Is this a stupid idea? [modified]
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
It's an exceedingly *bad* idea. If you're handy enough to clean and gap the plug, then you're handy enough to fix the rope start, it is not a complex mechanism. I recently learned through experience that it is worth the $7 or so to get proper recoil cord instead of substituting whatever you may have on hand; the stuff is readily available from the big box home improvement stores in the U.S. (Lowes, etc.) The engine will probably fire and quite possibly run, if everything is set up properly. That puts you in a position with your hands near the turning blade with potentially as much as ~6hp driving it. It is not a safe idea. Don't try running it without the blade, either. The blade provides the mass the engine uses as a flywheel, and all sorts of unpredictable stuff will happen if the engine starts to run without it. Chances are very good that if the engine has compression and the crankshaft is not bent then you will be able to make a working proposition out of it with minimal expense. Do things safely and correctly and you'll have your health so you can enjoy mowing the lawn! :-) --Geoff
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
We need an engineer, maybe Mr. Wright, to shed some light on the EMF generated by the mower spinning the drill motor fighting it out with the EMF from the grid or battery that used to be the primary driver of the drill motor.
Semicolons: The number one seller of ostomy bags world wide. - dan neely
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
This is a wonderfully stupid idea, and is well worth investigating! If you have any fingers left at the conclusion of the project, let us know how it went. If you have a crisis of confidence, however, replace the recoil starter. Your various bits will thank you, however mutely.
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You've missed the proverbial forest because the even more proverbial trees were in the way. Getting it running implies mowing a lawn.* Why would you want to mow a lawn to begin with? Also - don't be so foolish as to water or fertilize the damn thing. All that will do is encourage growth - which, for those who mow, requires it be done more often. And doing work who's only fruits will yet more work to do is, my friend, quite insane. * Unless you like the sound of a mower, which, although preferrable to Rap and Hip-Hop, is still a taste not easily aquired.
"The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein
"How do you find out if you're unwanted if everyone you try to ask tells you to go away?" - Balboos HaGadol -
We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
I would definitely recommend holding the drill with one hand, while having your other hand resting under the mower, between the blades, for no apparent reason (make sure you leave plenty of room for the blades to get up to speed before intersecting with your fingers. Make sure you hold that drill loosely, as well, on the off-chance that it will buck wildly! Bonus points if you can manage to do all this with the drill actually managing to rest somehow between your legs. If you're feeling especially acrobatic, perhaps you should find some way to also get a very up-close and personal view of when the blades actually start moving - I mean, you do want to see exactly how they start moving, right? Definitely drink a case or two of beer before beginning to lower your reaction times, and if you have anything highly flammable at hand, you should be holding some in one (or both) of your hands. Let's see.... did I miss anything? I can't quite think of a way to also get your feet involved; maybe you'll have to do some firewalking first, or something. Just, you know, because. Do you like snakes?
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I would definitely recommend holding the drill with one hand, while having your other hand resting under the mower, between the blades, for no apparent reason (make sure you leave plenty of room for the blades to get up to speed before intersecting with your fingers. Make sure you hold that drill loosely, as well, on the off-chance that it will buck wildly! Bonus points if you can manage to do all this with the drill actually managing to rest somehow between your legs. If you're feeling especially acrobatic, perhaps you should find some way to also get a very up-close and personal view of when the blades actually start moving - I mean, you do want to see exactly how they start moving, right? Definitely drink a case or two of beer before beginning to lower your reaction times, and if you have anything highly flammable at hand, you should be holding some in one (or both) of your hands. Let's see.... did I miss anything? I can't quite think of a way to also get your feet involved; maybe you'll have to do some firewalking first, or something. Just, you know, because. Do you like snakes?
Trevortni wrote:
I can't quite think of a way to also get your feet involved;
Easy. One hand on the drill, the second playing with the blades. Clearly the feet are involved in lifting it up so that hand #2 can get underneath.
You know, every time I tried to win a bar-bet about being able to count to 1000 using my fingers I always got punched out when I reached 4.... -- El Corazon
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Trevortni wrote:
I can't quite think of a way to also get your feet involved;
Easy. One hand on the drill, the second playing with the blades. Clearly the feet are involved in lifting it up so that hand #2 can get underneath.
You know, every time I tried to win a bar-bet about being able to count to 1000 using my fingers I always got punched out when I reached 4.... -- El Corazon
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Christian Graus wrote:
I say film it, and you'll probably win funniest home videos
Which would have been worth it when Toni Perrin was hosting the show ;)
Never watched it with her as host. Bob Sagat was my fav' :D
"Silently laughing at silly people is much more satisfying in the long run than rolling around with them in a dusty street, trying to knock out all their teeth. If nothing else, it's better on the clothes." - Belgarath (David Eddings)
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NOD32 user wrote:
*The socket was a very snug fit to the drill so it couldn't easily come off regardless
Yeah thats what I was worried about. The socket set is cheap and its only the sprung loaded ball bearing holding the socket into the adapter that goes into the drill chuck.
Duct tape.
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
Compile with
/unsafeand you'll be fine. -
Ah, but then how are you able to get the drill in position on the motor while holding it between your legs?
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use the drill like a hammer to add extra joints to your limbs as needed.
