and when I got it back it was leaking oil.

Not much at first but a lot more lately.

Looked arund on YT and there is a simple fix by adding a washer to a shaft through the engine.

Put that on. Had to disconnect some linkage and you had to be careful not to push the shaft through engine casing. Overall pretty easy but not a lot of room to work with.

Then I made a hook to fish the fuel fill level piece out of the tank.

Somehow after all these years I ended up pushing into the tank when filling it.

When it fell into the tank it got tangled with the fuel pickup tube but I was able to retrieve it pretty easily with the hook. Good start to the day.

I see you have the GCV 160. Maybe an upgrade to more power? lol. Just bought a used Honda GCV 170 from my neighbor. Cuts well, nimble and handles the corners great. " alt="" height="20" /> The pull start problem/recall plaguing some model years...not a problem.

170? Pssh

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

A couple of months ago, got a letter from my homeowner's insurance company that we had been overcharged for multiple years and they were going to issue a refund check.
It arrived yesterday, $1.13.
Overall, I guess that is good news.

————————————————
With the recent price increase of stamps, it almost cost them that much to mail it to you. Factor in the cost of the check and the gizmo to print it, they might have broke even with their total business costs. Maybe even a loser for them. There are times when it doesn’t pay to listen to corporate bean counters.

jmonroe

tjc78

kyfdx said:

jipster said:

@explorerx4 said:

My mower is about 10 years old.

Took it in for service 3 years ago and when I got it back it was leaking oil.

Not much at first but a lot more lately.

Looked arund on YT and there is a simple fix by adding a washer to a shaft through the engine.

Put that on. Had to disconnect some linkage and you had to be careful not to push the shaft through engine casing. Overall pretty easy but not a lot of room to work with.

Then I made a hook to fish the fuel fill level piece out of the tank.

Somehow after all these years I ended up pushing into the tank when filling it.

When it fell into the tank it got tangled with the fuel pickup tube but I was able to retrieve it pretty easily with the hook. Good start to the day.

I see you have the GCV 160. Maybe an upgrade to more power? lol. Just bought a used Honda GCV 170 from my neighbor. Cuts well, nimble and handles the corners great. " alt="" height="20" /> The pull start problem/recall plaguing some model years...not a problem.

170? Pssh




160/170.... My lawn mower has a trailer

explorerx4

That went sideways in a funny way.
Not as funny, yesterday while mowing the lawn, I got strung a couple of times by some agressive yellowjackets(on the elbow and the eyelid).
Today, I went out and promptly got stung 3 more times(right hand, back of an ear and above the other elbow).
Heading to Home Depot asap.

jmonroe1

@the

explorerx4 said:

That went sideways in a funny way.
Not as funny, yesterday while mowing the lawn, I got strung a couple of times by some agressive yellowjackets(on the elbow and the eyelid).
Today, I went out and promptly got stung 3 more times(right hand, back of an ear and above the other elbow).
Heading to Home Depot asap.

————————————————
I don’t think they sell what you need. You need a lawnmower. Like in “a guy” to cut your grass.

jmonroe

xwesx

explorerx4 said:

A couple of months ago, got a letter from my homeowner's insurance company that we had been overcharged for multiple years and they were going to issue a refund check.
It arrived yesterday, $1.13.
Overall, I guess that is good news.

And who said insurance companies don't have a sense of humor?!

jipster

@kyfdx said:
170? Pssh

I just sold my John Deere LX 178 Lawn Tractor... or you'd be getting "pssh, pssh, pssh". lol.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

A couple of months ago, got a letter from my homeowner's insurance company that we had been overcharged for multiple years and they were going to issue a refund check.
It arrived yesterday, $1.13.
Overall, I guess that is good news.

So when will you be picking up the new car?

ab348

explorerx4 said:

That went sideways in a funny way.
Not as funny, yesterday while mowing the lawn, I got strung a couple of times by some agressive yellowjackets(on the elbow and the eyelid).
Today, I went out and promptly got stung 3 more times(right hand, back of an ear and above the other elbow).
Heading to Home Depot asap.

