Hi All, especially mownie Thanks for the info on the hydro stat. You are correct. I did dig out a manual from Toro's website that is more detailed than the mower's ! It says the units do not require fluid's at any interval but should be checked from time to time (oxy-moron) They have conveniently provided a 30 inch garden hose that stands up into the frame for expansion only (when the oil gets hot), but it is only possible to check the level by "removing the entire hydro assembly from the mower chassis ! You are right. Then if the oil is degraded, yes, turn it upside down. My feelings are that the right hydro may have leaked some of it's oil and be low, thus causing the mower to pull to the right. The reason is that the right hydro had some oil discharge under the grass cake. So while I have the engine and belts off, I will remove the hydro assembly and service with the Royal Purple Brand. There is nothing better than taking advice from an expert on such things. Thanks. Okay, here's the update. I managed to get the engine out of the bay today after first removing blade belts, hydro belts, PTO clutch assembly, carb, cables etc. Taking off the sump cover/ crank case cover, I peered inside and could immediately see the exhaust cam lobe touching the cam follower. When I looked at the other cam lobe, it was almost circular ! Pulling the camshaft out and examining, I was floored ! There was hardly any indication that the cam was EVER an oval, as it looked round. I could see minimal burring on the edge, but other that that nothing. I had changed oil after my initial problems started happening 2 weekends ago, and the old oil looked dark, but it was almost a full 48 oz load, so it never got low. The new oil I drained before tearing the engine was golden, BUT there was graphite like sludge at the bottom of the crank case and crank cover. So my cam lobe must have been made of #2 pencil lead ! I've taken plenty of pictures if anyone ever wants to see a worn cam lobe, but have no way of posting to this thread. I may try putting them up on my MobileMe site and list the url for you guys. Thanks for the prompt and accurate responses. You guys rock. I'll order parts tomorrow (or try my local lawn mower repair place to see if they carry), and assemble as soon as I get them. In the meantime, I'll clean the thing up while it's on my garage floor. Lastly - The engine speed governor device isn't exactly obvious to put back - Any pointers? Torq settings on crank and head bolts? is 15 ft/lbs? Any particular order ? The camshaft does have the dot stamped in it, but it wasn't obvious what it lined up with at TDC. I had out the engine at TDC before tearing down, and when I looked at the camshaft, the dot was at about 2 o'clock. Should it have lined up with something else?

> But all this, Zabby, becomes self-evident after just a few payment periods. Or even just one. [...] Not at all --- things in life change constantly, so regular revisiting of a plan makes sense --- but only if you have information on which to base your rethinking. > Any spending plan, initially, is arbitrary. Then, as you develop a track record, you adjust accordingly. Exactly what I was saying. > I certainly don't need a spread sheet (Lord, why does that still sound dirty?)to do that. Oooh, you dirty old man, to me it sounds lovely and cozy and clean and fresh, like a sheet that's been spread out on the line in the sun to dry! ;-) Indeed you don't need one. (I don't THINK any of the measurement geeks on this thread are even trying to persuade you to use one --- just explaining how they do and why.) But many people find software to be a useful tools, and even a pleasure to use --- which doesn't make it any more a silly toy than a wooden spoon that is just the right length and shape, or my wonderful new stainless-steel pot. For folks like my BF or Melissa, they're easy and effortless to use. [Not so for me with spreadsheets, which I struggle with; though I have a comparable affinity with wordprocessing software; I don't need it to write, but it's a fabulous tool that helps me do my job better and with more ease --- whereas for some of my colleagues, it's a chore and they'd rather use longhand.] Another really big point I stress in my seminar is that different things work well for different people --- if you find a tool/process/trick/tip that works for you, you go with it! > I am not knocking anyone who feels it necessery, or just nice, to use these tools. But we have reached a point, with computers, that too many people do things just because they can, not because it is necessary or even beneficial. Well, I'm in agreement on the general point, but I think we reached that point long before computers! (The history of the car comes to mind....) Or they do it just because a lot of other people do it that way and maybe they never thought about it. (Which is why I think Melissa's uniquely tailored, geeky project is particularly neat, because it's so clearly something she decided to do for her own self in her own way that worked for her --- you won't find many books or courses on home budgeting suggesting the use of a computer spreadsheet to track every $12 grocery week! At the other end of the tech scale, I similarly admire a freelancer I heard of who tracked her time spent on particular projects by burning a particular scented candle for each one. She HATES spreadsheets and even paper tracking --- but she knows one candle lasts 8 hours, so when one is used up then she adds that much to her bill for that project.... [How many scented candles in a fortnight???]) I also think that benefits that are harder to quantify shouldn't be ignored; Melissa's regular, detailed feedback helps motivate her and cheer her --- as useful a task for a tool as any, IMHO. For me, a spreadsheet wouldn't do that, because I'd find it a chore to enter the data. But then, I find cleaning bathrooms kind of soothing --- and HATE vacuuming. You're of course free to track your expenses on a paperclip instead --- though I'm imagining you'll have a hard time finding a small enough pencil! ;-) Zabby

