# What do you guys think of my new mower? :) (pics!)



## MinConst (Nov 23, 2004)

Change the oil, spark plug, tighten all the bolts, and clean it up. Sharpen the blade and mow your face off. :thumbsup:


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

MinConst said:


> Change the oil, spark plug, tighten all the bolts, and clean it up. Sharpen the blade and mow your face off. :thumbsup:


Will do! Do you think it'll be feasible to find a clip catcher bag for that? it seems it accomodates one...

(and about sharpening the blades, what's the procedure for that? I sharpen knives and axes w/o problems, same deal?)


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

Well, I took it all apart today to clean / adjust / maintenance the thing.

It actually had a front wheel drive mechanism, but it wasn't hooked up, so there was just a big axle in the front that did nothing but add weight and increase friction/resistance at the front wheels. So I removed that (real pita!!!), swapped the plug (is there a way to clean the plug's receptacle? Not where I put the plug, but the spark plug wire that connects to it?), and just did a general cleaning / tightening of the whole unit.

Now I just need to swap the oil out (but have no idea what kind I need...) and find a bag for clippings! My lawn is overgrowing and there's too many weeds to mow it with this thing (the mulcher would just infest the lawn worse!). Gonna have to find out if sears (it's a craftsman mower) stocks bags for this thing...


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## MinConst (Nov 23, 2004)

You can clean the plug wire connector with liquid wrench (yellow can) and a small parts brush. Excellent contact cleaner. Just ask at the auto store what oil to use or at sears. They will know.
I hate those bags. They fill up quick. Once the yard is weed free just mulch it.


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

MinConst said:


> You can clean the plug wire connector with liquid wrench (yellow can) and a small parts brush. Excellent contact cleaner. Just ask at the auto store what oil to use or at sears. They will know.
> I hate those bags. They fill up quick. Once the yard is weed free just mulch it.


Good stuff! Thanks for the advice!!

Yeah I'd much prefer to mulch it, and those bags will fill up fast (my lawn is *tall* - been spending too much time determining a mower and ended up getting one handed to me lol!). But the lawn is like 1/3 weeds (there's grass there, the weeds are just growing quicker), and mulching that will prolly make it 2/3 weeds! 

I wonder how universal those bags are, I need to mow this lawn asap, I'm gonna try my neighbor's bag for a fit (maybe just borrow his mower for a day since it's got a bag...)


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## NateHanson (Apr 15, 2007)

Just rake up the clippings the first time, instead of buying an expensive bag you'll use once. Then mulch after that. It's better.


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

too late, got the bag this morning! I called a few of the mower repair/used mower shops in the area, one had a bag for $20 (used), so I just grabbed that! It'll come in handy at other times I'm sure, if I ever have the weed problem again, or if I let the lawn get too tall that it'd be too much mulch (you don't want to mulch if it's too long right?)


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## curls00 (Jul 12, 2007)

joeyboy said:


> too late, got the bag this morning! I called a few of the mower repair/used mower shops in the area, one had a bag for $20 (used), so I just grabbed that! It'll come in handy at other times I'm sure, if I ever have the weed problem again, or if I let the lawn get too tall that it'd be too much mulch (you don't want to mulch if it's too long right?)


Correct - don't mulch when TOO long or you can smother the grass, and cause too much thatch to build up.


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## wbhinton (Sep 17, 2007)

I just rebuilt a 22" murray with a 4hp briggs. I used some 15w40 that I put in my diesel truck. That little mower purrs like a kitten.

I like the diesel oil because it has more detergents and is less likely to burn.


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

is that all i'd need to know about the oil? I'm sure I can figure out how to change it out, but when buying it just get 15w40? What's the difference?

(naturally, I was at home depot, saw there were options, and just figured I'd come ask here what to get lol!)


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## wbhinton (Sep 17, 2007)

I use a fleet oil from Tractor Supply Co. Got to an autoparts store and get some Rotella T or Delo or some other (store brand) Diesel oil. 

It will say for diesel engines on it.

If you don't wanna do that any old 10w30, or 15w30 or 15w40 should work.

I typically like the thicker oil in these little air cooled engines. I think it lasts longer.

WB


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

should oil be changed based on time, usage, or both?


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## wbhinton (Sep 17, 2007)

Once per season 

Change:
oil 
airfilter
spark plug
clean carb

To do all of this it should cost about $10

Check:
blade (if the blade is pulling some grass vs cutting it, time to sharpen or change) $10-$20 new
pull cord
wheels 

If everything is sound and in working order your ok

You should do all of these since you got this mower with unkown history


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

What's the carb?


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## wbhinton (Sep 17, 2007)

the carb sits just below the air filter. it mixes the air and fuel. when you got the filter off just squirt some carb cleaner in it or mix in some STP or other fuel additive with you gas so you wont have to clean it as often.


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

Okay I'm confused as hell, is my mower missing a filter or is it something I'm missing here? I just took it apart trying to find the filter and don't see what it could be, unless it's the thing I'm holding in the first picture (second pic is a head on shot of the mower's left side, third is a head on shot of the mower's right side)


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## wbhinton (Sep 17, 2007)

What you are holdin is the muffler....

go to lowes or homedepot and get a small engines book... it'll save some headache or go to howstuffworks.com and search 4 cycle engines


in the third pic there is a plastic cover with a bolt/screw in the side. This cover is on the far left of the picture (opposite the muffler). pull that plastic cover off and you should see a foam filter. Replace it. Squirt carb cleaner in intake of the card (behind the foam)


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

found it, and damn does it seem it was put inside backwards!!!!!! Cool thanks for the tips guys.

I'm pretty close to making this thing solid:
- found a bag for it ($20)
- new spark plug ($7)
- new oil ($3 maybe?) <<the old oil was as black/thick as night!>>
- ripped out the wheel drive mechanism/axle
- tightened everything possible and replaced any missing screws


Now I've just gotta swap that air filter and do that carb spray stuff, and it should be golden!!!!! After the filter/spray stuff I'm prolly like $40 in the hole for a mower that's almost the same one I was gonna buy for $160 - isn't it cool when helping people ends up helping you? (the guy's kids wanted a basketball hoop and I knew a couple towns over there was a landlord who moved and seemed to have abandoned it, so I got his permission, took one of this guy's kids with me, broke it down, brought it back and fixed it up, and then dude brings me a mower!!! SWEET!)


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## wbhinton (Sep 17, 2007)

Have ya got her runnin?


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## joeyboy (Apr 10, 2007)

Oh yeah! It runs great, I love the thing. I'm very glad I removed the wheel drive mechanism, my lawn just isn't big enough to need it and it makes all the tight spots so much easier!

And I put in the new filter and sprayed carb cleaner - only thing I didn't do was spray it into the carb while runnning (label said to, for some reason since it was recommended, and that stuff is flammable, I didn't wanna spray it if I was reading wrong and blow myself up lol!). Also didn't clean the filter's pre filter piece (the one that stays in the filter slot when you swap filters) because I dunno how... 

But either way, the thing ran well enough, and that was with a disgusting spark plug, sludgy black oil, a disgusting air filter, and loose everything. Oh and no bag. Now it's all good!! Just gotta raise the wheels up a little, kinda mowed too low (figured last time it was long, so I dropped it 2 settings which was too low!)


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