Al Baglio , and the lost art of carburetor adjusting. He is taking a small engine class at high school and was anxious to get his hands on my yard implements during the past semester so he would have some projects. The jury is in and he acquitted himself magnificently. The 22 Craftsman needed a new rotor since the rubber paddles had worn themselves to the point of uselessness over the years.......and it had sat for a couple years because it was replaced with an old Gilson........a behemoth that really doesnt shine with less than six inches of snow. He tuned it up and replaced the rotor , so I now have a light weight for those dustings than need more than a broom or leaf blower to clear. Then he took the Gilson in for some tweaking of the carb .......... I had to play with the choke and throttle to keep it in the sweet spot when I used it. Something I could do , but no one else was familiar with its quirks enough to use it. He has it purring like a kitten after a little needle and seat work and a float adjustment. The kid is good. But what I find most encouraging is he #1 has a real aptitude for this kind of work. I will be giving him some pointers on the Holley 4150 this summer , and it will be one more person who can kick it old school and work on a motor with a carburetor. I am warming up to the concept of tuning with a lap top on a fuel injected engine........but there will always be room for a guy who can juggle jets and air bleeds to optimize performance in my world. ;-) And #2 , he soaks this shit up. I dont know if I was that eager to learn at that age. He wants to know things that too many people just dont care to learn , and would rather throw money at someone who might or might not know what they are doing. I have worked with a lot of part changers over the years. I also know a few who take the time to properly diagnose the problem and fix it once. I think hes gonna be one of those. Thanks Buddy. You done good !
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 23:44:54 +0000