Well boB since you choose to have this go through the forum, here 'tis, a bit of self-humiliation. A character trait (good or bad?) I developed in my early teens when I figured it was easier to laugh at myself than to get pizzed off when I did things stupid and try to blame someone else or beat my head against the wall.
Not that the John Deere patio tractor wasn't worth the trip to Texas all by itself, as the extra added attractions put a BIG plus on the trip since my wonderful bride accompanied me.
I bought the "Texas tractor" and drove to Austin from North Carolina to pick it up. The entire trip wasn't a waste. We did, after all, get to visit Memphis, and the Peabody Hotel, Vicksburg and Natchez, Mississippi.
I mean, what could have been more interesting than stopping in Faraday, Louisiana, home of Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty and Jimmy Swaggert, and having red beans and rice for lunch ??? Just another experiment on the highway of life.
Thrown into the mix for good measure was seizing the moment and seeing the "DeRailers" play at the Broken Spoke dance hall in Austin.
On the return trip, we saw another piece of Americanna as we drove through Ruston, LA, home of one famous poster on this here forum, and known as "Bowtie".
But whatta waste. All these people standing in the park, downtown Ruston, watching the grass grow. One guy told me there wasn't much to do there as the alligators were too far out in the swamp to observe and the mosquitos were dormant for a few hours.
Once we got home, I got the "Texas Tractor" stripped down and refurbished, then tried to get it running. The carburetor needed to be rebuilt as it was loaded and crusty with dried gasoline. Once it got cleaned up and rebuilt, it fired right up, except, I couldn't get it to idle. Now I was slightly upset since I had problems rebuilding the carburetor and figured I had screwed up, royally. I did screw up, but as it turned, that was not the problem.
I ordered another carburetor from a very nice chap in Iowa, and installed it on the JD 112. Started the tractor up and still could not get the tractor to idle.
Now there are people who are stupid, and there are people who are suffering with mental challenges, then there are people who should either leave simple things to those with greater mechanical ability and intelligence or possibly admit defeat.
Of course, it does help (here comes the excuse) if the person referred to herein is not tired when they try to acchieve these wonders of mechanical problems and rebuilds. Tiredness being the result of carrying rocks to protect the swale from torrential rains, and tilling soil for a new flower bed for Ms. Judy.
Now the EXCUSE is out of the way, I put the project aside for a day or so and rested with several bottles or Coors Light with an occasional Dos Equies(?) XX thrown in to establish good foreign relations with our friends across the border. Watching a few classic movies from the thirties, forties and fifties helped in this Herculean efffort of "resting". This period of rest permitted me to gather my thoughts and try, once again, to see why I could not get the tractor to idle.
Yesterday was test day, once more. Started the JD 112 patio tractor, and, WALLA !!!!!!! It started right up !!!!! But it didn't idle. This called for a serious study of the posible reasons why, something not done with any amount of zeal previously. Plus, keep in mind, while the person responsible was under duress and tired (note the excuses have escalated to two (2) ).
So the study began without a federal grant, which I might add, in itself is something to be proud of, and success, total, unequivocal, simple success was, none the less acchieved.
After two weeks of futzing with this "it won't idle" thing, off and on, and not being smart enough to see, the throttle linkage was hung up.............................. sorta means only one thing. The repairman should take the time to analyze the situation.
Rather than get mad, I laugh at myself for being so simple, closing up the work shop, going into the house and opening a long neck bottle of Coors Light !!!!!!!!!!!
Even though I couldn't decipher the most simple of things, I do know beer in a long neck bottle tastes better than beer from a stubby bottle or can.
"NUFF SAID !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
