u/kalabaddon

I live in a double wide in the White sands area with a well. water it self seem pretty clean? tested fine when I bought house, and I can not find ANY existing filters? But it is for sure hard water.

What is the cheapest setup I can get and prepare my self so that they just have to tap in to my well main?

Got it as part of a package deal. looks in pretty clean condition, has carbs and all covers. I have exhaust that does not seem to be original but looks like it would fit maybe. I wanted to use it for a project mini trike. Am I right in assuming since its points all I need is to rewire a super simple wire harness from whats left poking out of the engine is one pair to a battery, then 2 set running to the condensors and coils then sparkplugs?

Alternatively since it seems a rareish motor. I am happy to trade it for something similar and more common? Hate to have someone wishing they had this when I am going to trash it LOL.

I put the 550 ex at a low spec and now think my issues may be cam / decompression spring n stuff. I also want to make sure I am servicing my rider correctly. so when it says .004- .009 ( pull them out of ass, not sure what manual says right now, but I follwed it when setting it on 550 ) do I get it snug at .004 and expect it to loosen, or have it right at the .009 with the feeler snug and expect it to tighten over time? I heard from a few places this is the most touchy part of this engine so want to make sure I do it right. May have really hosed my 550 putting it at the tightest spec?

Just trying to find out if they even made one for this mower? Would like to have it available to do some stuff now and future repairs?

I figure it is, but curious why it seems monitoring the oil temp is the more common recommendation?

What else would you all do longevity wise?

As far as typical maintenance, am I safe to pump out the oil from dipstick vs draining from plug? (Plug location is silly, and I got everything to pump out already.) or is there some deep crevices not near the dip stick ( I know it used to be the dip stick tube tended to go right to drain pan, but not sure if that is reliable info for mowers)

Will be fully tested, This is not just my finger crossing about condition. if its anything less then perfect he will drop the price accordingly, if for some reason it needs tires, It will be that much less, etc... ( is a friend who is only even charging more to make it a fair trade. not cause he wants money, ,they have given me to much for free imho so I am partially insisting also). I am asking just to make sure its not a bad idea cause of the current issues I hear with craftsman and QC these days. I am very handy and if parts are available I can matiane and repairs it over the years.

Also why are these things rated at what they are rated at? Like I am mowing maybe a total of .7 an acre. But if my neibore how also has that amount of yard borrows it? Like is it rated for X yard size cause of comfort and gas tank size, hours running per day ( does it have a duty cycle? ) or cause the engine will just suck ass if used long term?

ALSO 2 lol, Why wouldnt someone use one of these to do some local yard work to make a bit of cash on the side?

My position is I have nothing but freetime ( NOT proude of that, and why I am looking to maybe do yard work on the side ) So I dont mind mowing slowly or taking my time etc...

I just want to better understand the ratings. I mean clearly they are partially about things like getting you to buy the larger one. BUT imho 1/4 an acre is push mower rage. Hell I am ok doing my entire lawn push. but getting this seems like it may be a part time income source from a hand full of people I know would hire me.

So the acre rating is all comfort and sales pitch, or very valid reason ( Like I get zero turn is pure value added. but that is value added at all acre sizes. Does craftman consider a mower to be better for large yards just cause of adding that vs any longivity reasons? or having a foot throttle vs handle ( I prefer a set n forget handle for a lot of senarios. but of course not all )

sorry if wordy, I can suck at getting what I am asking out clearly. ( Dont conflate my other brutlizing a lawn mower post to what I will do with this mower. LOL. This one I will be treating well. I will break the trash push mower I have getting the lawn to a managable state, then use this to manage it.)

I think this means that the cam pressure relief spring or something has fallen or misaligned?

Yesterday I mowed down a couple bags worth of overgrowth and I let it idle for a few seconds before I stopped it and put it away.

Today first thing I pulled it out I gave it a couple primes I pulled on the cable and the cable seems fine and it pulled over and didn't quite start.

The second time I pulled on the cable it wouldn't pull.

I can make the engine go through a full rotation by spinning the blade but it is very rough and actually feels like there might be a bit of mechanical interference. But it could also just be pressure cuz it does rotate.

What are your all thoughts? This is an absolutely abused 550ex I got from a police recovery and repaired