So I took the thermostart out today and looked at it. Blew it out. Got it red hot and blew it out. Got it red hot again and no fuel would flow through. Set it up in a vise, got it red hot again and tried pushing on the valve from the fuel inlet side and there was no motion of the valve. I even went so far as to measure the position of the valve when the thing was cold and then again after I let it heat soak for 30 seconds, which is longer than the tractor timer lets it work. It did not change position even a few thousandths of an inch. I made these measurements in my machine shop, using the proper inspection equipment. For some reason the thing doesn't work. The valve is stuck. It did work when first installed but quit after only a few uses. So I am returning it and getting another. I'm sure it was just a defective one. But darnit, I hate having to go through all the hassle of removing and installing another. Because of the injector plumbing being in the way I had to grind excessively on a wrench in order to fit in the tight space. I also have to remove the air intake hose and the side panel below the cowling. Now I sound like a baby complaining. At least I can return it without paying any shipping costs. Living on an island means I can't just go shopping at the local tractor store and must rely on mail order for lots of stuff. But I couldn't have afforded this beautiful chuck of land on the mainland and the community here would also be very hard to find on the mainland.
