Customer: Can you finish up my mower today, I have to go back to work tomorrow and need to get it mowed today.
Since it was just a little murray, push mower, with the briggs E300 (4.5hp), I assumed it was the carburetor. 99% of those are the carb problem.
Just for grins, I checked the compression and spark. Was not getting spark, and since I have like 5 of these in the scrap pile, I got one. In the mean time,
I thought I'd check the flywheel key. Luckily, I checked it because it was starting to get bent out of shape. And messing up the flywheel to boot.
So I robbed the flywheel off the same other mower, got them both installed and still no spark. Robbed a coil off of one I know is good, and still no spark.
Here's where the fun begins. For some reason, the kill switch mechanism was messed up. Not sure why though. The wire was where it was supposed to be. And the part that touches the ground seem to be fine. So, I robbed another from the same parts mower. Those two bolts that hold that kill mechanism on, are a pain in the rear to get off. I suppose I could've used some tin snips to cut things out of the way, and it probably wouldn't have affected anything. (Which is what I'll probably do next time).
I had to take the flywheel off (for like the 3rd time), remove the 5 or 6 bolts that hold that tin cut out on. Just to get the bolts back in straight, that holds the kill switch/brake mechanism in place.
What an arse kicking this thing gave me. all because of a kill switch/brake mechanism.
BTW, the original coil was bad, because I spark tested it with the kill switch disconnected before I started. But I'm not so sure I checked the 2nd coil that way. 2 friggin hours on this, that I can't completely charge for because I didn't test all three coils, or the kill switch first.
Plus she's poor.
#2
Scrubcadet10
Most important thing,
You Got It Done. You're an honest man.
Use two hands next time. It will cut your repair time in half LOL.
How about this. Tell all your customers you charge time plus materials. That way it will cover your labor and the customer gets a proper fix. You went above and beyond throwing parts at it.
slomo
#4
Mower King
That happens sometimes....you gotta eat some time to make things right, NO ONE likes it but, it happens to everyone from time to time!
I find it extremely hard to charge people for my ignorance, and sometimes stupidity. I can eat ignorance a lot easier than stupid. With ignorance, the same thing rarely happens twice. With stupidity, it can happen several times. lol
