My normal protocol is to replace the spark plugs, change the oil and filter, grease all the fittings with high temperature grease, sharpen the blades, change the in-line gas filter, clean and/or replace the air filter and pre-cleaner as needed and check tire pressure.

JACKING UP THE LAWN TRACTOR

I have used my deer hanging tree nick named Tom Dooley to raise the front of the lawn tractor to easily access the blades, however this year I had a 3 ton low profile jack and it lifted the lawn tractor without any problem.  I scotched the back wheels to keep the lawn tractor from moving forward or backward.

REMOVING THE BLADES

Also, last year or earlier, I purchased a DeWalt 1/4 inch drive impact driver drill and it easily removed the 15/16 hex head nut on the blade spindles.

There was just enough vertical clearance to use the DeWalt tool and still had some available lift from the floor jack if needed..

SHARPENING THE BLADES

CHANGING THE SPARK PLUGS

After the blades were put back on, I changed out the spark plugs and the left plug had more fowling than the right plug on the grass chute side.  The gap on the spark plugs were factory set at .032 thousands of an inch which is ok.

The engine got a got air pressure blowing after changing the oil and filter.

CHANGED OIL AND FILTER

I lowered the lawn tractor, removed the scotches and drove to the rear of our home, (shop area) and changed the oil and filter.

After replacing the oil and filter, checking the tire pressure, I gave the lawn tractor a good air cleaning with about 90 lbs. of air pressure.  I had earlier blew some leaves out of the yard and onto the hillside adjacent our lower dirt/gravel driveway and the lawn tractor had plenty of leaves on the deck, etc.

The lawn tractor has 200 hours of usage on it and replaced about the entire deck components last year.  In my humble opinion, John Deere is definitely not the products they were many decades ago.  I know they make a cheaper line of lawn tractors they sell through Lowe's and other retail outlets, but this model is not one of them.  I am still not impressed with the durability of John Deere's lawn tractors.

A friend of mine (now deceased) changed his deck belt on his John Deere zero turn lawn tractor about every year, which doesn't speak reliability and durability to me!

TROY BILT TILLER MAINTENANCE

On 03-06-2023, I changed the oil and spark plug in the tiller.  The air filter was still good.

The other side of the engine block has easier access to the drain plug and the oil fill plug.

The spark plug was changed and did show some fowling.  That was my last Champion RJ19LM plug and need to pick a couple spares up from Wal-Mart.  The antiquated tiller fired up without any trouble and let it idle some. Earlier this morning, I tilled the tomato patch again.

CRAFTSMAN 4200 WATT GENERATOR

I am steadily working my way through the small engines annual maintenance; changed the oil, oil filter, air filter screener and spark plug.  The spark plug is hard to get out with a long socket and ratchet, but made it happen.  The spark plug was in excellent condition that I removed without any fowling and will save it for an emergency usage.

I have maintenance to do on a 5000 watt Craftsman generator, leaf blower, weed trimmer and chain saw and will keep "pecking" away until they are completed.

CRAFTSMAN 5000 WATT GENERATOR

I changed the oil, spark plug and checked the air filter, of which the air filter and spark plug was ok and saved the plug for a spare..

BUICK LUCERNE

I changed the oil and oil filter in the Buick Lucerne today, 03-09-2023.

Web page created on 03-03-2023 by Bill aka Mickey Porter and updated on 03-04-2023, 03-06-2023, 03-07-2023, and 03-09-2023.

HUSQVARNA CHAINSAW CORRECTIVE MAINTENANCE

The antiquated Husqvarna model 55 chainsaw was used a couple times this year and the last time I went to fire it up, the starter pull cord assembly broke.  In 2012 I replaced the assembly with an OEM part, however this time, I went frugal and got an after market part, but it did not fit.  The seller on EBay sent me a prepaid return shipping label and refunded my entire purchase.  The part was close, but not close enough.

I found another vender on EBay and double checked the OEM part number against their part number and it was supposed to fit.  I ordered the part and it fit like a glove, whereas I installed it on 06-05-2023.

Above pix of the part that would not fit.  A couple of the alignment holes did not align with the chainsaw frame.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 06-19-2023. 

FUEL OIL FURNACE MAINTENANCE

Our fuel oil furnace the past couple years has been performing really well and didn't perform and major maintenance, but lubricated the squirrel cage fan bearings and also the drive motor for the burner.

However, I decided to do a complete routine annual maintenance on the system; e.g., changing the in-line fuel filter, complete lubrication of the squirrel cage fan blower bearings, drive motor for the burner, cleaning the CAD cell lens and cleaning and inspection of the burner gun.

Above is pix of the in-line General filter system.  I have an ole Bun-a-matic water tank used as an oil catch when removing the base unit of the General filter housing.  There is also an in-line fuel cut-off valve before the input to the General filter assembly.

I elected to use a different filter replacement for the General fuel filter. 

Pix of the old burner.

The fuel line to the "gun" assembly has been disconnected and you can see the gun with the two brass spring type connectors attached to the electrodes.

The gun above has been cleaned and soot removed from the ceramic insulators, electrodes cleaned using 600 grit paper to freshen the tips of the electrodes.  The electrode gap was still properly set and didn't need to adjust them.  The unit has been firing without any problem and no need to replace the nozzle, however most service personnel will change the nozzle as part of the maintenance, where needed or not.  There is also a filter inside the nozzle input to catch any small debris from the fuel oil line and there is also a filter in the pump.  With the in-line fuel filter from the tank, you have triple protection from debris, etc., and I am sure most of any particles will be captured before it reaches the burner assembly.

I put the gun back into the burner and connected the fuel line to the burner pump, fired the unit up and opened the bleed valve to the fuel pump and let fuel drain into a catch container and any air that was in the system will be removed.  Remember I opened the General fuel in-line filter and let the housing fill back up with fuel and there is a small vent screw on the filter housing just for that purpose also.

I fired the burner up and let it run and checked for fuel leaks and everything was good.  Cleaned up any fuel on the concrete basement floor and hopefully will be good for another heating system.  I will change the air filter to the unit also and lubricate the squirrel cage blower bearings again before it is time for the heating system to come on line.

My next project will be an oil and filter change for the car and that should do it for this year, our Lord willing of course!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 09-24-2023.

BUICK LUCERNE

I changed the oil and oil filter in the Buick Lucerne today, 10-16-2023.

Didn't take a pix; above archived.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 10-17-2023.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please take this moment to accept him by Faith into your Life, whereby Salvation will be attained.   

Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Open this link about faith in the King James Bible.