Recent content by Hammermechanicman

Have you checked the exhaust screen? The doohickey is the tank vent.

You can always go old school and strain fuel through an old T shirt. Wrap it over the gas can nozzle. Back in the day of metal gas cans it was common practice.

If the points are in decent shape file them and gap them and they will out live you. Going to a magneto type ignition is not easy as the coil needs 12v. An Atom or Pertronics kit won't work on the engine.

Start with a known good battery. Connect a volt meter to the negative battery post. Not the cable clamp but the actual battery post. Coneect the other lead to engine ground at the starter. Try to start the engine and read the meter. Should read about 1/4 volt ir less. Over half a volt indicates...

Had a guy bring in a chainsaw that won't start. He said he just put fresh fuel in it. I smelled the fuel and then dumped a bunch on the shop floor in front of him and it wouldn't light with a propane torch. Guy got a little defensive when i questioned his fresh fuel. I see crap fuel all the...

Maybe, maybe not. All depends.🙄

I have worked on a bunch of the horse tillers. If it was me and you are replacing the input shaft seal i would go ahead and change the wheel and tine axle shaft seals. The biggest problem with the horse tillers is seals getting cut by stringy fiberous plants and water getting in the seals and...

I make all online purchases i can with paypal using my commercial credit card. I haven't written a check on my commercial checking account in years. When you hand somebody a check they have your bank routing and account number. All someone needs to take money from your account. I do everything...

I have a commercial checking account that is connected to a business credit card. They charge me $5 a month service fee. Everything else is free. I run everything for the business through them. I try to buy everything for the business with the credit card. I deposit checks with my phone and get...

It can be the flywheel. Some engines the keyway is milled into the taper of the crank and all you see is the key in the flywheel and none in the crank

Old school Lufkin. Was my father's and i think he got when he worked for the CCC during the depression. Still accurate.

I did the same thing. I just buy the 10w-30 by the case of quarts. Upside is it helps getting orders over the $150 for free shipping. I use well over 100 quarts a year so i am buying a case a month. A local auto repair shop swithched to quarts because he can mail order cheaper than having the...

Just run away as fast as you can and don't look back. When you hear that just tell them to load it back up. It is either a POS sombody gave them instead of throwing it away. Or it crapped years ago and has been setting for years and will need a hell if a lot more than "not much". When these roll...

The nice thing about the light vs a breaker is that you can troubleshoot the high current draw with it powered on. A breaker will trip out like a fuse whereas the light provides enough load to to not trip or blow. You can disconnect and reconnect things until the light goes out.

When troubleshooting blowing fuses take a blown fuse and a light bulb socket and cobble it together so the fuse link is replaced by the bulb. You plug this into the mower fuse holder and if you have a short the bulb lights up. When the bulb goes out you have found the short. Saves replacing lots...

Well.........we have had a few what's the best oil threads and a couple my spark plug is better than your spark plug threads. Maybe we need a my Chinese Amazon carb is just as good as you OEM carb figh.........er.....ah....... discussion. Please check your guns and knives at the door and enjoy...

I have a bag of the 3 wire ones. I like them. Faster than wire nuts and takes up a little less room in the box. I have the non lever type ideal brand ones too. I like the wago better but they do cost more.

The ms250 is a good saw for most homeowners. The chain that comes on the saw will be an anti kickback semi chisel chain. If you look at the chain you should find either a yellow or green painted link. Green is anti kickback safety chain and yellow is non safety. "Green" chain is a little slower...

All of the stihl pro saws have adjustable oil pumps and some of the bigger homeowner grade are adjustable. Nearly all the box store and small stihl and huskys saws are non adjustable.

I will never hire anyone to help me. I have plenty of business to keep me as busy as i want to be. No sense screwing it up with an employee. Hiring a person even part time would actually cost me money than i would make if i did the right and legal way. Which is the only way i would do it.

I have had very good luck with the cheap honda style carbs. I have had 0 success with Kohler ebay carbs. They have always been jetted wrong.

