Today was one of the most frustrating days ever. It started out beautifully. I got up early because the weather forecast was for 80+ degrees and I had the seasonal rotor-tilling to do. The dogs lounged on their couch as I ate my breakfast. Kitty even chanced a chase to join them. The scene was too perfect. I grabbed my camera and snapped "reflections in the morning sun."
My greenhouse is full of plants desperately needing to go into the soil. Everything has been transplanted into gallon pots which they have now outgrown. Still feeling the glow of a beautiful early morning, I headed to the garden to get to work.
First glitch: Try as I might I could not get the cord to pull on the rototiller. I hauled it up to the house for better access to tools (and Dave when he woke up).
Second glitch: The set of hex-wrenches would not fit between the grab bar and the bolt heads. Off to the myriad of tool and paper boxes to search. I finally found a hex-wrench that would work. Dave was up by this time and agreed to help since I was concerned about the pressure I was putting on the wrench to attempt to turn the bolt. He tried then asked for something to use as a breaker-bar for the hex-wrench. Another search of tool boxes resulted in the interior tube from a break-apart screw driver. Finally, the top was off and the pull rope assembly taken off. Nothing was obvious so back together everything went. Still no give on the pull rope. Once again the top was taken off and the thingy the rope turns was checked to see if it was the problem. Everything was put back together again and serious effort was put into the pulling of the rope. After numerous pulls, the system freed.
Third glitch: Several more pulls and no spark. Back to the tool and paper boxes to find a spark plug. Finally luck - we had one. Then came the massive search for a box-wrench socket to remove the old spark plug. Nothing seemed to fit. Rather than continually going in and out trying different sockets, I decided to just grab the new spark plug and take it inside for the search.
Fourth glitch: No spark plug to be found. OK, where did we put it down during our tool search?
Frustrated and with the day getting noticeably hotter, I finally found a socket and took out the old spark plug. The point was coated with carbon build-up so we attempted to burn it off. Fifth glitch: We used up all the fuel in both of our BBQ torches before the point came clean. While Dave roasted the old spark plug over the kitchen stove burner, I went in search of the wayward new spark plug. After checking the house and tool storage area, the only logical conclusion was to blame Trask. I headed for the spots where he puts his favorite finds. I did find more of my birthday candles but alas no spark plug by the time the old one was pronounced sufficiently carbon free and ready to be tested. In it went, the rototiller was once again put back together. Hurrah! It started. Only after I replaced the old plug
and put the tiller back together again did I spot the new plug under the rhodys by the bird
feeder. Yup, a stalking a Jay must have been more exciting than a spark plug. It got dropped during the pursuit.
Sixth glitch. When I took the rototiller apart, I noticed an oil leak. I checked the oil - near empty - and went in search of oil.
Final glitch. I took the rototiller back down to the garden and successfully did a small area amid blinding smoke and spitting oil. Dave's diagnosis: the engine had gotten locked up over the winter. When I yanked hard and finally freed the start rope mechanism, I broke the piston ring.
Saving grace for the day: A really beautiful morning with an unusual photo-op and I now have all the tools I need to take apart the rototiller and a spark plug in one place.