tybeegb Posted March 20, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 20, 2017 Yard looked like crap. Leaves and small sticks everywhere. Haven't cranked any yard equipment up since October when I had to get them running after the hurricane flooded the workshop. First up, the weed trimmer. It wasn't under water, but those always cause problems after long layups. First pull it cranks up. Won't stay running long but that's okay. After three times shutting off it purrs like a kitten and I start trimming. For two minutes. Apparently I was at the end of the string when I last used it, so after installing another length of string it worked very well. Did I mention I hate trimming? Second up, the riding mower. It gave me the most trouble from the flooding, but I had used it in October after I got it running to help clean up the yard debris. Hopped on it and turned the key, nada. Enough power to light up the display, but that was it. Checked the battery. 6.7 volts. Had to jump it off the boat battery. Left it running every time I had to empty the bags. The second to last time when I set the brake it quit running. Hmmm. Light says Parking Brake. It's on. Nothing. Check the battery. 12.7 volts. Then I remembered. When I was troubleshooting the mower in October I had to pull the micro-switch for the break pedal to check it. When I did I messed up the mounting clip, so it wasn't seated all that well. Sure enough it was loose. But, I had ordered all three micro-switches in October since they had been submerged, so I had a brand new one. Installed it and finished cutting the yard with that mower. I have to use the smaller mowers for another part of the yard. So... Third up, self-propelled walk behind mower. Pulled and pulled. It cranked up and ran about 5 seconds and quit. Did that five times. Hmmm. Fourth up, push mower. Pumped the bulb. Two pulls and same thing as the other mower. Pulled the air filter off, sprayed some carb cleaner in it. One pull, up and running like a top. Went back to the other walk behind. Pulled the air filter off of it and gave it a healthy dose of carb cleaner. Two pulls and it cranks up and runs like a top. I leave it running while I use the other mower to finish the last part of the yard. Came back and it's still chugging away. So the mowers are good. The only thing left is the pressure washer, and I will be getting to it when I get into cleaning the deck and columns on the house. I'm sure it will work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrentonMakes Posted March 20, 2017 Share #2 Posted March 20, 2017 I don't look forward to trying to get the string trimmer started this year. It wasn't running well as of last fall. I disassembled and cleaned the carb last year, and that helped but not for long. If that needs to be done again I'm going to have a hard time getting motivated for that. Unfortunately I really really like those straight lines between the grass and the sidewalk..... I always shut down the mower by closing the fuel shutoff, so the carb stays empty and I should be able to get it started pretty easy. String trimmers should have a similar shutoff. Our yard looks like hell too - underneath the snow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 20, 2017 Share #3 Posted March 20, 2017 11 minutes ago, TrentonStrong said: I don't look forward to trying to get the string trimmer started this year. It wasn't running well as of last fall. I disassembled and cleaned the carb last year, and that helped but not for long. If that needs to be done again I'm going to have a hard time getting motivated for that. Unfortunately I really really like those straight lines between the grass and the sidewalk..... I always shut down the mower by closing the fuel shutoff, so the carb stays empty and I should be able to get it started pretty easy. String trimmers should have a similar shutoff. Our yard looks like hell too - underneath the snow. I always found the string trimmers would carbon up the muffler and run like crap or quit running. I found several ways to clean them but decided I wasn't going to string trim anymore. We didn't have string trimmers when I was growing up and it wasn't a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tybeegb Posted March 20, 2017 Author Share #4 Posted March 20, 2017 59 minutes ago, Longjohn said: I always found the string trimmers would carbon up the muffler and run like crap or quit running. I found several ways to clean them but decided I wasn't going to string trim anymore. We didn't have string trimmers when I was growing up and it wasn't a problem. We didn't have string trimmers when I was growing up either. It was a hatchet, hunting knife, and shovel, and 250 feet of sidewalk, driveway and road to trim. THAT'S why I hate trimming. Add in the occasional fire ant mound and you have my hell for a day when I was young. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longjohn ★ Posted March 20, 2017 Share #5 Posted March 20, 2017 9 minutes ago, tybeegb said: We didn't have string trimmers when I was growing up either. It was a hatchet, hunting knife, and shovel, and 250 feet of sidewalk, driveway and road to trim. THAT'S why I hate trimming. Add in the occasional fire ant mound and you have my hell for a day when I was young. But thinking back about how nice it looked aren't you glad you did it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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