[legion]

True story.

I've been mowing the lawn for the 80 year-old widow next door. In exchange, she has allowed me the use of her late husband's riding mower.

I'm pretty sure he bought the thing five years ago and has only added gas since purchase...

So...I decide to give it an overhaul. I also decide it needs to mulch instead of just cut grass. I set off for Farm & Fleet. I spend $40 for a new air filter, fuel filter, oil filter, spark plug and oil. Then I swing by Sears for the proper mulching kit ($50).

I get home and I jack up the front end and put it on ramps. I start looking for a drain plug. I don't find a drain plug. (Now my mower and snowblower don't have drain plugs so I have to suck the oil out.) Then I notice there is a drain on the side of the engine with a fitting for a hose so that I can drain the oil without jacking it up. I lower it down off the ramp and drain the oil.

I change the oil filter, the air filter and the fuel filter...and I notice the rubber fuel line has some deep cracks in it. I head off to Advance Auto Parts (closest to my house) to buy some generic 3/8" fuel line. I get there and...I forgot my wallet. Fortunately the fuel line is only $1.89--$2.07 after tax. I run to my truck and scrounge for change.

I get home and replace the damaged fuel line. Then I start on the mulching kit. I jack the mower up again (after retrieving the ramps and jack that I put away). I pull the first blade and see that it is identical to the blade I removed. Oh well, the new blades are sharp so I decide to change them anyway. I change the first blade. Then as I am changing the second blade, I realize see that it has a marking on it: "This side down." Did I put the first blade on upside down? After changing the second blade, I check the first one and yes, I did put it on upside down. I correct my mistake and lower the mower off the ramps. Then I proceed to install the new plastic bit the replaces the vent that throws grass out the side so that the grass will continue to circulate around the blades and become mulched.

3½ hours after starting, I'm finally ready to start her up (after spreading the prerequisite kitty litter over the garage floor). Progress! She has gone from backfiring and belching black smoke every ten seconds to having the revs drop and belching a little gray smoke every ten seconds!