I got a supposedly simple job. Deck throwing belts. not charging, and RR flat. Well found moving idler arm completely worn out, a three inch thorn in the tire, and bad regulator. Okay got those repaired.
Found that the mower needed a drive belt and hydro fan.
Then the engine only run on full choke. Found carburetor very dirty and wrong jets. Well that got the engine running well even the deck engaged.
Then I was going to fix the #2 rocker cover leak. Pulled the cover to only find both push rods off. Exhaust belt and intake broken in half. Apparently the engine was ran too lean for a long time. Carb jet were supposed to be 1.18 and 1.22 but they were 1.11 and 1.14. Now it is pull oil pan find the other half of the intake push rod and replace the #2 cylinder head. Then it pull the hydro to put on a new 10 blade in place of the one with three blades.
Boy I hate working on something that a DIYer has royally screwed up. A simple $200 job is now nearly $1000. And I probably get stuck with the mower.