My 10515 saga

[Gregor 4,846]

My Lawn Boy model 10515 is a 1994, 4.5 HP, self propelled mulching mower. My wife uses this exact same mower. But this particular one, is one I rebuilt a couple of years ago, and has been in storage, until Sunday, I brought it home.  And then !

 

An acquaintance stops by on Sunday. (not even a friend) His wife came to see my wife. He sees my various Lawn Boys in the garage. I just brought the rest of them home from the storage locker. Apparently he's been looking at mowers, but hasn't bought one yet. He asked about my 10515. I tell him it's been rebuilt, it is self propelled, 21" cut, with a mulching blade on it. He asks if he could take it home and try it out. I agreed. I filled it with gas. He says his yard isn't very big, and won't take long. He brings it back yesterday afternoon. "Something is wrong with it, it's not running right" OK I thought that was a little strange, but we talk for a bit, he leaves, and I start to check things out. He is correct, it's not running right. I have never heard a diesel Lawn Boy before. At this point, I am fearing the worst. I drain the fuel. STRAIGHT GAS !
I call him up. "Did you by chance put more fuel in the mower ?" "Oh yeah. It was going so good, I decided to take it to my mothers house and mow her yard. It's pretty big, and I ran out of gas. " Ya know it's impossible to strangle someone over the phone ! Long story short, (too late I know), I am assessing the damage, but I am not very hopeful. I may have to find me another F series motor. I have not tore it down yet, but it can't be good. And NO. He does not want to buy the mower. I don't blame him. IT'S NOT RUNNING RIGHT !

 

 

Edited August 31, 2021 by Gregor

[ebinmaine 67,498]

Damn. 

 

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be; for loan doth oft lose both itself and friend...."

Shakespeare. 

 

 

Situations like this is why there are so many labels on every single thing we use and see today. 

And even those are not full guard against the truly ignorant. 

[oldlineman 1,481]

Well said 

[lynnmor 7,306]

Some years ago I helped my daughter to buy a home that had a steep bank to mow, so we bought a Lawn Boy 2 cycle and a string trimmer.  Brand new stuff and she lent it to the guy across the road.  End of story in several ways.  You can't fix stupid.

[squonk 41,118]

Did you even tell him it was a 2 cycle and the gas needed to be mixed? That would have been the FIRST thing I told him as he was looking at it

 

Neighbor lady borrowed a push mower from me years ago. It had a RARE RUNNING Tecky on it. She comes back after lunch and says it quit running. I go over and the carb fell off!  I put the carb back on. She ows some more but has to leave to go somewhere. Next morning she comes over. "I can't get it to start" I go over and pull the cord. The whole engine tries to spin on the deck. All the mount bolts fell out! 

[Pullstart 62,878]

57 minutes ago, squonk said:

Did you even tell him it was a 2 cycle and the gas needed to be mixed? That would have been the FIRST thing I told him as he was looking at it

 

Neighbor lady borrowed a push mower from me years ago. It had a RARE RUNNING Tecky on it. She comes back after lunch and says it quit running. I go over and the carb fell off!  I put the carb back on. She ows some more but has to leave to go somewhere. Next morning she comes over. "I can't get it to start" I go over and pull the cord. The whole engine tries to spin on the deck. All the mount bolts fell out! 

Neither of which I would think would be little old lady’s fault  after all, it’s a Tecky!

[Pullstart 62,878]

Man @Gregor, that sucks.  Reminds me of the day that @D_Mac had a prospective buyer run said test ride machine into said rare Lambert and also bought neither!  This spring I bought Rylee a KX65 dirt bike.  It was about an hour away.  The guy had a Honda 250 two stroke bike that I drooled on a bit.  He offered for me to bring it home and test it out and see how I liked it!  What trust in him, I never took him up on the offer and am still here today to tell you about the story!  

[D_Mac 8,619]

Ughhhhh !!!! Thanks for reminding me. Also reminds me of the time I had a nice running Tecumseh engine on my 500 Special BEFORE @squonk stopped by my house. He came over, looked at it and it quit running ! Ughhhhh !!!! I got off easy with the Lambert. The high curbbing on my driveway saved it from being much worse. Only the rim got bent and a few scratches in the paint. The Tecumseh needed a whole new ignition system. Also even after cleaning and rebuilding the carb TWICE it still leaks gas from the bowl when sitting unless a shut the fuel off. 

