"It could be the top seal but they seldom give problems. I would remove the flywheel and have a look at the points plunger hole." Ditto except that a new fiber plunger often solves the problem at least for some time. Be sure the plunger is installed right, there is an "in" and an "out". See how much play a new plunger has first. Walt Conner

If, after tearing it down, you do not SEE a crack......you might want to use a method I learned from an old motorcycle mechanic years ago. Clean the surfaces of the block just as clean as you can get them using a mineral spirits type solvent. After cleaning with the mineral spirits, spray the surfaces of the block with aerosol carb cleaner or aerosol brake parts cleaner (the idea is to remove the solvent from the surface of the block). Allow the block to dry completely. Next, spray the entire area where you suspect a crack might exist with a "talcum powder based" aerosol deodorant. You want to get a good coat of talcum powder stuck onto the surface of the block. Next, use a heat gun, hair dryer, or a heat lamp to warm the block. What will occur (if a crack exists) is the solvent and old oil will be expelled anong the crack as the block warms and the crack will be revealed as a dark line against the white backdrop of the talcum powder.

This old thread lives on... I did a spring check on my lawn and garden power equipment last night. The old brute, now 32 years in youth, started up in a couple of pulls. It seemed to run great all the way to wide open. I did store my equipment over the winter with the valves closed per bill's storage tip. It did make a very loud squealing sound that came and went a few times. Kind of like a slipping belt sound. When it made the sound, it was constant for 3 to 5 seconds each time. Could this just be something as simple as the pull start housing rubbing on the fly wheel? Or is a bearing in the block starting to fail?

SO..... It is now back together and running, starting in just a couple of pulls! But...instead of peening the seat back in place, which certainly sounds like the correct repair, I opted for now to try the green loctite to secure it in place. I applied the compound, let it dry, and then lapped both valves. The reason I opted to not peen the seat at this point is that in reading about the process it sounded like there was a fairly good chance that I might slightly move the seat, which then would require re-cutting the seat for its now position. If my repair doesn't hold I will use the peening method with the valve in place to hold the seat from moving, and then lap the valves again. I checked around to see if someone locally would do the peening repair at a shop, and one shop said sure, but it would be about $70, and another said they wouldn't do it because they haven't had good luck with the repair holding. I also may want to open the head up again in the near future anyways. In doing my repair, I ground more off the intake valve stem than I wanted (first it was too little, and the second time, I pressed on the valve as I did and...well..OOPs). So I probably should try to buy an intake valve and replace it, and when I do I will inspect the seat to see how it is doing. In hindsight, it appears that almost all of my problems were compression related. I should have paid more attention to the fact it didn't catch even with starter fluid, nor when I poured a little gas in the carb. The fact I had to lean out the mixture to less than 1/2 turn out also should have suggested that the mixture was off for the cylinder (which it did, but I thought it was a supply issue when in fact it was a low compression issue). Now that the intake valve is closing properly, the engine starts right up at 1 1/2 turns and required just a little adjustment to 1 1/4 turn for optimum response. The maintenance I did on the carb certainly didn't hurt, but it does show the limits of an amateur such as myself in having to find out things the hard way. On the other hand, I learned alot in the process. Thank you to everyone for their advice. I will keep that peening diagram for the future since I suspect I will need it! Robert