It Runs So Purrty

My yard takes four and a half hours to mow with my self-propelled mower. Not any more! I decided that before another summer roles around I am going to turn at least a third of the yard or more into groundcover and wildflowers. So, I found a used tiller for sale and went to check it out. The feller was moving to North Carolina and didn't want to pack it up for the move. Problem was it wouldn't start. We'd put gas in the ventura of the carburetor and crank and it would run out the gas in the carb and then quit. It wasn't getting gas from the tank. I had talked the man down $50 on the price already but since I thought it wouldn't cost much to get it running I got him to take another $50 less and I loaded it up.

I get home and then I look in the tank...it looked like...Chernobyl or Three Mile Island...disastrous meltdown thing going on inside. I'm not a nuclear physicist so I decided to take the initiative to take the tank in to a repairman to see if it was a threat to my fellow citizens of Mossy Head, FL. So I tore down the tank which meant I had to tear down the carburetor which meant I had to disconnect all kinds of sundry links, springs, wires, etc., from the motor. The repairman took a look and said, 'boy, I ain't never seen such perdition.' I said, 'huh?' He then said, 'son, you can kiss it goodbah.' I shopped all over the internet for prices for a new tank. Cost me $58 for the tank and a set of gaskets.

But, consarnit, I went to the library, book store, Auto Zone, asked questions at the certified repair shop, and searched on the internet until I worked up the courage (four weeks later) to begin thinking about putting everything together. Now I'm modockin. What cinched it for me was finding a webpage on the internet that had pictures...of the exact same carburetor as mine. There must be hundreds of different carbs out there and I lucked upon the only pictures in the whole universe of my carb and tank... being assembled. I'm now expert enough to remind everyone that you should always take pictures with your digital camera AS you disassemble your works. Especially first-timers who don't remember over a month later what pieces went where!

Yesterday I finished putting her together, bought fresh gasoline, changed the oil, aired up the tires, and cranked. Sounded normal but wouldn't turn over. Saw the spark wire wasn't connected!!! Cranked but just a sputter. The choke wasn't engaged!!! Cranked and Papapapapapapapapapapapapa! Adjusted the idle needle valve like the manual says and Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Oh man, angelic music to my ears. I put her in gear and went tearing across my yard. I had a chest on me, hooooowheeeeeee!

I'm ready to move to the Rockies now. I'm a self-reliant man...

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