# Warmth Expected Across U.S. for Next Three Months, U.S. Says



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

> A streak of above-normal temperatures that led to the fourth-warmest U.S. winter on record is expected to continue for the next three months, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
> 
> NOAA said the southern states of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi will have the highest chance of warm weather from March through May. The forecast was part of a report that said Texas may get drought relief and that the risk of spring river flooding will be the lowest in four years.


That does it for me . . putting the rest of the maters, peppers and herbs out this afternoon


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Sure you got the time for that?? We've been kinda busy since Sunday.....

I'm ready to order some plants from one of the gkids...she's selling them for school. Watching for the neighbor to put his tiller on his tractor.....pay him to do me a garden plot. I started to till a garden a few years ago and came to the realization that the season would be over by the time I got ready or I would have a heart attack in the process. When I really put out a garden, years ago, I used a Ford 9N and a two bottom plow. Six foot disc and a railroad tie for a drag got 'er smoothed up. 

Hope the weather holds out but that usually means something like severe storms.....had a wild thunderboomer that shook the house early this morning!!


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

SABL said:


> Sure you got the time for that?? We've been kinda busy since Sunday.....


aint that the truth . .


----------



## Pa Woodbutcher (Mar 10, 2012)

you too funny LOL

Probably no garden for us this year. We had a flood last September that destroys our. We had a 30x70 with a fence all the way around it. It's 100 yards from the house and the deer and rabbits like it that way. The flood removed the fence for us, dropped a few hundred tons of sand and stones in it. May have it cleaned out and prepped again for the end of the year depending on how work goes.

Nothing like home grown maters though.:thumb: We do have friends that we can mooch off from though so we won't be completely without.


----------



## Dude111 (Aug 22, 2011)

It was quite a nice winter here! (I thought it was gonna be as bad as LAST WINTER (Quite snowy .. More than i've seen in many years))


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Pa Woodbutcher said:


> you too funny LOL
> 
> Probably no garden for us this year. We had a flood last September that destroys our. We had a 30x70 with a fence all the way around it. It's 100 yards from the house and the deer and rabbits like it that way. The flood removed the fence for us, dropped a few hundred tons of sand and stones in it. May have it cleaned out and prepped again for the end of the year depending on how work goes.
> 
> Nothing like home grown maters though.:thumb: We do have friends that we can mooch off from though so we won't be completely without.


30X70?? That's a decent size!! Any equipment to work it?? Years ago (when I was married and family was young) I put out 100X100 and spent many an hour canning and freezing.....200qts 'maters and filled a 26 sq ft freezer with beans, corn, pumpkin puree, and whatever else would freeze. We didn't plant many onions or carrots but did a few beets for pickling. 

It's early up here but I may do a few 'mater seeds.....if I move the beer cans I may have a spot or two on my desk for some pots.....:rofl: They may like a waft of CO2 coming from a nearby beverage??


----------



## Pa Woodbutcher (Mar 10, 2012)

Just a rototiller. We had a 2x4 welded wire fence around it to keep the deer out, but that was knock down by floating debris and cover with mud. She (the wife) uses black plastic with holes in it for the plants and for water to seep through. Works great as it holds the heat and keeps the weed from growing anywhere but right near the plants themselves. Makes for a lot less weeding. Canning and freezing makes for a busy fall, but also for great eating in the winter.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

On a some what related note, if you have a tiller get her fired now as small engine repair shops here are back logged up to 4 weeks. Grass cutting really hit us about 3 weeks early this year.

BG


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

10 day backlog here . . I gave up and took it to the repair shop . .


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I think the real trick for easy starting the next year depends a lot on how and even were you store them in off season. 

Every year before I store my stuff they get a nice shot of Sea Foam in the gas tank. I don't run them dry. My big rider is on it 28 years old, the snow blower is newer, it's only 25 years old. Never a big deal getting them started. 

A can of either is a short cut in starting them, it works but can be very dangerous to use.

BG


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Yeah . . like a dummy I just put it away . . first year I have done that. Never used sea foam . . how does it work?


