Gee, Mownie, you have just explained a lot of things to all of us, and cleared up any confusion that might have ocurred, about those problems! I might add this: If somebody installs a different engine in a tractor with a carburetor fuel inlet that is higher than the under-seat fuel tank outlet, they will have to install a fuel pump! And, sometimes the problem of where to install the vacuum line comes up. After much trial and error, i solved my problem by drilling a hole near the top of the dip-stick tube, inserting a brass fitting in that hole, then running the hose to the carb inlet. Before that, i had spent a considerable amount of time trying to adapt the line to the crankcase breather, with no success. Thanks for the info! by: Rusty Jones

ok guys.. thanks for the help,,took the starter to a local auto parts store that checks starters and it was fine..i did pick up a new solenoid and installed it along with some good advice about cleaning the terminals and conections good... and wala it's running again,,some body mods and it will be good as new ..anything the 18 hp twins are noted for that i should watch for? ..thanks again guys for the great info!! curt

Contrary to the problem associated with OHV valve clearance and hard starting, as a flathead engine ages the valve clearance does become less, at an extreme it could cause stalling when warmed up BUT this engine uses an entirely different means of relieving compression and less clearance would actually make it easier to turn over, not more difficult, so I think that pretty well blows that theory. Plus this engine will start and run happily on one cylinder so whatever is going on affects both cylinders OR the thing is only running on one cylinder to start with. The starting thing is common and I have a list of possibles that I will send you IF you like. As for stalling, I might have some suggestions on that also. Walt Conner wconner5 at verizon dot net

tommy, you talk about a LOT of things! so your ducts are ductboard with 2 flex ducts? ductboard is rigid fiberglass insulation board with foil surface facing into the attic, flex is flexible duct with foil insulation jacket. 1" ductboard is R-4.2 (just fyi) the first thing I would look at is how is this duct system sealed..duct tape..foil tape..mastic seal? duct tape fails..doesnt take long in extreme attic temps, foil tapes (unless mastic tapes) also fail quickly. tapes don't adhere to dirty or wet surfaces, although they may look to be intact when the system is running you will be able to feel air escaping from these areas. sealing with a paint on mastic or cleaning and drying surfaces and sealing with a mastic tape is the better, longer lasting option. you can buy mastics at hvac supply stores. areas of leakage on duct board would be areas where duct board sections connect, and each supply duct. flex would be where it attaches to ductboard plenum. these areas should be sealed with a paint on mastic sealant. the other area of duct leakage is the supply box. if you feel around the supply boxes in the attic, they should sit evenly without gaps on the attic floor. lots of times the side attached to the ceiling joist makes a snug fit, but the opposite side (not attached to anything) will raise up when supply grills are installed. I use Hardcast mastic tape to seal these areas from inside the house by removing supply grills. heat is an issue here also, today it is 92 degrees outside and RH is 87%. it isn't a bad thing that your unit runs alot when temps are so high. shortcycling, unit running 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off adds to cost of utilities, does not remove humidity and wears out equipment sooner. You may want to think about upgrading to a higher SEER heat pump, 10 SEER is not very efficient and is no longer mfg'd because of inefficiency and cost of operation. Federal tax credits can help to offset costs. in adding more insulation to the attic...did you use layers of unfaced insulation?? the paper backing (vapor barrier) causes condensation between vapor barriers..this can cause more harm than good. under the house the insulation should be in contact with the underside of the flooring, or condensation occurs between the gap between the underside of the floor and the insulation. I'm not sure what you mean by double bubble wood siding for your walls... foil bubble foil wraps are not good insulators, and in our hot humid climate vapor barrers are to the exterior of the walls. cold climates have vapor barriers to the interior, but here promotes mold growth. If you are insulating the exterior of your walls, a foam sheathing board with all seams taped is the best option. to upgrade the insulation from R-13 in the walls to R-15 is a minimal cost and would be of benefit to you. if you are not working from the exterior to the interior ..well..enough for now..that can be discussed later. Like the attic ventilation...not enough info! for your windows in your home, adding a piece of glass to the screens really isn't your best improvement. check HD and Lowe's for Gila brand window tint. these will reduce heat gain, whereas two panes of glass that are not insulated glass units will trap heat between the panes of glass. I understand perfectly about being 57 and this being the last big undertaking..I'm 48 and just getting too stiff for some of this stuff! That you are happy with a $300 plus utility cost just blows me away! My last utility bill was $70.00 my little house is about 950 sq ft full sun, just plantings in the yard to block west sun from the windows. when I first bought this house my utility bill was $275 - $300 a month. Knowing where and how to correctly address specific issues in the house makes a lot of difference! You can get help specific to your home that will make all this time, effort and money spent worthwhile. visit http://www.natresnet.org/directory/raters.aspx to locate an energy rater in your state.