Last night I started the 18hp Stover for the first time.

Oiled up the piston and cylinder real good, hooked up a freshly charged battery, primed the cylinder with gas, and gave it a try.

You don't spin over a big engine by yourself very fast, but this one started quite easy.  Of course having the priming cup left open as a compression relief helped a lot.  With it closed I couldn't have pulled it over compression.

It started quite easy and I started it a couple of time and ran it for a few minutes.  Of course starting a well oiled engine in a barn does create a bit of smoke and exhaust.

Needless to say, Kathy noticed the smell immediately when I came into the house.:eek:  
Had to change my clothes and take a shower or go back out to the shop without dinner.

For some reason wives just don't seem to appreciate the smells of this hobby.:rolleyes:

You need a career change. After being in a machine shop all day my better half never bellyaches about odor unless I have been working on a fuel system or am saturated in fumes from something 2 cycle.

Ha,
My sweet wife just doesn't complain.
If I come in smelling like gasoline or exhaust she will notice and say something but that is it.
Ain't it fun, George?
That first run will be a remembered one.

When I came to the back door soaked with hydraulic oil from a broken hose on a loader. my wife just told me to take those coveralls off and let me get them into the washing machine before the oil soaks any deeper.  Outdoor smells and shop smells are fine.  Another woman's perfume?? Now there would be a problem!!!!