Edited August 31, 2021 by D_Mac

[formariz 11,987]

Sad but true and it happens more often than one would think. I decided years back that no tool or machine leaves the premises under no circumstances unless it is for my sons. People were always drooling over my stuff on how clean , sharp or well everything worked, yet when the same people would borrow something they would bring it back, broken, damaged or in an unrecognizable state. Some people in particular left me in a freaky state of mind when I am always a calm cool collected person. Case and point an actual family member that does odd jobs for everyone in the area.I actually used to hire him to keep an eye on the place and do all the maintenance when I went overseas. No more. Last time one of the incidents was that he put straight gas on blower. Never said a word. Eventually when I went to use it sure enough was seized. It was full of straight gas. When I confronted him , swore up and down that no way he did that. Showed him the tank. Then comes the statement " I don't know how that happened but the last time I filled it it only worked for a little bit". I wonder why that was Einstein? At least be smart enough to stick to original excuse and say nothing else I told him. Another time he is down the street working for a neighbor. Comes over with neighbor's saw. Can't get it started. I try it , starts on second pull. Shut it off a few times and try it again. No problem. Off he goes. I don't hear it .Back he comes. Now borrows mine can't deal with the other one. I give him a complete tutorial on how to start it, adjust chain after it gets hot, filling it with gas, give him the gas can already mixed and oil. Make him start it in front of me. No problem. Off he goes. I hear saw starting and going for a while. I take a deep breath thinking finally some peace. Not so fast. Here he is again. Saw won't start again. I try it. Nothing after trying for five minutes.I check fuel. Looks weird in there. Tilt it and oil pours out. Look at the oil container and its full of gas. He is there looking oblivious at me as I now look at him ready to commit a crime. Serenity now I think.  Show him the problem since he can't seem to see it. Here comes another statement" oh, I though that was the oil there" Sweet patience, I ask him, why would you think that when I showed you how to do it and the actual caps have oil and fuel indicated on them. Furthermore all saws that I ever used have the fuel in the back and the oil in the front the reason being obvious. Put seat belt on , here comes another statement, " can you fix it, I have a lot of work to do?" That was the straw that broke this camel's back ( I actually felt like more of a Jack Ass) No I tell him, you or anyone else will never borrow anything from me.There is a Home Depot close by and they have everything you need.  And that was actually the last time I ever loaned anything from here.

Edited August 31, 2021 by formariz

[Gregor 4,846]

15 minutes ago, D_Mac said:

Ughhhhh !!!! Thanks for reminding me.

I remember reading about that. This incident made me unhappy. Something like that would have made me sick.

[lynnmor 7,306]

Last year the neighbor came over to see if I could get his chainsaw running.  He had loaned it to his son and it quit running.  After yanking at that thing for too long, I started at square one and dumped the fuel tank, kerosene.

[Handy Don 12,227]

39 minutes ago, lynnmor said:

Last year the neighbor came over to see if I could get his chainsaw running.  He had loaned it to his son and it quit running.  After yanking at that thing for too long, I started at square one and dumped the fuel tank, kerosene.

Sad but so true.

My neighbor was given a blower and was having trouble with it stalling. No oil in the gas, of course. Thankfully, it hadn't seized or seriously scored the piston/cylinder so it could be revived. He was sheepish in his acknowledged ignorance and now consults with me on all his power equipment!

Like @formariz, I no longer lend tools except to my (trained) children.

[Gregor 4,846]

Here are some pics I posted last year in a Lawn Boy forum. I cannot say for certain that this motor was straight gassed, but I would just about bet on it.  The bearings are stuck. This is from a 6.5 hp Dura Force motor. A VERY good motor.

 

[Handy Don 12,227]

5 minutes ago, Gregor said:

Here are some pics I posted last year in a Lawn Boy forum. I cannot say for certain that this motor was straight gassed, but I would just about bet on it.  The bearings are stuck. This is from a 6.5 hp Dura Force motor. A VERY good motor.

Great pics, thanks! Clearly there was inadequate lubrication and what a mess.

[tom2p 2,394]

I knew where this story was going

 

lawn boy (2 cycle) ... and someone borrows it 

 

[Gregor 4,846]

My 10515 is back, I hope. New piston and rings, new bearings throughout, and new seals. The cylinder was slightly scored, but not terrible. I honed it as much as I dared. I am suppose to wait 15 hours for the Honda Bond HT gasket sealer to cure. Tomorrow will tell the tale.