Funny thing, on the weekend I was trimming a shrub and as I was heading back to the shed to put the trimmer away I got hit by what I think was one of those on the back of the neck. First time ever. No stringer left behind so I know it wasn’t a bee. Hurt for a few hours.

stickguy

after getting the Ego rechargeable mower (and weed wacker) I would never go back to gas powered equipment again. Though I should go to paying the man. But right now with the drought we have been in my lawn looks more like hay so I may only need to mow once a month!

roadburner

We have an EGO push mower and leaf blower. EGO makes a 52" ZTR mower but my 2007 Cub Cadet Commercial ZTR is still in great shape.

explorerx4

@ab348,
The yellowjackets stung me but didn't leave a stinger behind.
Depending where the sting was, no discomfort after half and hour to several hours.

corvette

Since I don't have a fancy Honda mower and have the second cheapest Bolens from Lowe's, OPE maintenance for me consists of checking the oil level once a year, cleaning the air filter, and spraying in some carb cleaner. It's run with no oil changes for at least five years, although I've had to add a few ounces here and there.

xwesx

The best thing I have done for my small engines is to add a fuel shut off valve on every one of them. Honda usually comes with one installed, but not so for other (engine) brands. As long as I turn that off and allow the unit to continue running until it dies of fuel starvation before putting it away for the season, it will start up on the first or second pull at the start of the next season.

jipster

I still have my dad's Yardman self propelled lawnmower. Has to be around 20-25 years old. Still on the original belt. Oil change, spark plug, sharpen blades every so often and it's perfectly happy.

I do miss the John Deere though. It looks like work, mowing your lawn. But in reality it's just sitting down and moving a steering wheel while you sip on a cold one.

Michaell

@explorerx4 said:
@ab348,
The yellowjackets stung me but didn't leave a stinger behind.
Depending where the sting was, no discomfort after half and hour to several hours.

Yellowjackets don’t lose their stinger. They can sting you multiple times.

Ask me how I know.

stickguy

many years ago I was mowing the yard at our first house and felt a prick on my ankle, and later noticed a hard bump there. Not long after, happened again and I felt weird so went inside and I was all puffed up with hives so off to the hospital. We walked in, and they took one look at me and pulled me into the back without even asking for my insurance card (wife got to do that) and I got a couple of quick shots (benedryl and something else I think) and eventually sent home in one piece.

I still remember talking to the Dr. about it (what would happen if I got stung again) and his answer was maybe nothing if I had developed a tolerance, or I might drop dead on the spot. 30ish years later I am still around, so either the 1st option was correct, or I have managed to not get stung by whatever attacked me back then. And I know I got stung by yellow jackets when I was a kid. Might have been hornets or something like that.

venture

stickguy said:

many years ago I was mowing the yard at our first house and felt a prick on my ankle, and later noticed a hard bump there. Not long after, happened again and I felt weird so went inside and I was all puffed up with hives so off to the hospital. We walked in, and they took one look at me and pulled me into the back without even asking for my insurance card (wife got to do that) and I got a couple of quick shots (benedryl and something else I think) and eventually sent home in one piece.

I still remember talking to the Dr. about it (what would happen if I got stung again) and his answer was maybe nothing if I had developed a tolerance, or I might drop dead on the spot. 30ish years later I am still around, so either the 1st option was correct, or I have managed to not get stung by whatever attacked me back then. And I know I got stung by yellow jackets when I was a kid. Might have been hornets or something like that.

They're all jerks.

imidazol97

My Toro is a 1996. 29 years.it has the solid aluminum housing, no rust. It's owner propelled. It's my exercise during mowing season.

stickguy

my last house came with a mower (free is good!) that was self propelled. I hated that aspect of it.

corvette

stickguy said:

...I got a couple of quick shots (benedryl and something else I think) and eventually sent home in one piece.

Likely epinephrine, which is now available in Epi-Pens and other automatic injectors for people who have potentially anaphylactic allergies.

stickguy

yeah, I think that was it. Good stuff.

kyfdx

imidazol97 said:

My Toro is a 1996. 29 years.it has the solid aluminum housing, no rust. It's owner propelled. It's my exercise during mowing season.

