Re: [Amc-list] Old Gas, Kinda OT

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

If it needs almost a complete rebuild and is a standard 3-7 hp single cylinder mower, he's right. you can go to Lowe's or Wal-Mart and buy a complete 18-22" mower for $150 (Lowe's 22" 5 hp, Item # 183617, $139.98). With labor prices what they are, it would cost $150 to overhaul the engine. If I had to take it apart far enough to put rings in I'd overhaul it or not do the work. Too much liability for me not to -- could be that the rest is about worn out and it runs for six months (or six years). If it's a short time and you tell people I recently fixed it that doesn't look good for me! Plus you're only talking a few bucks for only a few additional parts for a complete overhaul vs. a re-ring. There's about the same amount of work. Used to be that it was worth a simple re-ring, but with prices of mas produced/bulk buy items it's not any more. I bet it's only $50 in parts to rebuild the mower with the stock piston and leaving the bore alone. You can't even buy a Chinese B&S copy 
 5-6 hp engine for under $150! Harbor Freight has them (but that's for a slightly higher priced horizontal shaft engine). 

Car engines are the same way -- not much point in re-ringing if you plan on keeping one a long time. Only a little more labor and parts cost for a complete overhaul. Doing the work yourself saves a lot, but I still don't think a re-ring is worth it unless it's an engine that was overhauled and sat up a long time shortly after -- and you KNOW it was overhauled right. 


--------------
Date: Mon, 5 May 2008 17:38:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: JOE FULTON <piper_pa20@xxxxxxxxxxx>

What disappoints me is that I told the guy at the counter
(at the shop) that it had no compression and that I
suspected a stuck valve or possibly stuck rings.
Without even looking at the lawn mower he said "with
no compression it may not be worth fixing". 

NOT.  I don't need that kind of attitude from the
shop.  That mower is only two years old.

-- 
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
(free download available!)


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