I wasn't kidding, but I guess I shouldn't tell stories on myself. (Those fries could give Go-Jo a run for their money. Perhaps the salt acts as pumice.) So since you're gonna be ordering a carb, maybe you want to check for spark in case you need ignition parts as well.
Head is spinning already. Please don't confuse me, John. I just got a letter from the State saying I owed $50 income tax. I know that! That's what I had on the return! They claim I put down Zero. I have copies of everything, including the check I sent for $50. I guess I have to call another 800 number. The phone company in the country is still trying to collect one extra month's bill, that they already refunded to me once. They sent a nasty letter saying they were going to "send the matter to a collection agency." At the time I would have paid an extra month's bill if it meant they would leave me alone forever. Not so inclined now. It sure is hard to cancel things. I believe I will discuss the birds again for a while. A lot has been happening. Tweet, tweet!
Wow. Nothing like the wheels of bureaucracy that spin but never stop...and are never wrong. Well, I can see that you do have spark...just not the good kind. And this is ringing some bells. Hasn't some of this been dragging on for a while?
Yes. Since early March. I also got a letter today from the Soc. Sec. Admin enclosing some information that the P.O. returned to them due to incorrect address. So it isn't the P.O. that is mixed up. That happened in the same time frame. I'm done complaining now.
My younger brother (a minor at the time) got some S.S. benefits when our father passed away (or maybe our mother got some benefits for having him [a minor child] at home.) In any event, years later, SSA decided to try to claw back some money. "We screwed up. We gave you too much. Even we can't understand our own rules. Boy, are you in trouble!" At the time, my older brother was married to a woman who worked for SSA. Somehow she got the plug pulled on the whole thing.
Yep, you can change the primer bulb pretty easily and I think they are standard, so a lot of auto parts places keep a few in stock.
Went with an OEM Briggs carburetor. If I were doing this every day, and knew what I was doing, I might chance a Chinese knock off. Estimated delivery June 15-21. The primer bulb seems fine. I bet the sparkplug is too. Air filter in stock at Ace Hardware. Will look closer at those rusted pulleys. Worst case scenario, I may not be able to get them off, or something might crumble, so you can't put new ones back on. If I knew what was important, I'd probably have more options for new ones. How complicated can a pulley be. Meanwhile the bluebirds hatched a 2nd brood about 10 days ago. This time there is more than one. Estimated fledge June 13 - 20th. The weather has been cooperating so far. Predicted high 95 on the 15th and 16th.
Yeh, I'd go with OEM, too. Regarding the spark plug...there are other components that give you spark in addition to the plug. It can't hurt to check the system for spark to get that part of the system working while you're waiting on the carb. Here's a vid on how to check for spark. The guy stops blathering and starts teaching at 1:20 Regarding bluebirds: I have tons of birds on my property, but the only nest I see is the mud nest of a swallow, built on top of the the elbow of my gutter. I have bluebirds but have not seen their nests...although I've not gone searching for them. I ended up putting a new cap on my wood stove flu because a blue bird once found its way down into my stove.
Cool! Just checked it. Sparkplug still sparks. Bluebirds are cavity nesters, up off the ground. Old holes in trees, fence posts, made by other animals, like woodpeckers. Or dead trees, when they start to decay and leave cavities. Not in dense woods, but maybe on the edge of a woods where there is an open field to view. I tried to imagine what it would be like to have eyes as good as a bluebird. You could probably look out on your front lawn and be able to see every bug and worm crawling.
Good news on the spark! (I have no idea what modern lawnmower ignition systems consist of.) Now you can install & test the carb and focus on it. I did not know that bluebirds don't build traditional nests, although I was aware you could hang boxes for them. I often look out my patio window and see hawks perched at various vantage points, yet I've never seen a kill. I have seen owls get small stuff. The vision that birds have is intense.
Maybe put up a bird house next year where you can see it from your house? On a post with a critter guard. Near a bush where the little ones can hide from your hawks. I think the worst predators are snakes. These birds are pretty darn good at fighting off daytime critters with legs. More good news. All 4 of the pulleys are in good shape. The two most expensive ones look like stainless steel inside, only rusted a little on the outside. I took some fine sandpaper and removed some rough spots inside. Won't even have to take them off. That would have been $86 plus tax and shipping OEM.
I've mentioned before that bluebirds will form a bond with homeowners, flapping at the windows if another species has taken over their home, or if the meal worms tray is empty. That's good news on the string trimmer!! My opinion of DR just went up. Are there rough spots on the inside of the pulley where the belt makes contact, or just on the rest of it? If you can get it running on the cheap and find that you get use out of it, buying a proper battery just might be within reach, huh? I wonder if a "Batteries Plus" kind of store would be of help. I gotta ask...four pulleys??? Are there two on the engine and two on the trimmer head, with two identical belts running in parallel? Or is one set of pulleys between the starter to the engine shaft?
They sell large mealworms at PetSmart, 15 a cup for 20 cents each. Can't remember so much fun for 20 cents each. I'm thinking of driving 25 miles to pick some up in bulk. My opinion of DR is going up also. The rough places were where the belt did not make contact---the open section, and just above the belt. Generac (the new owner of DR) has a new website with the battery for $42 plus shipping. Other mfgs make one the same size, but with less amp hours (whatever that means). I can get one with more AH's for less and it would fit, but I'd have to improvise a tie down. Too much trouble. Two heavy duty pulleys, one on each end (engine and trimmer head). The other two are smaller guide pulleys between. One moves over to provide tension on the belt. I think the other one just keeps the belt in line on the opposite side. You ask interesting questions that I've actually thought a lot about.
I think @Mary Stetler knows something about buying mealworms that might save you some money, although I'm not certain she buys hers still living, or if bluebirds will eat those that have ceased to be. I wonder how much fun you're gonna have when you make little junkies out of those birds, and they know who the pusher is when they run out. I've heard they get insistent... I'm not certain you need to worry about higher amp hours for your application, since you'll not be running off of the battery for any period of time (which is what I believe AH is all about.) You might be smart to stick with OEM.
I got my meal/soldier worms on amazon. 5 POUNDS in a bag. They are crispy. The chickens love them. (eavesdropping)