This is in regards to Mownie questions. I came to the conclusion that the valve is stuck because after running the engine for one hour the right plug is clean and dry in new condition with no sign of an explosion. If gas was getting into the cylinder and the plug was not firing, the plug would be wet with gas and have a gas ordor, this plug is clean and dry and ordor free. The air filter is new and there is no carbon in or around the air filter and carburetor. I don't know where the black carbon is coming from but it only happens when running on one cylinder. I have been told that the cost to fix this problem could be $500 or more,including pickup and delivery, and if this repair is not done correctly, other problems could pop up and cost even more. So it might be to my advantage to put this repare cost to a new tractor and save all this aggravation and cost.

I have a Fiskars Pruning Stik that I prune mine with and never have to get close to the stickers. This is one tool I wouldn't be without - lightweight, so not hard to prune above your head. They stand behind their warranty too and replaced mine that I had for years after the head got loose. It still works. Ginny Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Stik

Not sure what I said but the valve is black plastic: both the part that turns and the housing that is exposed. Regardless, the technique for getting the penetrant to the right spot is a good one. I will give it a try. The NDS sheet says that to 'remove inner stem' to allow all the ports to be connected. I assume (cannot see without digging) that one is to the tank, two to the leach lines and one is capped off. I I pull the stem, flow depends on gravity to take from the tank and let it take the path of least resistance to either or both lines. They do not say how to remove the stem but I clamped on to the 'handle' with some pliers and could not pull it out. Again, I am going slow and did not pull like my life depended upon getting it out! Afraid to break the plastic handle. Maybe I am making a mountain from a molehill but I do not need another PhD in the school of hard knocks. I got too many already...

Hi all, Replacing the nasty little self-piercing valve for my humidifier, I noticed the cold water inlet pipe on my hot water tank (which is where the humidifier tap is) became quite warm, in fact hot when I turned humidifier tap on, and the water that ran into the humidifier ran hot - hot enough to soften the tubing and make the ends leak... I surmised that hot water's flowing back up the pipe towards the cold supply where the supply runs from a T in the cold water. Just where the cold water pipe enters the hw tank, there's an odd brass valve-type thing with a slot and a pin/plunger type arrangement you can see. It's definitely NOT the pressure relief valve, that one's on the side of the tank. Given this issue with the hot water backflow - I've noticed the cold water in my bathroom sink begins to run warm after a while, quite warm - I'm guessing it's when there's a fair bit of demand for cold water and the drop in pressure causes some backflow from the hw heater....is this possible? It hasn't always done this, and clearly it's not desirable. Is this valve-like thing I see a backflow preventer, and does it sound like it's failed/stuck? I clearly can't have hot water running into the humidifier supply and softening the tubing, I'll get flooded, not to mention it's no doubt wasting gas.... This valve arrangement looks as if it just screws into a receiver sort of thing with an elbow that runs into the hw tank. Assuming it is what I think it is, is it just as simple as unscrewing it, and replacing it with a new one? Presumably you thread-tape it, although I don't see any evidence of tape on the exisiting one where it screws in. Thanks!