[jackhdn]

Back in spring I picked up a 8171 which was a non-runner. I was so busy it took me all summer to get it going but the last month or so I have been mowing with it (put the 50" deck I refurbished last winter on it). The PO said it had ran, but badly, so he took the carb apart and the float was bad.
Turns out the fuel tank was full of rust, the fuel pump was corroded and gunked up, and the carb basically just needed a kit and float (although someone bottomed the idle needle so hard that it cracked the seat in the bore.

With all that, it actually runs pretty good. I have not played too much to fine tune it (I did buy one of those laser tachs you all were talking about). It mows fine but does need some tuning.

Irene flooded our place by two creeks. One of them delivered about 40 yards of gravel, rocks, and mud. We cleaned it all up, graded with the dozer, and then used the 8171 with a hastily put together chain drag. A piece of rail road track would have been better to really take down the high spots. The 8171 with the chain really did a great job of scraping down the high spots, compacting the soil, and flipping out the pieces of roots and sticks which were left behind by the dozer. Saved alot of hand raking.

Just started and got the dozer stuck.


8171


8171 with chains.


Finished just before seeding.

 

[Richard-tx]

What a transformation! Looks great now!

I remember that carb discussion. Congrats on the repair. Most people would have given up on repairing that carb including me. You persevered and demonstrated what a little skill and patience can do.

Well done!