Eric,
Those compression numbers aren't terrible. I ran my TO for 3-4 years with compression numbers in that range. If your TO runs good, keep running it.These old Continentals are about as easy an engine to rebuild as you will find. You can borrow, or rent cheap, many of the specialty "one time use" tools you might need to rebuild your TO at most Auto Parts stores - like a ridge reamer, valve compressor, piston ring compressors, etc. The rest is all hand tools. An exception to that might be the head. When I rebuilt my TO, I took the head to a machine shop to press in new guides, polish-up the valve seats, etc. They also checked for warp, cracks, hot dipped, and painted it. Cost $70 and worth every penny. A note on the bush hogging: even a strong re-built TO will bog down with a 5' B.Hog under certain conditions, ie. going up a fairly steep hill while cutting tall heavy grass, deck too low, etc. I was cutting my neighbors field a couple weeks back, hadn't been cut in 3-4 years, it was really thick and tall. My TO was bogging down with my "normal" bush hog setting. I had to raise the deck a few inches to get thru it. But, next time I cut it, my normal setting will do just fine providing I don't wait another couple years to cut it again. I've also heard it helps if you adjust your B.hog deck so it is an inch or so lower in the front than in the back so the blade is only doing the heavy cutting on one side. I do that anyway to avoid getting hit by missiles (rocks,cans, sticks,etc) that are thrown out of the B. Hog.
If you do the rebuild, you can count on the guys here to give you good info.
George
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