Recent content by grumpy

Looking back, the Connie was the SST of the post-war period. I should say, piston-engined SST. Sure are nice to look at.

Spasm3, I'd suggest keeping the old Vanguard setup. Age is just a state of mind, unless you have critters that like to eat insulation and micturate on the engine & generator. If you think about how many hours of use you have put it through over the years, it is likely still in its early portion...

The rpms have to be fixed to produce anything close to 60Hz power somewhere close to 110-120 vac. They won't run at idle, ever, unless some gizmo is hooked in that knows you really don't need the power until you close the switch. I think the DC producing sets with the inverter can run @ idle...

I would check the valve clearance. The clearance closes up as the engine heats up, and if it is set too close, the valves may not seat as well, causing a loss of compression and thus power. The engine may become difficult to start when hot, and seem to lose power, both of which can be caused by...

One thing not mentioned is that the life of the battery is affected a whole lot by vibration. If the battery can flop around it will not last as long as one that is installed and held in place. I vote for the WallyWorld batteries or equivalent as I have bought the name brands and they just don't...

For my 2 cents, I'd say the engine has enough power to operate the blades cutting grass that is not way overgrown. All the previous comments are pretty much on the money, but I think the real problem is not being addressed, or has not been emphasized enough. The throttle control likely has a...

The real question, neither asked nor answered, is "Does it use any oil between changes?" If the oil is checked before each use, and no oil is required to be added between changes, then the consumption is minimal. It is normal for all engines to consume a bit of lube, it would be abnormal for an...

As noted, it will work. The emergency blade brake will have to be tied out. I would compare the power to the original engine. If close, close enough. If the original had more power, the speed of the cylinder & splitter blade would be slower when under load. In other applications, the HF engines...

If you are looking to meet the FoMoCo WSS-M97B51-A1 test, like Zerex G05, Peak Global will fit the bill, if you can find it. Walgreens has the 50/50 mix, but price is local. Some Pep Boys have it. O'Reilly has G05 and their own brand that looks suspiciously like the Zerex, but I have not looked...

How about Valvoline Maxlife Dex/Merc ... per the PDF on the Valvoline site, it is compatible: Suitable for use in: Ford MERCONÆ, MERCONÆV, MERCONÆSP and MERCONÆLV applications GM DEXRONÆ-II, DEXRONÆ-III and DEXRONÆ-VI applications Nissan/Infiniti Matic D, Matic J, Matic K, and Matic S...

A bad MAP sensor will give you a very unstable idle. It would be sending bogus information to the computer about how much load the engine is under. At high vacuum, it would lean out the mix, and at low vacuum, tend to enrich the mixture for more power. If it is scrambled, it will be sending...