Halfway through the mow this afternoon the tractor started coughing and popping. I figured it was the points, it’s usually a once a year job. I thought I could finish but it kept getting worse.

So I pulled it up to the garage and rooted around in the toolbox. Is it still there? yep. A little Craftsman toolbag with an emery board, a feeler gauge, a 3/8″ open end wrench filed thin on the end, and a shirt pocket screwdriver. I sit down on the right side mower deck and unscrew the point cover. Sure enough the points have worn to about .035″. I sand them so they shine, loosen the locknut, and screw the adjuster in until I get about .018. I tighten the locknut and that brings it out to a solid .020. Put the cover back on, put the tools away, and the tractor fires up and runs like it just rolled off a showroom floor.

46 years old, and it still mows like a new one.