Looks like a case of "you do you and i will do me" situation going on. Everyone has their views on politics and religion. I doubt that anyone will change anyone's mind debating it on a lawnmower repair forum. Now a good knock down drag out senseless internet fight over over motor oil is a...

Lots of company tests are more about their processes and how to read their documentation and do their paperwork and less about technical troubleshooting skills. I have seen way too many "test smart" guys that couldn't fix a sandwich. They are easy to spot. They are the ones bragging how smart...

No offense but might be time to find a new dealer or shop that has better tools or skills. Just another reason why i don't work on mowers with an ECU.

I was approached once to be a warranty center. Not a chance. I have had enough corporate BS dealings to last me. They wanted me to stock at my exoense a lot of parts i would probably never use. Read the fine print. Customer gets sent to me. I tear it apart and send info to someone. If they deny...

Things on stihl saw that can cause low oiling. Plugged oil pickup filter Cracked oil hose Bad oil pump Stripped worm gear Tip broken off worm gear arm that connects to clutch drum Bad tank vent

The rod is connected wrong. The rod connects the govenor arm on the side of the engine to the butterfly belcrank. The spring connect the linkage in the bottom of the tank to the govenor arm

You rolls the dice and you takes your chances.

Do same test with carb turned with purge bulb on the bottom snd see if bulb fills. Pump it a half dozen times or so. I think what is happening is the check valve on the purge outlet is bad and the engine runs pulling fuel from the purge bulb then pulls air when the bulb is empty.

Press the purge bulb down and then put finger over the purge nipple and release the purge bulb. If it sucks fuel into the bulb the check valve in The purge assy is bad.

Apply no more than 10 psi to the fuel inlet. Should hold pressure. If it doesn't the diaphragm needle not sealing. Press the purge bulb and pressure should drop a little each time you press it. Connect tester to the purge port and pump the purge bulb. Should build pressure slowly and hold. If...

Either bad check valve in purge assy or bad check valve in carb or possibly fuel pump valve. It would help if you had a way to pressure check the carb.

JD used some 30 and 40 series in a previous century

Snap off makes nice tools and markets them well but not for me. I don't need the tool truck to bring me tools for a more than premium price. Many mechanics need the cool factor of a big snap off tool box filled with their tools. I don't measure my mechanics ability by the name on my toolbox. To...

Is it one of those JD with the 30 series Comet drives? Some of those are a real B to get off.

I have a well (ab)used IR 2135TI running 140psi with 3/8" lines and hi-flow couplers. Gets the job done.

I am amazed how much trouble people have with blade bolts. I remove and sharpen or replace a couple hundred blades a year. I zip them off with 6 point impact sockets and put some grease on the threads before i zip them back on with an impact. I don't use a torque wrench (it aint the space...

Couple years ago i had an older JD gator. JD wanted $375 for a new simple one barrell carb. I replaced needle and seat for $55.

.buy the right OEM carb with the proper jetting .. Have you priced an OEM kohler carb?

The new electric saws are nice but i will keep my ported MS660 clone. Nothing like an 8 horsepower chainsaw.

Check all idlers and spindles. Spin them. If any spin free but makes noise it needs replaced. Any that have rough or tight spots when spun need replaced. Double check that all belt guides are on the correct side of the belts. Check any belt guides on idler pulleys are in the correct position...

I have had very good luck with Honda type aftermarket carbs and about 50% good luck with carbs for Briggs engines. I have had 0% luck with aftermarket kohler carbs. EVERY one of them has been jetted wrong. Mowers usually come in because customer replaced OEM with Amazon carb. I can drill out one...

I have had customers question some bills lately. I tell them the truth about the parts and it is what it is. Some of the older folks have a hard time paying over $100 to fix a push mower. I get miffed when i place an order with etrailer and everthing says in stock and 10 days later i get an...

Yes, it is running lean on the main jet. As has been asked, OEM or aftermarket? Many AM carbs for kohlers are not jetted properly. While it is hunting try pulling the choke out slowly. If it stops hunting definately running too lean.

