04 September 2011

Small engine repair




This would be the intake manifold—or what's left of it

The last time I used our lawnmower, it unexpectedly shut off, but since I had just finished mowing the lawn, I didn't think much of it. When I tried to start it up this week and it wouldn't work, then I started putting some thought into things. It appeared that the engine wasn't getting fuel. The fuel line was looking pretty bad, so I replaced that. That didn't fix the problem so I pulled off the carburetor. No problems there, either. I started pulling off even more parts. it didn't take long before I found my problem—a broken intake manifold (pictured above).

As I was digging around on this engine, I had a flashback to a childhood memory. My father taught a small engine repair class at South Bonneville Junior High. This was back when North and South Bonneville were sharing a school so I wasn't any older than Mason. Anyway, the kids in Dad's class were pretty good about tearing these engines apart, but not so good at putting them back together. At the end of the school year, Dad would have boxes of engine parts, and he conscripted me and sometimes my younger brother to help put them back together. I guess that exercise ended up being rather useful after all.

4 comments:

Andrea Grover said...

If North and South Bonneville Junior High School were sharing a school, wouldn't it have just been Bonneville Junior High School? (Pre-South BJHS) Anyway, I remember the vending machines and a bar out front that I did gymnastics on.

Ethan Scott said...

Those of us who are old enough to remember know that for several years, North and South Bonneville were separate schools sharing the same building. North started early in the morning and South finished school in the evening.

Andrea Grover said...

So I'm just getting around to reading your response. Seriously?! Junior high schoolers finished in the evening?! What, did the cafeteria serve them dinner?

Ethan Scott said...

I'm not sure about the linner menu. You know—a combination of lunch and dinner. Or maybe it should be lupper. Anyway, I was just glad they finished the new junior high building before I had to start seventh grade.