The Honda I bought in 1991 lasted 25 years. I'm pretty sure someone else is still using it, as the dealer gave me $50 trade-in on it. I wanted a mulcher, so got a new one.

9 years on this one, by the end of the season. Self-propelled.

tjc78

I have actually never bought my own mower. At my first house the previous owner left a nice self propelled Craftsman that I used for many years. When my Stepdad passed I took his newer Craftsman and actually still have it. It's pretty beat up at this point and I've only used it a handful of times in the last five years but it always starts.

explorerx4

I still have my 1985 Lawn Boy 2 cycle which I thought I lost due to the 2008 financial crisis.
Had dropped it off for service at the power equipment place where I bought it.
Didn't hear anything about it for a while, so I started going by the place but it was always closed.
One time, I stopped by and the glass front door was kicked in.
After about a year, and after I had alrecay bought another mower, I got a call that I could come pick up it.
Brought it back home, but have never used it since then.
I did bring it with me to Ohio when we moved and it's been sitting in the corner of the garage.

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

I still have my 1985 Lawn Boy 2 cycle which I thought I lost due to the 2008 financial crisis.
Had dropped it off for service at the power equipment place where I bought it.
Didn't hear anything about it for a while, so I started going by the place but it was always closed.
One time, I stopped by and the glass front door was kicked in.
After about a year, and after I had alrecay bought another mower, I got a call that I could come pick up it.
Brought it back home, but have never used it since then.
I did bring it with me to Ohio when we moved and it's been sitting in the corner of the garage.

————————————————
I may have told this story before but since it’s a slow day in here I’ll tell it again.

When I moved to SC in the Spring of 1992 I knew I wouldn’t need my snow blower so I left it at my mother’s house with instructions for Son #1 to use it to clear my mother’s driveway when needed. Everything worked fine but for some unknown reason when he put it away after the Winter of 1996 he didn’t run it to empty the gas tank like I told him to be sure to do.

Fast forward to when we moved back to the Burgh in August of 1997. Thinking ahead i decided to start up the snow blower in October to be sure it was working. Well, it didn’t start due to sitting with gas in it. I’m about to take off the carb and start cleaning it when I decided to call a well know small engine repair place to see what they charged to get it running again. They had a price of $18.95 to do that which included a new spark plug (I had already check that so I knew that wasn’t the problem) but the price seemed fair so I dropped it off one Monday night after work and was told it would be ready the following Monday. Guess what, the place burned down on Sunday night. Like you, I could not get in touch with them. Then someone told me my home owners insurance would probably cover the loss. So, I called the agent, told him the story, and he told me to get a price for replacing it. Since it was a Craftsman I went to Sears, got a copy of the price tag from the equivalent unit that was on the floor, sent it to the agent and within a week I had a check to buy the replacement.

I still have that snow blower but with the mild winters we’ve had the last couple years I haven’t needed it. But, since I ran it dry the last time I used it I’m pretty sure it will start up just like it always has when I put it away properly at the end of snow seasons.

jmonroe

kyfdx

xwesx said:

The best thing I have done for my small engines is to add a fuel shut off valve on every one of them. Honda usually comes with one installed, but not so for other (engine) brands. As long as I turn that off and allow the unit to continue running until it dies of fuel starvation before putting it away for the season, it will start up on the first or second pull at the start of the next season.

This is a good idea. My Honda has the shut off valve.

suydam

Why I love living in a condo. No lawn mowing, mower or maintenance. Plus I am really allergic to bees and wasp stings. Happy to pay the HOA fees that provide garden maintenance.

venture

jmonroe1 said:

explorerx4 said:

I still have my 1985 Lawn Boy 2 cycle which I thought I lost due to the 2008 financial crisis.
Had dropped it off for service at the power equipment place where I bought it.
Didn't hear anything about it for a while, so I started going by the place but it was always closed.
One time, I stopped by and the glass front door was kicked in.
After about a year, and after I had alrecay bought another mower, I got a call that I could come pick up it.
Brought it back home, but have never used it since then.
I did bring it with me to Ohio when we moved and it's been sitting in the corner of the garage.