Is fuel filter good? Not clogged? Pressure test the carb. Verify carb tries to pull fuel when bulb is pumped. Remove carb and install fuel lines on inlet and purge nipples. Put line to pump side bn in a cup with fuel in it and pump bulb. Should suck fuel and spit it is out the purge line.

Some people think that folks here are being jerks when they are continually asking for specifics about a piece of equipment after a poster looking for help says i have a XYZ brand (whatever is on the hood) model mower. Here are pics of 2 Troy-Bilt Tuffy garden tillers. Although similar there are...

I actually have 4 chargers. 2 wheeled booster chargers and 2 lunch box chargers. All old and abused (one had a boat and trailer backed over it) plus about a dozen of the HF cheap float chargers. They all work. I just want one that i can connect and leave all night and not over charge and fry...

I bought a supposed high quality smart charger and it crapped out the third time i used it. I have a 50 year old gas station booster/charger that is going strong. I would like a nice smart charger but one that won't take a dump after a few uses. Price not really an issue.

I have a mechanics account at o'Reillys so i get a discount plus i buy brake cleaner by the case and get a discount on quantity. I use quite a bit of the stuff.

I did a z445 spindle rebuild and if i remember right JD bearing number m110024 which crosses to 6204 2RS

Adjust the govenor and recheck linkage.

Cut the tip off and put it back on and see if engine will start.

Remove the solenoid from the bowl and spray wd40 on the plunger stem and work it up and down and it should free up. Wd40 is a good cleaner/solvent but a lousy lubricant.

I like stihl products and i like working on them but i hate trying to get parts. So far i have not had to buy a carb for one this year. I think aftermarket is coming out with more zama type stuff like G&D kits since stihl put the screws to us.

As far as i culd tell it was the original plastic pickup.

I hope it didn't take you as long the first time as it did me today.

If you put on a new OEM carb with the proper starting settings and it runs poorly i would pull the muffler and check for scoring and if P&C is good may have a leaking crank seal. When it won't rev up does it sound strained lean or rich blubbering?

Customer brings in a troy bilt tuffy tiller with 4 hp Briggs. The usual, won't start and only runs on starter fluid. So i toss the carb in the ultrasonic and then installed new fuel pump diaphragm and tank gasket. Aaaaaaaand the same problem. Seems the fuel cup never filled. Changed the spring...

Parts list calls put a 5204 2RS bearing which is a sealed bearing

The fuel pump puts out very little pressure. I am not sure if there are different carbs for pump or Non-pump engines. As you have said it has set for 10 years i would assume the rubber check valves are hard and not working so the pump has failed. I would replace the fuel pump and go from there...

Over torqued screws can warp carbs and tanks. Sometimes doubling up the gasket helps

Disconnect the begative battery cable. Connect a low wattage 12v bulb between the batt neg and the ground cable. An LED light would be best. If the bulb glows you have a pretty good parasitic draw. Start disconnecting things or working through the schematic if you have it. When the bulb goes out...

The average joe probably doesn't have a spark tester, compression tester or a pressure and vac tester. I was trying to give the OP some things to diagnose and not guess without special tools. I have seen more than one 2 stroke with good compression but had scoring and wouldn't run properly or...

The only time i have seen incorrect spark timing on a string trimmer is when someone put the wrong coil on or a cheap aftermarket one. If the trimmer has the original coil i doubt it has incorrect timing. That leaves fuel and compression. Pulling the muffler and a flashlight to look at the...

I have a gallon of 360 marine. When i am doing annual maint on customers mowers i add it to the fuel for storage. Not sure how much it helps but customers like it. Just remember to run engine long enough after adding to get it to the carb. Most folks don't.

The pump is run off the cam. You can remove it and pump it by hand to see if it works. The diaphragm usually doesn't fail. It is one of the check valves that usually fails. If if has been sitting for 10 years i would just go ahead and replace it. Squirt a little fuel into the inlet to wet the...

You may want to look around for a used stihl FS80. Lots of lawn services used them and as long as the oil was mixed properly they are pretty bulletproof. Can take a brush blade so 130 string no problem. 59cc vs the echo 21cc. No comparison.