I'm sorry to hear about your troubles. Thats alot of money being spent on electricity!!! I bet that heat pump and installation were very expensive too!! How much was the Acadia heat pump installed for? I bet it was like 10 grand. You should have simply bought an airsource heat-pump from a big-name manufacturer or one of their cheaper label brands. Sometimes it doesn't make sense going 'too high efficient' because the technology costs too much, and it can be unreliable. Reliability is very important. When something is unreliable it eats into the energy savings which is the whole purpose for buying new (unless comfort or equipment failure). Also if something costs too much the energy savings never pay for itself. I think ACADIA is too small of a name company with too small a reputation to risk spending big money. If there unit was so good how come other big company's didn't use that same technology? A regular single stage air-source heat pump is the way too go in my opinion. The highest efficiency single stage is the way to go too be more specific. I think 2 stage heat pumps are overkill, and the higher price and extra complexity negates any energy savings. I like the idea of geo-thermal, but the problem in my area is there is a huge premium on the loop installation and this can be too much trouble too. There is also a premium if you say the word geo-thermal. People who work on it have to be 'specially trained' and they want tons of money. I don't think you can find the deals on the labor like I find with finding someone to help me install my air-source heat pump. My 3-ton Luxaire 14.5 seer heat pump condensor was $1467 from the wholesaler. Ofcourse we also had to buy the 3.5 ton a-coil, new lineset, honeywell focus-pro wireless t-stat to control it all, and misc. supplies. With labor and me serving as the helper it ended up costing only 3 grand. Its been working fine when 35F or above. At 32 is seems to run alot more. At 25 degree's it runs almost non-stop. My November 20 to December 22 electric bill was $112. I have my gas-furnace set to run when 30 or below instead of heat pump. I have been experiementing with running the heat pump at colder temps just to see how it does. Some people might be more comfortable with a switchover temperature of 35 from heat pump to gas. I think 40 switchover is too high but might be appropriate if your sensitive too cooler heat. Thats my 2 cents.

Just for a perspective (in florida at least) the daycare where my daughter went was 80.00 a week for a full day. I will say that was the most reasonable place I could find ... most were 130 - 150 a week at a minumum. And, coincidentally enough she LOVED the daycare that was only 80.00 a week and didnt offer all the so called extras that the one she went to recently offered that was 140 a week. The people were much nicer and they did a lot with what they had like camping in the daycare with a sheet and a story that went along with it etc. Anyways... it would depend on what all you are doing. Are you providing the food and essentials or will the mom be providing that? (it is probably best unless you really trust the responsibility of this mom to plan on feeding the kids because my mom used to babysit and get into jams where moms would not send the food and you cant very well not feed the kids but you are losing money because you are feeding a bunch of extra kids) And, are you just doing this because you want to for a little extra money and to help out a friend... or are you doing it to supplement your income and well run a business. If it is just as a favor and some extra money I might lower the price a bit...but otherwise that is more than reasonable especially since you are throwing in two extra kids sometimes. If you are looking at it like a business opportunity during the summer... I would make sure to take into consideration tardiness with mom especially if you do not fully trust responsibility of mom and also remember things like if you have a pool or plan on going to the beach...it may be in your best interest to get some sort of waver in case something happens (again this is assuming you are not close to the mom) Just my two cents.