————————————————
I dropped it off one Monday night after work and was told it would be ready the following Monday. Guess what, the place burned down on Sunday night.

jmonroe

I don't know why, but that made me laugh until I had tears coming out of my eyes.

oldfarmer50

jmonroe1 said:

explorerx4 said:

I still have my 1985 Lawn Boy 2 cycle which I thought I lost due to the 2008 financial crisis.
Had dropped it off for service at the power equipment place where I bought it.
Didn't hear anything about it for a while, so I started going by the place but it was always closed.
One time, I stopped by and the glass front door was kicked in.
After about a year, and after I had alrecay bought another mower, I got a call that I could come pick up it.
Brought it back home, but have never used it since then.
I did bring it with me to Ohio when we moved and it's been sitting in the corner of the garage.

————————————————
I may have told this story before but since it’s a slow day in here I’ll tell it again.

When I moved to SC in the Spring of 1992 I knew I wouldn’t need my snow blower so I left it at my mother’s house with instructions for Son #1 to use it to clear my mother’s driveway when needed. Everything worked fine but for some unknown reason when he put it away after the Winter of 1996 he didn’t run it to empty the gas tank like I told him to be sure to do.

Fast forward to when we moved back to the Burgh in August of 1997. Thinking ahead i decided to start up the snow blower in October to be sure it was working. Well, it didn’t start due to sitting with gas in it. I’m about to take off the carb and start cleaning it when I decided to call a well know small engine repair place to see what they charged to get it running again. They had a price of $18.95 to do that which included a new spark plug (I had already check that so I knew that wasn’t the problem) but the price seemed fair so I dropped it off one Monday night after work and was told it would be ready the following Monday. Guess what, the place burned down on Sunday night. Like you, I could not get in touch with them. Then someone told me my home owners insurance would probably cover the loss. So, I called the agent, told him the story, and he told me to get a price for replacing it. Since it was a Craftsman I went to Sears, got a copy of the price tag from the equivalent unit that was on the floor, sent it to the agent and within a week I had a check to buy the replacement.

I still have that snow blower but with the mild winters we’ve had the last couple years I haven’t needed it. But, since I ran it dry the last time I used it I’m pretty sure it will start up just like it always has when I put it away properly at the end of snow seasons.

jmonroe

The owner probably saw all the work he would have to do on your hooptie lawn mower for $18.95 and torched it himself to avoid bankruptcy.

corvette

I will say, at the beer festival I attended last weekend, one of the participants had the larger 18" EGO POWER+ misting fan, and it was amazing out in the summer heat. We stood in front of it several times. I'd consider it for my deck, but it's about $300 with no batteries or charger and I doubt I'd use it that much.

jmonroe1

venture said:

jmonroe1 said:

explorerx4 said:

I still have my 1985 Lawn Boy 2 cycle which I thought I lost due to the 2008 financial crisis.
Had dropped it off for service at the power equipment place where I bought it.
Didn't hear anything about it for a while, so I started going by the place but it was always closed.
One time, I stopped by and the glass front door was kicked in.
After about a year, and after I had alrecay bought another mower, I got a call that I could come pick up it.
Brought it back home, but have never used it since then.
I did bring it with me to Ohio when we moved and it's been sitting in the corner of the garage.

————————————————
I dropped it off one Monday night after work and was told it would be ready the following Monday. Guess what, the place burned down on Sunday night.

jmonroe

I don't know why, but that made me laugh until I had tears coming out of my eyes.

————————————————
Why? Because you’re sadistic.

jmonroe

fintail

stickguy said:

after getting the Ego rechargeable mower (and weed wacker) I would never go back to gas powered equipment again. Though I should go to paying the man. But right now with the drought we have been in my lawn looks more like hay so I may only need to mow once a month!

I am the same way. Still pleased with my electric mower and weedeater (and some other tools in the same ecosystem) 4 seasons later. Albeit I do not have acres of grass to cut, but for my use, the convenience alone is nice.

My brother has a small landscaping business, and when Honda announced it was going stop making mowers, he bought 4 or 5 of them.

explorerx4

Earlier this month, I joined the local Mustang/Ford club.
They are having a members only picnic on Saturday.
We have one of the grandkids and the granddog that day.
I asked if it is ok to bring the dog.
Afterall, it's not the local Subaru club meeting.

qbrozen

@explorerx4 said:
Afterall, it's not the local Subaru club meeting.