Pulling the fuel line off is not easy. O e way to test the fuel pump if the system has a clear fuel filter. Pinch off the fuel line between the tank and filter for about 20 seconds then release. If the pump is working you will see fuel bubble onto the filter. Not the perfect test but a quick and...

Here is my latest PITA project. It is a fairly rare Hunter. They were made locally on hunter ave in Dayton ohio. A guy collects stuff like this. I get to bring it back to life. He was assured from the guy he bought it from that it runs. Well that was BS. Wiring hacked up as well as all the...

"Some is good, more is better, too much is just right."

080 to 105 and now 130. You will probably kill it.

I assume you went from 080 to 095. If you move the line cutter so the line is an inch and a half or so shorter it will get the revs back and perform a little better. 21cc motor not going to knock your socks off.

I was absolutely amazed when the motor home that had set in the barn for 5 years with about 30 gallons of regular gas gas in it started right up and ran fine. '89 w/454 with electronic Q jet carb. Then you have customers have equipment set for 6 months and the carb is trashed. My FS80 string...

https://isavetractors.com/connecting-rod-for-kohler-k241-engine/

I have an engine hoist that gets used about twice a year to pull the heavy stuff. I am still able to just pickup air cooled twins. If that engine was built before '98 it may have the notorious plastic cam shaft. If it does replace it. It WILL fail. I have done a few of them. I recommend the...

Remove the carbs and the plugs and pull the rope about 20 times to clear the crankcase and cylinder. Insall spark plug spray a small amount of starting fluid in the intake opening and try to start. If it hits a runs a few seconds you have a carb problem. If it doesn't hit you either have a...

I bet by the time you are done you will wish they took it somewhere else.

I use regular pump gas in everthing. 36hp zero turn, lo-boy tractor, 3 chainsaws, 2 string trimmers, hedge trimmer, blower, lawn boy mower, pole saw, 2 generators. Snowblower, Chipper, edger with no problems. I do run everthing dry at the end of its season. Ethanol gas runs fine it just doesn't...

Yes it needs the pump. The Kohler pump is kinda expensive. I use one from stens. Testing the pump is not easy because of the hard line from pump to carb isn't easy to disconnect.

If they are using the stator as an engine brake i would just delete the relay and the extra wiring to the regulator. I have seen some really over complicated (stupid) wiring on mowers. If that schematic is right i will put it in that category.

I am not sure you will find a kohler part number for the white Molex connector and the pins plus you need a special crimp tool for the pins. Star tech the forum parts magician may have them. I would delete the connectors and just use faston terminals to the voltage regulator. You may have a...

I have seen this a few times. The problem is the terminals get loose and create a high resistance connection and then gets hot and melts the connector. I fix them by getting new crimp faston connectors that fit the lugs on the voltage regulator. Cut off the old connector and crimp on new terminals.

He needs to actually properly clean the carb check the fuel pump and lines. Like 50% of all the problems folks bring here.

Yes, Medicare and SS are separate.

I never see my taxes. I drop off everthing at the accountant and she does everything and e files it for me. She sends me a hard copy in May. I turn 65 this year so i will get on the Medicare bandwagon and quit paying through the nose for marketplace healthcare.

Everything i do is legal. I have a LLC business license and a tax ID number and liability insurance. My accountant approves all my deductions. I make and sell and pay sales tax on stuff i make like cabinets, wooden flags and other things. So my wood shop tools are deductible just like tools for...

I am pretty much full time spring till fall. I retired at 61 a few years ago and took the shop full time. I had been doing it as a side hustle for 30+ years. My overhead is almost no existent and no mortgage and no debt. At $40/hr i actually clear more profit than dealers at $100/hr. I also run...

Depends on the mower and the spring. Some have a 3/8" hole you can put a ratchet or breaker bar in the arm. Sometimes i use a foot long loop of wire with a homemade wood handle to pull a spring. I also use a big pair of vise grips with 10" handle i can pull with 2 hands. I have also used a loop...

