The Snow Has Finally Gone !!

[Skywatcher]

Greetings All

How have you all wintered? We've had more snow here than I think I've ever seen since moving to this country in 1981. The last of the snow has finally melted from our yard. It took a week of +24ºC (75ºF) and a high of today of +28ºC (82ºF) before the last few pockets of resistance melted and the grass is already turning green. There's still a sizeable drift on the north side of the north shelter belt, but that's in the farmer's field so doesn't concern me.

I imagine I'll be getting a whole bunch of panicked phone calls this coming week from people who's lawn mower won't start. Oh the joys of ethanol blended fuel. Take care all and have a great spring,

Sky

[KE4AVB]

I have been at it since early February getting mowers repaired. I just got in a JD X300 (actually done went thought it) that would not start. No intake vacuum. I found that all 4 push rods were dislocated with two of them bent and both exhaust valve rocker arms positioning pins broken off. At least the broken pieces were still in the valve covers. Two new heads are in order along with the other parts. The engine only a cup in it but I thinking someone just drained the engine as I found oil dripping out the muffler so I thinking it was a leaking carburetor float valve. I did a complete tear down just in case it was ran without oil and I found no signs of damage. The engine does have over 300 hrs on it.

As for the weather it been a rainy and stormy Spring here. Just barely making it to 70's. The crazy weather did manage to take out my fruit crop this year. I was looking at my plum tress earlier I only found one plum that made it.

I finally going to get a chance to cut my 6 acres today but still need to avoid those wet areas. Just too soft to mow there. Actually the water table is so high that my pool is back filling as I was trying to drain it to find the hole in the liner. Currently it is half full.

At least I upgraded a 42" Yard Machines mower with a 21hp engine. It had a small 16.5 hp on it that was a gutless wonder that would get overloaded easily cutting grass. No problems cutting the 21 hp except for the small fuel tank keeps getting empty for some reason. You probably know MTDs riders don't have much a tank on some them; about a gallon or so.

[Luffydog]

Rain here has been bad this year this is the first weekend since Jan. That it hasn't rain or snowed. We had over 6inches in just in one day. Been slow here in these parts for over a month now. With nice weather coming this week all prob break loose. Kinda needs to really because it's been a slow start here this year and hasn't really picked up yet. With only three mowers in the shop that came in yesterday for all service jobs won't last all week but it's a start for next month.