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

There are many things on the market advertised as a fuel preserver, Seafoam is one. I think it is calling, for stroage 1 oz per gallon. I just dump 1 oz into what ever is left in the gas tank. Off course the my rider can take more since it can hold I think it holds 4 gallons. 

I run it a few minutes before the last shut down to make sure the treated fuel runs through the carb.

In the spring if they are a little tuff to start, I pill the air cleaner, open the choke and open throttle plate by hand. One, i second shot of either,shut the choke pull the cord. It should fire at least. May have to repeat a very short of either a couple of more time. Let the engine run until it gets to normal operating temp, shut it down install the air cleaner.

BG


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Old Rich said:


> 10 day backlog here . . I gave up and took it to the repair shop . .


Let us know what they find. I haven't tried the tiller yet.....my Toro fired up just fine. Full choke and half throttle.....hit the key and purred like a kitten.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Did you service it yet? Like sharpen the blades. grease yet? I spent probably 4 hours removing my deck doing all that.

Did the bungy cord come with it? :grin:

BG


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

SABL said:


> Let us know what they find. I haven't tried the tiller yet.....my Toro fired up just fine. Full choke and half throttle.....hit the key and purred like a kitten.


I'm sure the carb is all gummed up . . Small engines are not my strong point . .


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Hence the reason for products like seafoam. Carbs get gummed up from the varnish from stale gas. Gas is really only good for 60-90 days so they say.

Again either, aka starting fluid, can be your friend (or your foe if you use it to much) for a hard to start small engine.

Water, in the fuel, is also a big problem. An old way to check for water in the tank, pore a little rubbing alcohol in it, turns milky, it has water in it.

BG


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Yeah . . I know better . . just missed that one last fall when I drained the others . . it was in the back of the shed and I must have overlooked it


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I never drain them, all have gas. Less air=less varnish. The only way to me, if I were to empty, would be to pull the carb/bowl and use carb cleaner.

BG


----------



## Gadsden (Mar 10, 2012)

The mechanic that does my small engine work has told me several times that ethanol is causing a lot of problems for small engines.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I have heard the same also, but using it has not caused me problems, maybe the Seafoam keeps that way. I do use it in my stored gas also. 

BG


----------



## Gadsden (Mar 10, 2012)

I used it for one season. I switched to Stabil for marine (Blue bottle) just from doing a little research. They advertise anyway that it's formula was designed to combat the effects of ethanol. I guess the ethanol captures the water and holds on to it. Pretty soon, you've got more water than what the engine can handle.
I've also put shut-off valves in the fuel lines leading to the carbs. My Snapper rider needs a new valve seat and needle (damage done by ethanol, I'm told). It runs beautifully if I starve it of gas after I'm done. At the time, money and time were tight and a $2.00 shut-off beat the charge for replacing everything. Small engines and I don't get along well.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I have heard good things about Stabil blue. Also heard good things about
Sea foam. Saw Sea Foam on sale a couple of years ago so I bought a couple of bottles. Seems to work for me :grin:

BG


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Basementgeek said:


> Did you service it yet? Like sharpen the blades. grease yet? I spent probably 4 hours removing my deck doing all that.
> 
> Did the bungy cord come with it? :grin:
> 
> BG


Bungy is optional for max dispersal.....:laugh: The cup holder on the driver's right is standard.....might as well added an ash tray. Both would be equally worthless......:rofl:

I spent some time scraping the deck and greasing most of the fittings.....ran out of grease in the big gun (flex hose) and had to use the mini-gun (fixed tube). Spindles were priority.....deck mounts when I get more grease. If you notice the front of the mower you'll see a stand.....swing it out, drop it in front and move the mower foreward to raise the front end off the ground. I almost pulled the blades but they were still in decent shape (and I need to locate my belt sander and 36-grit belts). I cheat when I pull the blades.....1/2" impact wrench gets 'em right off. 

I'll be cutting again today....this warm weather has the lawn about a month early and it sure needs it.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

Those little mini grease guns are almost useless if you need a fair amount grease. I bought one ,tried it once and put it away.

