Had a day off on Tuesday as the plasterer was working at home. Took the opportunity to have a go at my petrol Flymo (engine content). Simple job I thought, just a carb clean out needed. A job I have done before quite a few times. It's also a good opportunity to clear out all the bits of grass etc that collect where they shouldn't. The carb clean went OK till I came to replace it. I must have finished the job 4 or 5 times. Each time, there was another bit left over that I should have put back. The final straw was when the throttle governor spring broke. I had already dropped it in the grass once and considered myself lucky to have found it. This time there was no chance of repairing it. Every time I bent a new end, it snapped again. A new one was ordered and should be here today. Then I noticed that the engine was loose. The mounting bolts are above the fan so that and the blade had to come off. No matter how I tried, the centre bolt would not shift. After over an hour trying, I finally had to resort to the cutting gas to take the head off. Once that was done, the rest screwed out by hand. Tightened the engine bolts OK and ordered a new blade bolt yesterday. Wondering why the old bolt was so tight, I remembered an incident about 2 years ago when the blade hit something and stalled the engine in about 1/2 a rev (literally). That must have given the bolt an almighty tweak. It's a very fine thread on those as well. What did it hit? Well I was very glad I was wearing steel toe caps that day. Should have the thing working tonight then the lawn can get cut again.
John