You know, every time I tried to win a bar-bet about being able to count to 1000 using my fingers I always got punched out when I reached 4.... -- El Corazon
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Never watched it with her as host. Bob Sagat was my fav' :D
"Silently laughing at silly people is much more satisfying in the long run than rolling around with them in a dusty street, trying to knock out all their teeth. If nothing else, it's better on the clothes." - Belgarath (David Eddings)
Josh Gray wrote:
Which would have been worth it when Toni Perrin was hosting the show
nalorin wrote:
Never watched it with her as host. Bob Sagat was my fav' [Big Grin]
Oh dear, yet again, international forum, local reference :sigh: . Toni Perrin was (until recently) one of the hosts of the Australian edition of the show. If I was to mention Steve Vizard hosting "The Late Show" though, there'd probably be way more people out there scratching their heads :confused: (quite a few of them Aussies wondering why he bothered in the first place :laugh: ).
T-Mac-Oz
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
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Michael Martin wrote:
if you provide the beer
Cheap bastard. And who's going to stay sober to drive me to hospital?
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I hear ya. I justified buying a welder so I could repair a crack on the deck of my mower. Burning metal - now that is way cool! I can't understand how the starter recoil spring went under anything that needs a gasket. I've torn apart my share of mowers (and starters), and the starting mechanism is always bolted on externally. Regarding the payoff being $30/hour. If I'm lounging watching the telli, my cost ain't $30/hour. So if do it myself, I save $30/hour, not loose $60/hour. I wouldn't be working anyhow during that time. Good luck. Send pictures. We'll send flowers to cheer you up.
Gary
ghle wrote:
I can't understand how the starter recoil spring went under anything that needs a gasket. I've torn apart my share of mowers (and starters), and the starting mechanism is always bolted on externally.
I unbolted it last night and sure enough the starter mechanism is also the end plate of the crank case. Disconnected the cord, wound the starter up a few more turns to give the spring some more pressure, reconnected the cord and it works a charm. Just need some gasket cement to reassemble.
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It's an exceedingly *bad* idea. If you're handy enough to clean and gap the plug, then you're handy enough to fix the rope start, it is not a complex mechanism. I recently learned through experience that it is worth the $7 or so to get proper recoil cord instead of substituting whatever you may have on hand; the stuff is readily available from the big box home improvement stores in the U.S. (Lowes, etc.) The engine will probably fire and quite possibly run, if everything is set up properly. That puts you in a position with your hands near the turning blade with potentially as much as ~6hp driving it. It is not a safe idea. Don't try running it without the blade, either. The blade provides the mass the engine uses as a flywheel, and all sorts of unpredictable stuff will happen if the engine starts to run without it. Chances are very good that if the engine has compression and the crankshaft is not bent then you will be able to make a working proposition out of it with minimal expense. Do things safely and correctly and you'll have your health so you can enjoy mowing the lawn! :-) --Geoff
Geoff Gariepy wrote:
It's an exceedingly *bad* idea. If you're handy enough to clean and gap the plug, then you're handy enough to fix the rope start, it is not a complex mechanism. I recently learned through experience that it is worth the $7 or so to get proper recoil cord instead of substituting whatever you may have on hand; the stuff is readily available from the big box home improvement stores in the U.S. (Lowes, etc.) The engine will probably fire and quite possibly run, if everything is set up properly. That puts you in a position with your hands near the turning blade with potentially as much as ~6hp driving it. It is not a safe idea. Don't try running it without the blade, either. The blade provides the mass the engine uses as a flywheel, and all sorts of unpredictable stuff will happen if the engine starts to run without it. Chances are very good that if the engine has compression and the crankshaft is not bent then you will be able to make a working proposition out of it with minimal expense. Do things safely and correctly and you'll have your health so you can enjoy mowing the lawn! [Smile]
I unbolted it last night and sure enough the starter mechanism is also the end plate of the crank case. Disconnected the cord, wound the starter up a few more turns to give the spring some more pressure, reconnected the cord and it works a charm. Just need some gasket cement to reassemble.
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
Josh Gray wrote:
is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part?
Apparently not: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bvklmS3ByY[^] :zzz: Maybe you need to pep it up a bit first ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAGz4i2_Iuk[^] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omO_NlizEPU&feature=related[^]
T-Mac-Oz
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We were given an old 2 stroke lawn mower with a broken pull start. It just so happens that in my socket set is a socket that fits the nut at the end of the crank. I got out the drill, attached the socket and gingerly turned the motor over slowly with the drill. Its got compression so I cleaned the air filter & plug, set the gap & checked the fuel lines.Should I give her a bit with the drill and see if it'll start or is it likely the engine will throw the drill into my face, shin or other body part? The conclution is a bit boring as I managed to repair the starter mechanism
modified on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:20 PM
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ghle wrote:
I can't understand how the starter recoil spring went under anything that needs a gasket. I've torn apart my share of mowers (and starters), and the starting mechanism is always bolted on externally.
I unbolted it last night and sure enough the starter mechanism is also the end plate of the crank case. Disconnected the cord, wound the starter up a few more turns to give the spring some more pressure, reconnected the cord and it works a charm. Just need some gasket cement to reassemble.
Josh Gray wrote:
wound the starter up a few more turns to give the spring some more pressure
Sounds like you got it. Those extra wraps are important to tension the spring. Otherwise the starter rope will hang out a few inches after the thing fires up - which I'm sure it will (fire up, that is). BTW - concerning the drill idea. A battery powered drill maybe, but not a corded drill. I have a DeWalt that absolutely cannot be bound up. It will wrap the cord around your arm, making releasing the trigger all but impossible. You end up with damaged body parts that hurt for days. :((
Gary