My flex grease gun also ran out grease so I hand filled with some bulk grease.
I really need to get the deck off to replace all 3grease fitting. Replace with 90º fittings, make easier to grease the shafts.

I too used 1/2in impact wrench on the blades. Used a 4 in hand grinder on the 3 blades, file where needed and balanced them.

I cut yesterday but the grass was still very damp so you know what it looks like, may do back again tomorrow or Wednesday.

I still want to go through the push mower, no rush since I did last year. The old antique weedeater fired up OK using the 2 cycle gas I left in it last year.

BG


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

We got our weather back......28F right now. 

I'll have to get out and cut today......or have another crop of hay....:sigh: First thing I need to do is walk the backyard and see what the gkids have thrown around......got lucky last year when I ran over a buried golf club and it didn't kick up into the blades. Kinda hard to see stuff when the kid let the grass get over 12" tall.......guess he had better things to do (like fishing).

The small grease gun isn't too bad......I fill that one by hand (too cheap to buy the cartridges.....:laugh. I still need to get a couple tubes of grease for the bigger guns (got 2 of 'em....found 1 so far). 

Might get up to 58F today.....just right for a jacket. I'll start cutting the grass early afternoon.


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

57 degrees this morning . . headed for 86 this afternoon


----------



## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Gadsden said:


> The mechanic that does my small engine work has told me several times that ethanol is causing a lot of problems for small engines.


Anything other that straight pure gasoling in small engines caysesthem to quit prematurely and hear doesn't help a lot either. So far I have found thag Stifle engines ate the only ones made for the new gas


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Dang . . shop just called and the carb has a crack in the bowl . . will have to be replaced


----------



## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

bowel or the whole carb?

Hey BG I've used seafoam all my life and if you follow the instructions it works great, don't follow the instructions you might as well dump dish washing detergent in a crank case.
Risalone used to be good too when you could find the stuff. Guys always remember a clean engine runs cooler, and if its warmer than normal cooling is critical to all engines.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I don't use Seafoam in the crankcase, just the fuel.

Old Rich, does it cold enough to freeze where you live? If the bowl had water in it, sounds like it froze and broke the bowl.

BG


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

Maybe the bowl was too tight?? Them rototillers do take a beating (as well as the operator). Or, as BG says, water and cold temps will do the trick.

Yesterday wasn't too bad.....I waited til later in the day and cut the grass when the temps got up in the mid 50's. Day turned out better when the guy across the road leveled his driveway.....then came over and did my severely rutted 300' driveway.....*for free!!* I offered to pay him but he refused.....I'll catch him come garden tilling time. He has a Ford 3000 with a 4' tiller that can do a garden in no time. 

I decided to try the cup holder one more time......not too bad if you drink half the "beverage" and don't mind a little texture in the drink. Herring bone stripes don't look all that bad......:rofl:


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

No freeze for us this year . . I did not take the call, but it sounded like just the bowl has to be replaced . . this is the second one in 12 years . . the last one was just three years ago . . it does take a beating and I loan it to neighbors so no telling what happened to it! It's a little thing . . uses a chainsaw engine. Mantis 2 cycle. Handy for small gardens


----------



## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Basementgeek said:


> I don't use Seafoam in the crankcase, just the fuel.
> 
> Old Rich, does it cold enough to freeze where you live? If the bowl had water in it, sounds like it froze and broke the bowl.
> 
> BG


I do, say I buy your old car with 100,000 on it and you never did anything except change the oil and filter, the crank case is gonna be sludged up like mad, seafoam cleans it out, just gotta do EXACTLY what it says on the can or else risk serious engine damage.


----------



## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

5.8L Ford E350 with 250,000 miles......SeaFoam is the last thing I would ever put in the oil. Made a mistake many years ago with an old TO-20 (Ferguson tractor) and didn't do any more than use detergent oil one time.....leaked like a sieve afterwards.


----------



## Basementgeek (Feb 7, 2005)

I am surprised that it even has a bowl, being a 2 cycle.

Make sure they save the old part for you.

BG


----------



## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

Will do . . these guys have always been very good. The message may well have been scrambled . . wifie knows even less than I do about these little engines


----------

