"Steveo" wrote in message
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"Srgnt Billko" wrote:
"Steveo" wrote in message
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"Srgnt Billko" wrote:
The old 8HP Wards snowblower is up and running. Tank was empty, so
always the optimist, I just made sure it had oil, poured gas in,
choked it and and pulled the recoil a few times. No attempt to fire
so I was starting to take the cover off the carbuerator intake for
starter fluid when I realized this old bugger has an on/off toggle
switch. Flipped the switch but figured I had fouled the plug by this
time so I dug down in my stash and came up with a brand new J19LM.
Put that sucker in and a few pulls later - a puff of smoke and
put-put-put - all systems are go. Well not really "all". Very stiff
shifting so I will pull the cover off the lower end and clean off /
lube the shaft so the drive wheel slides easy. The chute was stiff
also but I doused that with oil and that freed up quickly.

So it looks like I can count on #3 for another year.

Ever give any of these relics an oil change, or you don't wanna spoil
them?


Oh no - I do - usually after I get them running once - probably before I
run it again. I buy oil by the case - usually have a case of 30W, a
case of 10-30, a case of 10-40 - a little 5-30, some 20-50 & God knows
what else. I have a lot of brush, downed limbs, & old boards to burn so I
use some of the old oil to help start fires. Don't ask me what weight I
use in each machine because different "experts" have told me to use
different weights and my mind changes on a regular basis. As you know,
the price of oil has gone up but I find reasonably good oil for $1.50 per
quart yet. The last bunch I bought was actually from Rite-Aid chuckle

Sounds like a plan. I'm just trying to picture you dragging these machines
out of the weeds, dumping some fuel in them, and firing them up. I'm sure
they're not as un-protected and stuck in the muck as you let on, right?

This one really was in high weeds and briars - our Dalmation couldn't even
follow me in. It had a small half-rotton tarp partially covering it. I
had to drag it about 10' through weeds and then up on a landscape trailer.
Bertha (the big 300) was up in the woods totally unprotected. The property
is basically clay and slopes about 900' up away from the road so a lot of
water comes down off the hill. The garden area was so muddy a few springs
ago that my lady stepped in it and sunk up to her knees - scared the hell
out of her. I keep digging draining ditches.


I get a kick out of your recovery tales anyway. Ever get started on that
garage?

Finally just got a reasonable offer for insurance so I can proceed now. But
I might start with a 15 by 20 carport to shelter some of this equipment
better.