Garage Hangout

Having the 3118 on my lift made it easier to reach both the top and bottom side. Started by removing the oil exchange cooler. Then removing wires. Cables, starter, etc. I needed the remove the mowing deck to reach some bolts on the underside. A nylon strap and my bridge crane facilitated removing the engine. The set it on my elevated table, drained the oil, and started the tear down.


Setting the engine on my lift table. Letting the oil drain..


Removing the oil pan and see what's inside.. Looking GOOD so far..

 




Using good quality oil and frequent oil changes pays off! Even the oil is clean....


After half a day, it was time for dinner and relax. Another day I'll dive into removing the fan shroud and disassembly.

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Local vintage machinery club had it's annual crank up day yesterday.

Quote from: skfarmer on Mar 07, 2026, 07:47 AMi see it more as an added feature. i don't hate it and it doesnt alter the usefulnes of any other feature so why not?

i have on many occasions used the extension slid into the handle to get the ratchet closer to the work. especially as a guide to hold bits straight on initial breaking free or final tightening.

i have a tractor that has 2 transmission sensors that are notoriously hard to get at. one under each side of the cab. you can see them plain as day, but they are arm deep under there and they were a cuss fest the first time i changed one, years ago before the advent of these pass-through t handle ratchets. it made a real sob of a job easy peasy

I have done that too.
The T position is useful in some cases on some of them, just not the stubbiest version and only truly useful on the longest version unless you had 2 extensions.

i see it more as an added feature. i don't hate it and it doesnt alter the usefulnes of any other feature so why not?

i have on many occasions used the extension slid into the handle to get the ratchet closer to the work. especially as a guide to hold bits straight on initial breaking free or final tightening.

i have a tractor that has 2 transmission sensors that are notoriously hard to get at. one under each side of the cab. you can see them plain as day, but they are arm deep under there and they were a cuss fest the first time i changed one, years ago before the advent of these pass-through t handle ratchets. it made a real sob of a job easy peasy

They offer bigger sets in the multi drawer blow mold case which does include some wrenches I believe ( I'm pretty sure my cousin has one, and a similar set from Kobalt ).

That 40's to early 50's set is kind of better, but more sockets are needed these days.
Both sets kind of have some filler, but some of the filler in the vintage set is of far more value like the punch & chisel set and hammers.
You also get a larger variety of drive handles, plus you're getting 1/4 3/8 & 1/2.

Without the hex keys driver & bits you're really looking at a 79pc set, add a 1/4 universal for an even 80pc then knock the price down and it's not that bad.
27 pieces of unnecessary filler when the vintage set has really only 12 pieces of unnecessary yet still more valuable filler.
Leave out the punch & chisel set, hacksaw, screwdrivers, & hammers for an 87pc set.
44 sockets vs 72, add the 28 missing sockets to the vintage set for a 115pc set and you've massively blown the new set out of the water.


You definitely got more for your money back then, not necessarily just due to inflation but also because of the small low value filler they use to boost piece counts these days.

I pulled the grips so I could strip off all that protective clear coat that gums them up, and I discovered that the 424 actually do have some production or die codes on them.


I can't imagine why the 524 don't, but I checked and my old ones actually don't either.

You guys know I'm a huge Channellock fan, and I recently learned that they had changed their little #524 slipjoint pliers & 424 ignition pliers so I just had to order a pair of each.

These are what I expected to get.




This is what I got.


They are much nicer in finish and consistency ( they appear to be using a M.I.M process for the little ones now ) , but I expected the markings on the 524 to actually be in the steel which is the main reason I wanted them.






The 424 are also a bit thicker overall too which is nice.

The one real problem I have is that they are just market with a light lazer etch or something, and they also don't even have the forged in die numbers or whatever these were previously.


They're probably under the grips on my old pair of 524, but the current pair definitely doesn't have any.

They have eliminated the need for fitting and surface finishing which has been a problem for them on their little ones these days and I'm happy about that, the markings are initially easier to read and should stay more visible for longer, but they lack any other permanent markings which I don't really like.

These 2 pairs I received directly from CHANNELLOCK were dated 4/23 & 9/24 on the packaging, and I don't know when Channellock actually made the switch in manufacturing on these.
I bought my original pairs at least 5 years ago I believe, and since they were bought from HJE they came as open stock in baggies instead of the consumer retail blister packaging so I don't know when they were exactly made.

I have no clue if their stock photos are supposed to be exactly current or not.
Did they start with the markings on the 524 manufactured into the steel then move away from that, or have they more recently switched and I just got an older stock pair.
If it's a previous generation I can maybe order another pair from somewhere else where stock sits longer and have a chance of getting a pair of them.


I was watching a video from one of the EDC related channels I occasionally watch ( not often, because he thinks the micro knipex are the only relevant pocketable pliers which I don't remotely agree with ) and saw that the pair of Channellock 524 he showed were different and marked into the steel.
I remember when he first bought a pair he got the old ones like mine, so I don't know when he got those newer ones.

Maybe I should just message Channellock on Monday and find out ?

Quote from: skfarmer on Mar 06, 2026, 09:12 AMi recently picked up the crom ratchet of that size, the t handle/extension version.

it along with the vim locking flex t handle version i also picked up live in my hf icon socket/bit set. with a shoehorning they all fit in the case.

a very comprehensive set with 3 different ratchets, 6 various extensions, a drive handl, 22 sae and metric sockets and nearly 30 assorted bit. all in case approx 6x4x2

I have just never understood the T handle feature on the standard and mini length versions.
On the long version like the VIM RBF400K you have room for your hand to actually spin it, but that spinning action is the only reason I see for the T handle feature.
Using it in a fixed T grip position makes absolutely zero sense to me when you get more leverage from the center of the bit when using it normally as a bit ratchet, plus it ratchets.

i recently picked up the crom ratchet of that size, the t handle/extension version.

it along with the vim locking flex t handle version i also picked up live in my hf icon socket/bit set. with a shoehorning they all fit in the case.

a very comprehensive set with 3 different ratchets, 6 various extensions, a drive handl, 22 sae and metric sockets and nearly 30 assorted bit. all in case approx 6x4x2