All the dealers around me are right at $100 an hour. I do ok at $40 but i am considering going to $50. I have a lot less overhead than the dealers.

If i had $40/hr for every customer who brought me a mower saying they cleaned the carb and it can't be the problem. Oh wait...i do. Especially the honda type carbs with the tiny pilot jets that take a micro drill to open them up that no amount of carb spray will fix. My weapon of choice is the...

I don't have very good luck plugging the thin 2 ply tires. I have also found some cheap tubeless tires have some weird rubber compound that won't work with patching cement. If the tire has any dry rot i won't attempt any repair and i don't like fitting tubes unless a customer really wants it. I...

Belts are wear items. Never seen one replaced under warranty.

Cracked the oil filter. Something definately wrong or abused

Have you Checked the drive belt?

Does the engine smoke? Especially when idling? Have you removed a spark plug and looked at it? Oily?

I go through about a case a month of this. Last year used over 25 gallons of it.

I have found on a lot of the saws if you have the broken piece in hand you can look at ebay listings pictures that don't match the exact part number but is the same part. Recoils for some poulans are like that.

When folks bring in these kind of equipment i have had such a hard time finding parts lists and then parts i tell folks i don't work on them. They can buy a new one for what i would charge to fix it if it needed any parts.

I would buy one. ?

Years ago when Remington arms was in the toilet they started licensing their name to anybody. Is Remington power products an actual company or just a name owned by MTD now to slap a name on the cheapest thing they can have some offshore company build with no support of any kind.

The brand name Remington is just one of those prostitute brands that will license anything from anybody. No support of any kind. Just slap the sticker with the brand name on it and sell it. There is lots of Remington branded junk out there.

I don't grease sector gears and pinions either. I also don't use things like Never-seez as a lubricant.

There are lots of people parting out lots of saws on ebay. I have fixed lots of saws with used parts off Ebay when new parts are NLA.

The last free generator i got i put about $100 in it. 6500 watt with a real Honda engine. Have it for sale for a couple years for $250. No takers. I have 4 portable generators. The last one someone gave me had a 5hp rustotank briggs engine. It went to the shredder. This spring i did flip a small...

I spent 40 years as a service rep. One of the big frustrations was trying to teach young guys to do logical troubleshooting. They thought anytime a status code popped up the book would say "change X part" never that simple. Some of them even googled the problem. WTF? you have a service manual...

The only station near me got rid of the Efree gas and switched to E15. So now i use regular pump gas in everything. I have a 92cc chainsaw with advanced ignition timing and running 200psi compression. It has gone through gallons of regular gas with no issues with preignition. I have never seen a...

Unfortunately a lot of small shops don't have techs with the skillset needed for some jobs they take on. One around here uses the Remington method of electrical troubleshooting with the parts shotgun.

KY Just saying.

Hold the spark plug wire approx 1/4 inch from ground and check for spark. Usually easier with the spark plug removed. If it will spark across a 1/4 inch gap the ignition is not the problem. If it won't then replace the coil.

I am not a fan of the tri-link chain. Cutters are fairly soft and leaves a burr when sharpening and dulls quickly. The one offshore chain that seems pretty good i have used is Archer. I have never liked the .043 LP stuff. Just dulls too fast on hard wood and gums up quickly on pine. On my MS170...

While i like stihl and Oregon chain the best i have had pretty good luck with archer chain. Better than most of the off brand stuff.

I don't have any customers running skip chain. Heck, 99% of my customers don't know the difference between safety and non-safety chain or full chisel and semi-chisel chain.

The screw is the idle mixture. When it dies try spraying a small amount of starting fluid into the carb and see if it fires for a few seconds. If it does you probably have a fuel pump or fuel pickup tube problem.

I don't have any skip tooth stuff.

I have moved away from some of my HFT stuff. Sockets, mower lift, torque wrench, and a few other and moved to Tekton tools. Decent quality at a decent price. I still like my HFT air powered oil extractor. Earthquake battery impact and a few other things. I went to a "divorce" sale where hubby...