Friend has a Troy Bilt walk-behind Mower with a 6.75 Briggs Engine. The only way he could start it was using starting fluid. He took it to a Mower notable shop and they said the Carburetor is bad. They put on a new OEM carburetor. He got it back Home and it wouldn't start any better. He took it back and they said the Engine compression was low so it needs a short-block. They didn't offer any compensation for the previous repair. Before tossing it, he asked me to take a look and I found Auto-choke was holding the butterfly wide open when Engine cold. Removed the Engine shroud and discovered the plastic Vane for the Auto-Choke was warped causing it to hit the underside of the Shroud. I heated it up with a Torch and lowered it a bit. Put the shroud on and it moved freely. Now the Mower starts on the first pull. It seemed simple to me as I fixed it while he waited. I'm assuming the Repair Shop tested the Mower with the Shroud off?
My Friend got ripped off by the Dealer.
- Thread starter JD14SB
- Start date
So your buddy took it to a no diagnostics parts changer center posing as a lawnmower shop. Just dealt with one of those this morning. Guy took his 3 year old Echo trimmer to two different shops, Symptom was engine wouldn't suddenly go to full throttle. One shop told him the carb needed adjusted but could get to it right now. The other shop told him it needed a new carb, but also couldn't work on it right now. So my neighbor called me yesterday to see if her friend could come by and have me look at it, was really in no rush for the repair because he didn't need it right now. But he fired it up in front of me, and I had him shut it off, and then I proceeded to remove and clean the muffler spark screen, and sent him off to use it.
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Yes there is a lot of dealers with less than shade tree mechanics. I have been called a shade tree mechanic myself because I was working under shade tree. But that is different.
I got several dealers in my area that need to just close up shop too. The attempted ripoff was a Kawasaki FX1000V repair I did a couple years ago. The dealer told the customer he need a new $4000 engine. So the customer decided to give me a shot at it after hearing about my workmanship. It turned to just be a blown head gasket; a $300 repair job. The still buys his new equipment from that dealer but will not let them touch it when repairs are needed.
I got several dealers in my area that need to just close up shop too. The attempted ripoff was a Kawasaki FX1000V repair I did a couple years ago. The dealer told the customer he need a new $4000 engine. So the customer decided to give me a shot at it after hearing about my workmanship. It turned to just be a blown head gasket; a $300 repair job. The still buys his new equipment from that dealer but will not let them touch it when repairs are needed.
I was being a shade tree mechanic yesterday. I was putting the deck back on a Simplicity in the shade of the pine tree in my backyard.
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You know that is called being a smart mechanic, not stupid mechanic. I am under the trees my today. It is 100F and humid, The asphalt is at 140+F right and the shop is close to 110F. Lots cooler under the trees but got put down a tarp in case I drop a screw or nut.
I’m not proud to say this but, it used to be 5% of the people working on small engines shouldn’t be allowed to handle a screwdriver. Today it seems to have grown to 25%. When I retired 18 years ago I expected my students to know how to deal with customers and when to know when they are over their heads. If you graduated not knowing these two skills they wouldn’t get a recommendation from me. Those that didn’t get a recommendation are now part of the 25%.
I have always said that being a mechanic is something that you have to be born with. To be a true mechanic you have it in your DNA. You will have the underlying mindset of wanting to know how things work, and that is not something that can be taught.
7394
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That's what my Dad preached & having common sense was important as well..
woodstover
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Which invariably will happen
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Basically that is it. What some call a God given talent. I have been good figuring equipment but as much as love to learn to play piano I just can't get it for some reason. There are other that don't know a single about repairing an engine but can play music by ear just by listening to a piece of music. Yet another some have. I personally enjoy fixing things and helping others