Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

I used my brand new Simplicity 924 eight times last winter. Should I install a new spark plug for the upcoming winter season?

i would think not!if you are mechanically inclined and have the tools take it out and look at it.if it looks good check the gap and reinstall it but make sure you don't overtighten it.i bought a craftsman inch lbs tq wrench years ago and now with all the light metals being used on everything i use it more and more. 12 ft lbs tq to tighten the plug is sufficient.one thing you want to do which i never did for 18 yrs is make sure the shaft is lubed that the drive handle engages.it is located under the plastic shroud in front of the chute.another thing to lube are all the greese fittings on the auger shaft as well as any others if it has them.winter is harder on the outside parts than the inside ones so proper protection and maintenance of paint and external parts is important.learn the maintenance early on and you will have your machine running for a long time.

I've got spark plugs that are over twenty years old in some of my engines. All I do is pull it out every so often, get a piece of sand paper, fold it over so that there are two abrasive surfaces, slip it between the electrode and ground strap and slide it back and forth a few times. that will clean both surfaces at the same time. Then I gap it to spec and spray WD-40 into the area around the electrode to wash out any grit that might have gotten in there. Put it back in and it's done. From my experience, quality spark plugs are a pretty durable. Stick with NGK or ND and you'll get many years of service out of them.

Yeah Borat,  I have some champion plugs in my Cessna that are about 25 years old...

 All I have to do is clean the lead $#%* out,  put them in the grit blaster,  check gap and reinstall with anti-seize..

I have cleaned and reinstalled 40 year old plugs at times...

Friiy

friiy wrote:

A good quality spark plug will last until it fails. Their useful service life can be measured in decades, not hours. It's funny how marketing works. Even manufacturers of all kinds of vehicles and equipment recommend spark plug replacement at waaaay too frequent intervals. I'm running the original plugs in my 1996 Toyota V6. Starts, runs and burns the same amount of fuel as it did when new. Actually, I bought the vehicle new off the lot, almost fourteen years ago. I haven't spent a dime on repairs on that thing. Oil changes, batteries, tires and gas is all i've put into it. That truck doesn't owe me a penny.

How about the air filter,timing belt,water pump,cabin filter,wiper blades,belts,hoses,tires?how many miles do u have on it??

mikiewest wrote:

You're right Mikie. I overlooked the air filters. I think it's on it's third. Maybe second set of windshield wiper blades. I said in my previous message that I changed rubber. Everything else is original. Even the exhaust. I'm thinking about changing the timing belt when it turns 15 years old. I'll probably bring it in for a thorough once over when I do. Mileage is low particularly for a Toyota. It only has 67K on it of which at least 17K is on rough gravel logging roads (going to camp). As a result, the windshield should be replaced. It's got more than a few stone chips and cracks. Not going to change it though. It will just get chipped and cracked within a week or two after doing it. Body, suspension, interior and everything else it in excellent condition.

Do you believe in what mechanics say and the manual about changing the timing belt and water pump at or near 80k miles?I did because I was told if that timing belt does snap ,I would be in for a hefty repair bill....

Yes I do..... Most engines now days are "Interference fit " ,   meaning that if the valves are open at the the same time the piston is up, the piston will hit the valve.

This can happen if the belt breaks and any of the valves are open when the related piston goes up...  

A damaged piston can only be replaced by gutting the engine.

A valve job or new head may be required....

lots of labor......

lots of gaskets...

oil....

coolent .....

lots of downtime for the car....

Now...

The water pump sometimes runs off the timing belt, if the pump goes out and takes the timing belt,  all those bad things can happen.

To get to the water pump you need to take off the cover for the timing belt,  might as well do it while you are in there..

Also, if you are going to do a timing belt and water pump,  also change the idler pullys and maybe the tensioners( for the timing belt)  while you are in there..  The reason being, if the idlers or tensioners go out they can also take out the belt..

Good Luck,

Friiy

Yeah, been there done that. In my haste to finish, I didn't tighten the bolt on the camshaft pulley of the TR7 engine I was rebuilding. Luckily I had a buddy who worked in the parts dept. of the dealer. They all had a good laugh as I bought a full set of new valves. Oh well, as they say, you're not learning if you don't make mistakes.

Cheers

My Toyota manual says 90K for a timing belt change. I have 20K to go. My truck sees mostly highway miles at relatively low rpm. I'm confident that it will hold together to make it to it's 15 year check up. If not, so be it. The truck doesn't owe me a dime. By the way, My wife's 1980 Toyota Tercel ran 200K miles with no engine work at all. Her 1992 Camry got a timing belt at 120K miles. That '92 Camry was the best vehicle we ever owned. Traded it in for a new 2007 Camry and got $3500.00 for it! I will say this, the new Camry is not built as well as the '92. The 92 was much quieter.