Recent content by Tiger Small Engine

3600 RPM max, usually adjust to around 3250 RPM. 4800 and engine will blow in short order.

You would be better off taking it to the dealer because it is brand new and under warranty. Drive belts should last for several years.

A piston stop will not screw up the piston. I use one all the time. What will screw up the piston is forgetting the stop is in the spark plug hole, and then cranking the engine.

You probably won’t be satisfied with the mulching results, so after you take the mulch kit off you can measure from tip of blade to concrete with properly aired up tires to determine cutting height.

My BG86 Stihl blower fuel tank started leaking after 16 years. I plastic welded it because it was my blower. Would have replaced tank for a customer.

Dead battery or loose or corroded battery terminals are the first things to check. All my customers seem to think their battery is great and terminals are tight and clean.

If you replace the engine on the older John Deere, you have just about spent 100% or more on engine and labor of the value of the mower. By the time a new cylinder head is installed (pushed valve guide), and the engine is removed and opened up to remove the push rod in sump, you are hundreds...

Trimmers get hot. I wear a sock cut down, on my arm, so I don’t get burned.

I recently removed a hydro fan on a Scag because it was damaged and needed to replace it. It was on there gorilla tight with Loctite. I had to put three pairs of vise grips on fan and use a ratchet and cheater pipe to get it off. Then I had to file the pulley smooth from slight burrs from vise...

I appreciate you saying that. You do take time to research and respond to people that need technical assistance. I always try to do my best, and my integrity is crucial to customers and me.

StarTech- You seem to always want to prove someone wrong, in this case again, me. Of course I have seen blade adapters with a pulley as one piece. Of course I know the key is often part of the blade adapter. Of course I have seen the key sheared off and the whole blade adapter has to be replaced.

Check float height level.

If there is a keyway, there should be a key. The pulley on crankshaft should be separate from the blade adapter, therefore has nothing to do with mower not self propelling.

I think it has actually improved here lately.

I have had great results with correct belts, quality, and sizes from multiple sources over the years.

Around $200 dollars everything working and cleaned up.

Remove muffler and visually look at the condition of piston, rings, and cylinder for scoring.

Here we go again with zero turns and hills. Riding mowers are terrible on hills (very tippy). Zero turns, as a general rule, are great on hills.

The cost of engine plus labor to remove and replace is cost prohibitive. Buy a good used riding mower for half the cost of engine and labor. Nobody ever repowers their mower when the engine goes bad.

It has been very busy for me for last 2-3 months. I am up to 3 weeks out on service and repairs. When a customer calls and their first question is “how far out are you on repairs?”, I know they will usually keep calling shops, and that is fine. To be able to keep anything except the basic parts...

Remove valve cover, as previously stated, and look at intake and exhaust valves. Are push rods in place and not bent? Are the springs moving freely and equally? 88 psi compression is on the low end. Is that reading from the cylinder that is not firing?

Over time, leaving the mower outside and exposed to the elements such as rain, is most likely the main cause of water getting into the transaxle and causing hydro oil to become contaminated. Bad seals, etc. is how water enters.

Clean original OEM thoroughly and reinstall. That step alone will most likely fix your problems. Also, blow back through fuel line to tank to clear blockage. Also, check fuel for water and crap in tank and siphon/drain and blow out as needed.

You should be able to mow once a week, no matter what type of blades, mower, growth, etc. First thing to do is make sure the exit chute is at a 45 degree angle so that grass can be dispersed evenly and far out. Second thing is slow down on mowing just a bit and let the mower eat. Third thing is...

Cut it high and let it fly. The farther you can get the grass out and dispersed from mower exit chute, the better the lawn looks and cut. Mulching is never a better option.

Also check the grounds, double check battery terminals for tightness and clean if needed. Check all terminals. Check trigger wire to starter with multimeter for voltage with key in start position.

Option 6 would be scrap it. Attempting engine swaps on Honda self-propelled mowers can be a pain. In order for it to be easy, finding a GCV190 would be best, and also difficult to find. You would be better off buying a used Honda mower over most of the options.

You are going from a Kohler K series engine (50 years old) to a Briggs twin engine. Wiring won’t be your only concern. This will require modifications and would look hard at it before attempting.

20W-50 synthetic for many hydraulic pumps, wheel motors, and transaxles. Yes

Good pre-mix oil such as Stihl synthetic (gray bottle) is more like $5 bucks per 2.5 gallon bottle, not $2 dollars. Ethanol is hygroscipc (meaning it attracts water). All I run is 10% ethanol in all my equipment. Small engines will not tolerate 15% ethanol. Most people think ethanol is evil and...

I couldn’t see it. Absolutely screaming. Don’t start it again.

Look like a Honda GCV160 engine with no push rods. I am sure this engine costs more to build, and therefore main reason it never caught on. I have never seen a Briggs DOV in person. Watched most of the video, interesting.

That thing is screaming and don’t run it anymore like that or you will blow the connecting rod. How many RPMs is it running?

With a new aftermarket carburetor, and the engine is hunting and surging, it is running lean (not enough fuel). The air/fuel mixture ratio is not right. Best thing you can do in this case is completely clean the original OEM carburetor and reinstall.

It is a piece of junk, from the trimmer, to the trimmer head. If you have had enough, buy a better brand.