To replace a rod, you have to remove the head and push the rod/piston assembly out of the block. Before you do that though, you have to remove any wear "ridge" that may have formed in the cylinder at the height where the upper piston ring travels. Failure to do so can break rings (possibly piston), since the rings will "catch" on the ridge. IF one gets THAT involved, it's almost a shame not to install new rings. IF you do it on one cylinder, it pretty much makes sense to do it on both.... What I would do-? IF the rod bolts didn't thread back on smoothly, I'd probably replace them. THOROUGHLY examine the rod & crank bearing surfaces for ANY gouging or metal DEPOSIT (on the crank). IF every thing looks OK, I'd button it back up and use it. Like I mentioned earlier, I'd start off slow and work your way "up" on the throttle for a minute or so and back for the first 15-30 minutes. Go up to speed a bit more each time and then idle. REPEAT until you are up to full throttle. LISTEN for the start of any noise. If you hear anything "abnormal at any time, shut it down. If not, go mow. If you make it through the first hour of mowing, you're probably good.

canguy thanks thanks for the advice I checked the other rod it was fine the one that was loose did come in contact with the back of the I,m guessing is the crank housing the end of the bolts or screws hit it and there are some loose fine shavings. can i just tighten the bolts and go? i,m wondering will they come loose again. also should I replace the rod to be sure and if so how does it come out the easiest? thanks millions Yury

Without hearing the noise myself, I can't tell what it might be. There are so many possiblities. I will list a few below: 1. Badly worn ball joint. 2. Dry joints needing lube. 3. Loose steering box bolts. 4. Loose and dry wheel bearing. 5. Brake parts. 6. Wheel cover (hub cap). A weak or cracked rim can flex enough to cause a 'scrunching' noise from a poorly fitting (metal) wheel cover. Once, I had such a wheel cover and did not discover the noise source until one day while driving with the window open and passing a short wall, I head the sound reflecting off the wall. One of the friction tangs on the wheel cover was scraping back and forth as the wheel rotated and flexed. 7. Separated engine mount. 8. Dry shaft at rear of transmission. This splined shaft is supposed to be lubed to allow a small amount of sliding of the drive shaft. 9. Worn out holes around the lug nuts. Dryed out steering damper. ( This is a samll shock absorber fastened to the steering rods.) Let us know what you find. You may need an observer standing outside the truck while you produce the noise.

First of all, are you sure the popping noise is coming from the switch, not perhaps an arc from a loose splice in the switch box? Is it a mechanical sounding noise, or does it sound more like an electrical arc? Either way if it's coming from the switch it sounds like your switches are defective. Are they the 99 cent specials? If so I'd replace them with higher quality (and more expensive) spec. grade devices. The cheap ones are just that... cheap. I've found that theres frequently truth to the old saying that you get what you pay for. As for the backstab issue: I don't want to start an epic debate here, but while the screw terminals are a more solid connection, I personally am comfortable with backstabbing light switches, providing they are wired with #14 wire. Unlike a receptacle it is unlikely that your lighting would be pulling enough current to make the backstab a problem-- unless its like some of these new homes I'm seeing with about a million incandescent recessed lights on one switch...