A guy a few streets away works on OPE out of his garage and occasionally leaves stuff out on the street for rubbish pickup, unless I can get there first. I've picked up a few nice mowers which he dumped for some reason. ? There was a riding mower out there but I diddn't have a way to transport it. But after thinking about I went back intending to push it home and if I got stuck call my buddy with a truck. When I got back it two guys were loading it in a van.
A few days later there was a Husquvarna out on his lawn. I stopped by just in case he was thinking about dumping it. He said it was screwed up and going to sell it. He said it would not run right. He showed me a new carb he bought but the probabem was still there so he took off the carb and put the old one back on. It also had a starting problem. Sometimes the starter gear would just spin. I picked it up for $125 just for yucks. After several spins the gear caught, it started and I drove it home.
The teeth on the starter were chewed away so I replaced the gear and it started fine. It ran rough but ran well enough to use. I was busy and did not get around to cleaning the carb but after a few outings it cleared up, ran fine and has been ever since. It going on it's fifth season and I've never touched the carb. It fires right up every year.
It looked crappy though with lots of faded milky white splotches all over the thing. Since the thing has treated me so well this year I picked up a cheap variable speed buffer at HF and buffed it out. To my surprise it came out fairly well. The key start has been a pain in the neck over the years but that was becaue its hold down nut was missing. This year I sprang for a nut. Other than the nut and gear the only other problem has bee a flat tire.
The engine is nice, a Briggs industrial 12 hp with a cast bore and roller bearings on the crank. I put on a gas line filter and change oil every year and that's been it for work required. Plenty of power, never changes sound or sag when going mowing or going up a very sharp hill here. So far I have not even had to replace a belt. Not bad for $125.
