What did you do today?

[Floorist]

The spark plug wire is part of the coil. The coil checks out good on an ohmmeter but getting no fire to the plug. Need to find something to clean the corrosion out of the plug boot. Any ideas, Highup? (2nd mower)

 

[highup]

Had no spark on my $5 pressure washer score last summer. I read that they need a lot of RPM to make the spark happen. I was not able to spin it fast enough by hand. I read that the coil assemblies rarely fail.
My problem was the carburetor . Holes on the jet, the diameter of a wire brush wire were plugged up. They weren't even visible.
Had to find the correct carb model exploded diagram, then looked closely at the actual photos from a parts website.

 

[highup]

Corrosion inside the boot might not be a huge deal as it doesn't take much metal contact to allow the flow of current. Maybe a pencil with a wrap of 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper on it.

 

[zannej]

Hmmmm. I used some super glue yesterday and wiped the end of the nozzle off with a rag cut from some old jeans. The little glob on the fabric hardened up almost instantly. It seemed to feel warm. I got my infrared temperature gun out and squeezed a 1/4 inch drop of adhesive on the rag. Within 20 or 30 seconds it went from 74 degrees to 150 degrees.
...I don't get bored easily.

That stuff can be dangerous. My friend's grandfather had a small bottle of superglue in his pocket (no idea why) and it leaked out-- gave him 2nd degree burns to his leg. This was just last month.

 

[Floorist]

Corrosion inside the boot might not be a huge deal as it doesn't take much metal contact to allow the flow of current. Maybe a pencil with a wrap of 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper on it.

Pull the sparkplug and spray starting fluid inside, put the plug back and pull the rope. If it is getting fire, it will try to start and then you know it is a fuel problem.

 

[highup]

Pull the sparkplug and spray starting fluid inside, put the plug back and pull the rope. If it is getting fire, it will try to start and then you know it is a fuel problem.

After spraying the starting fluid and pulling the rope, it might just lunch motor parts into the neighbors yard. That's some powerful stuff.
I'd fill the tank and pull the rope a few times. If it has a primer ball to push do that a few times first. If the plug is dry you have a fuel problem.

One other thing when pulling the rope. Don't pull randomly. Pull gently until you feel compression. Once it's at the point of most compression, only then make a hard pull.
What brand engine and how many hp?

 

[Floorist]

Won't hurt it. I have done it dozens of times. 3.5 hp B&S.

 

[highup]

OK, if it works. I figure if there's no gas on the plug it's not getting any.
You gaining on it?

 

[Floorist]

Raining here. was working outside. Think it is a bad coil. Need to cannibalize an old parts mower.

 

[highup]

I don't recall what the gap is. I think I used doubled up recipe cards as spacers between the coil and the flywheel. A piece of paper like a dollar bill or notebook paper is about .004" and a cheap recipe card is about .0065"

 

[Floorist]

.o6 or .010 for most of them. Use a business card.

 

[zannej]

My friend called last night because his grandfather was having some medical issue but refused to go to the hospital. He was worried sick about him so my brother and I went over. He'd asked if we had a blood sugar meter. My brother showed him how to use it & the grandfather's blood sugar was fine-- but his blood pressure had spiked. I think the old man is starting to get dementia, but my friend doesn't want to even think about that. The old guy had been shouting & couldn't remember my friend's name. He's been asking the same questions over and over lately. I've seen this before with other elderly friends. I hope it was just confusion from the blood pressure & not dementia though.

Speaking of my friend & his grandfather, we're trying to figure out how to put a small ramp in the doorway to the living room. It used to be the garage so there is about a 4-inch step down & his grandfather uses a walker. He has trouble with that step though. Eventually he might need a scooter or something, so we are trying to figure out the best way to add a little ramp.
The higher floor is vinyl plank, the other stuff is laminate. Not sure what material the transition strip/edge piece is, but it sticks up at least 1/4" (I haven't actually measured)

My friend thinks it's about a 34" doorway, but we haven't measured. I'm thinking the ramp should be at least 40" wide so that the wheels for the walker won't slip off to the side as he's going through the door. I wish the transition/end strip was flush with the vinyl plank, but I don't know if that would be a big deal or not in the long run.

I was supposed to go to the big box stores today to find a new handle for the hot water in the shower, but my mother insisted she had to go with me-- of course she stayed up late & was not feeling well today so she said we will go tomorrow. Last time that happened, she kept saying "tomorrow" for two weeks. So, we'll see if she actually goes tomorrow. I was hoping to go by myself to make the trip faster. She's going to gripe about the lack of riding carts (or the riding carts sucking) & she's going to slow me down in the store & then question every option I come up with & drive me crazy. Then she'll probably spend 2 hours in Samsclub. LOL.

 

[highup]

Just grabbed 6 business cards
.0085
.00115
.00135
.00135
.0015
.00165
Don't use the thick stiff ones with photo quality graphics.
A recipe card plus a strip of notebook paper shows .0010
4 strips of notebook paper shows .0015

 

[Floorist]

http://outdoorpowerinfo.com/engine_specs/briggs_fly_gap.asp

 

[highup]

I saved that one. Thanks.
Last year when I worked on my pressure washer and a generator, I was super impressed with Brigs site as far as useful info.
https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/manuals.html

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/faqs.html

https://www.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/support/faqs/browse/carburetor-rebuild.html

 

[Floorist]

Showing my age?

I can still remember a time when I knew more than my phone

 

[Nick]

Played Golf today .. Mistake .. Cart paths only .. Clocked 5 1/2 miles walking ..

 

[zannej]

I remember a time when I had to turn a dial and the dial would start spinning back & catch my fingers. Hated those things. Although, I loved my Garfield phone. And the little phone made of clear plastic so you could see all the wires inside. Those were cool.

What wasn't cool was the weather today. WTForecast said it was hotter than a redneck's ass on chili night. Actual temperature was 99 degrees & I don't even want to know what the heat index was. I nearly passed out walking from the truck to the store and back.

I took my mother to HomeDepot, Lowes, Samsclub, and Walmart. Got a new hot water knob for the showertub at one, got a pack of work gloves at another. Got frozen chicken & stuff at Sams, & picked up her prescriptions at Walmart. Got home, cooled off with an "Otter Pop", and went to install the new knob. None of the included spuds fit over the splines on the stem so I had to use the metal adapter with 3 tiny screws that tightened with an allen wrench. Got the spud secured & made sure it gripped & turned the stem. Turned the stem as far as it would go-- water dripped a tiny bit but would not come on. I'm not sure what to do now. I need to figure out how to fix it because I need a shower. I'm just hoping I won't have to open up the damn wall to access it. If it didn't take so long for the shower I want to use as a replacement to arrive (over a month) & I didn't have to replace the whole damn floor as well, I'd just tear that fugly avocado green fiberglass p.o.s. out & put in the new one.

I really don't want to have to call the plumber out because was such a jerk the last time he came out.

I'm sure the people in Puerto Rico have it worse, but ugh!!

 

[Nick]

Call a different Plumber !!

 

[Polestretch]

Hung up the kicker after 35 years and got a real job.