Subaru crowd would never have that many mullets.

explorerx4

@qbrozen,
You need to have hair for a mullet.
There were maybe 30 cars there but a good variety.
Another guy who joined last month like I did, asked me a lot of questions about my car.
He even brought his laptop to show pictures of the 83 GT convertible with 3100 miles on it he just bought.

stickguy

Some nice looking Mustangs. And one imposter.

laurasdada

Saw both an original (red) Fiat 124 convertible and a "current" Fiata 124 (Abarth, white/black stripes). Both were running!

explorerx4

Brought my fuzzy armrest accessory to the carshow on Saturday.

jmonroe1

explorerx4 said:

Brought my fuzzy armrest accessory to the carshow on Saturday.

————————————————
Nice pic. It looks like the rear view dash cam option came in handy.

jmonroe

corvette

My laundry saga continues... Went to do laundry last Friday and my ten year old Samsung dryer, which had been mechanically flawless, refused to turn on and the light inside didn't work. Checked breaker and voltage at the outlet, which were both fine. Tried to reset the electronics, but that didn't work. It is likely a bad control board, which is $250+. I went to the appliance store this morning and bought a matching Speed Queen dryer, which is supposed to be delivered Thursday.

explorerx4

oldfarmer50,
My wife took that picture with her phone.

tjc78

@explorerx4
Glad to see the Stang tearing up the streets!

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

oldfarmer50,
My wife took that picture with her phone.

That’s a very cute picture but why are you telling me?

laurasdada

GE Profile DW (Covid era) is, again, not washing dishes; no water is being pumped into the appliance (it is draining properly). I did some troubleshooting, water is flowing from lines to the dishwasher intake line but it appears that whatever pump is supposed to pump the water ain't doing its job.

Sliced up my right hand a bit, apparently GE booby traps the undercarriage with razor blades as was confirmed by the repair dude who will be coming on Monday. Spent over an hour simply trying to screw the intake line (brass fitting) back into the valve (plastic), for whatever reason just couldn't do it. As I was low on blood, decided to just let the guy figure it out.

Debated replacing it, but the likely candidates (Kitchen Aid, Bosch) would be over $1100 installed (this coming weekend is tax free in MA, items under $2500). So, one last attempt to revive the GE, but next issue, adios.

And, yes, I have to be in court at 0800 tomorrow. Lovely.

explorerx4

@oldfarmer50,
Sorry, meant jmonroe1.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

@oldfarmer50,
Sorry, meant jmonroe1.

No problem, I’m honored to be confused with the great and powerful jmonroe.😂😂

explorerx4

You guys are on the same high pedestal as far as I'm concerned.

oldfarmer50

laurasdada said:

GE Profile DW (Covid era) is, again, not washing dishes; no water is being pumped into the appliance (it is draining properly). I did some troubleshooting, water is flowing from lines to the dishwasher intake line but it appears that whatever pump is supposed to pump the water ain't doing its job.

Sliced up my right hand a bit, apparently GE booby traps the undercarriage with razor blades as was confirmed by the repair dude who will be coming on Monday. Spent over an hour simply trying to screw the intake line (brass fitting) back into the valve (plastic), for whatever reason just couldn't do it. As I was low on blood, decided to just let the guy figure it out.

Debated replacing it, but the likely candidates (Kitchen Aid, Bosch) would be over $1100 installed (this coming weekend is tax free in MA, items under $2500). So, one last attempt to revive the GE, but next issue, adios.

And, yes, I have to be in court at 0800 tomorrow. Lovely.

Speaking of GE appliances, what does it cost to have a technician make a house call. I have a GE electric range that is having problems with the two front double heating elements. On one the small center burner stays on high no matter what the setting and the other small center burner doesn’t work at all.

I think it’s something with the relay that turns the heat on and off depending on the setting. I’ve heard that it’s usually cheaper to just replace the range rather than fiddle with circuit boards and relays. I can replace it for about $600.

kyfdx

I'll guess $150-$250 minimum for service call.