[john hall]

OK, here's the plan. Like a few have said either on the forum or by PM, it should run just fine with a valve job. That said, I decide to go ahead and at least put rings in but will probably go ahead and put in pistons. Dad felt real strongly about going ahead with a set of rings--plus I get the feeling he really wanted to open up a Cadet engine again. My engine machinist just retired. He's done all our work and the work for the IH dealer dad worked for the last 35 years or better. He suggested rings as well. Fortunately he still works a couple days a week so he'll be doing my machining--I'll face the heads myself.

I pulled the jugs to measure the pistons. One is a little scuffed on the side wall, the other is burnt away real bad on the top edge. I measured and the piston dia is about .001-.0015 below the book value where it says to measure at. I'll probably go ahead and get a set of pistons and be done with it, a little more than double what rings will cost. Jmechs parts guy has them listed.

Pulled the flywheel so I could clean the gunk from the charging system. There may have been a hint of oil. I just put in the PTO side seal so I'll change this one while its in front of me. I bought a can of high temp paint the other day, the block and tins are going to get a fresh coat.

So that's the plan, hopefully get parts ordered and jugs sent to machine shop tomorrow. Now somebody please give me a good recommendation on whatever sealant goes between the jugs and the block--that is readily available? The machine shop is in a BIG real parts store so they probably carry something adequate.