Hate working on one someone else started

[hlw49]

Just did a hustler super Z a widow lady has that someone else starter to work on and quit. Kohler CV740 that had a SAM box on it. He took the SAM box off which he did not have to do. Pain in the arse to get those tiny screws back on. Magnets had come loose on the fly wheel and ruined the stator. Stator fly wheel regulator and new starter because he had taken the old one. I did it too cheap and was still over $800.00 dollars. Should have had $1000.00 Those parts are not cheap. And that is why I don't like to do something someone else has started. But like I said she is a widowed neighbor lady and I had to help her out.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Just did a hustler super Z a widow lady has that someone else starter to work on and quit. Kohler CV740 that had a SAM box on it. He took the SAM box off which he did not have to do. Pain in the arse to get those tiny screws back on. Magnets had come loose on the fly wheel and ruined the stator. Stator fly wheel regulator and new starter because he had taken the old one. I did it too cheap and was still over $800.00 dollars. Should have had $1000.00 Those parts are not cheap. And that is why I don't like to do something someone else has started. But like I said she is a widowed neighbor lady and I had to help her out.

Makes things tougher usually because it would have been repaired if they knew what they were doing.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hi hlw49,

I find that people (usually men) are quick to play the "hero" and often have no clue what they are doing. I think it's a "pride" (or predator) sort of thing. For others it's just trying to make quick money, but the job goes south on them.

I recently had to chase down one such thoughtful guy ("hero") who had all the small pieces needed for me to finish a job he disappeared from with his traveling toolbox. He acted offended until the customer called the sheriff to file theft charges. Suddenly all the parts were found, and the charges were not filed.... That job was for a divorced lady who was just trying to save money.

After years of playing the "cleanup guy" I have gotten used to coming in behind some interesting "repair attempts".

Rat nest safety switch wiring hacks are the most fun.

With more recent designs that have electronic fuel injection the service calls get more complex and expensive if someone has been poking around already.

 

[StarTech]

Now you how I felt a couple weeks ago on a Golf cart that I to completely rewire. 3/4 of the wires cut, some cables throw away and some parts had to replaced due the idiot trying use SAE nuts on metric studs. Now I got admit this was a hybrid unit when it came to the hardware.

 

[hlw49]

Anyway, she called me to let me know she had mowed her whole yard, she has a large yard. She was really tickled to get it mowed.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hi hlw49,

Information that may help you in the future to save the customer and you some money:

Did the magnets just come loose and group up or stick to the stator frame, or did they get broken up?

I have had issues with them just coming loose and of course excess dust and sand building up enough and scraping the insulating/sealing shellac off the stator windings, then corrosion eats the windings.

I ask because I have very good results using high temp JB-weld to "glue" the magnets back in proper order with clamps after cleaning the flywheel inner ring really well.

Teryl Fixes All put out a video about this method a few years back and it works.

Kohler and Kawasaki both have a lot of issues with poor adhesive holding the flywheel field magnets.

Used stators for most models are easy to find on Ebay, but you have to ask for the seller to do a proper resistance test and inspection for corrosion damages.

Personally, I trust a good used stator much more than anything made aftermarket.

 

[hlw49]

Was not that lucky. Ground up the magnets and wiped out the stator even burnt up the regulator terminals. Yes, I have seen that done. But have not tried it myself have a friend that did a couple for me. Worked fine. If I run into again will do it myself.

 

[Auto Doc's]

Hi hlw49,

I have also had several that destroyed the entire works so there was really no other choice but to replace it all if the customer was willing to pay.

Usually, when the bill approaches over $500.00, they often start thinking of buying a new machine.

Why? New riders and zero-turns are approaching over $3K for even the cheap ones.

Currently, I have 4 expensive zero-turns and riders that people have simply walked away from due to costly stator/ charging system repairs. I had them sign over ownership over to me to prevent issues later. I am fixing them one at a time for resale.

What really hurts, is that most of these customers had already been sold all kinds of bolt up and tune up parts by local "mechanics" before they came to me for actual diagnostics. Later, I found that some of the parts changers did not even have a multimeter, and if they did, they had no idea how to diagnose anything electrical.

In the recent years, I've also had to tell the customer that parts must be paid before I will complete repairs after needed teardown and testing evaluation and that has reduced my outlay costs for their parts.

It truly tests if they are serious about repairs.

If they refuse repairs, I tell them to bring enough money for my evaluation labor time along with a couple of boxes for parts, because I am not putting it back together for free.

I simply got fed up with "free estimates" and the "I'll pay you on Friday" story once they have already got their machine back.

Not to sound heartless, because yes, it is the responsibility of anyone able to care for widows and orphans as taught by the bible. There is more to the passage, but I will not start preaching. It all comes down to if a person is worthy of aid a relief regardless.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

Hi hlw49,

I have also had several that destroyed the entire works so there was really no other choice but to replace it all if the customer was willing to pay.

Usually, when the bill approaches over $500.00, they often start thinking of buying a new machine.

Why? New riders and zero-turns are approaching over $3K for even the cheap ones.

Currently, I have 4 expensive zero-turns and riders that people have simply walked away from due to costly stator/ charging system repairs. I had them sign over ownership over to me to prevent issues later. I am fixing them one at a time for resale.

What really hurts, is that most of these customers had already been sold all kinds of bolt up and tune up parts by local "mechanics" before they came to me for actual diagnostics. Later, I found that some of the parts changers did not even have a multimeter, and if they did, they had no idea how to diagnose anything electrical.

In the recent years, I've also had to tell the customer that parts must be paid before I will complete repairs after needed teardown and testing evaluation and that has reduced my outlay costs for their parts.

It truly tests if they are serious about repairs.

If they refuse repairs, I tell them to bring enough money for my evaluation labor time along with a couple of boxes for parts, because I am not putting it back together for free.

I simply got fed up with "free estimates" and the "I'll pay you on Friday" story once they have already got their machine back.

Not to sound heartless, because yes, it is the responsibility of anyone able to care for widows and orphans as taught by the bible. There is more to the passage, but I will not start preaching. It all comes down to if a person is worthy of aid a relief regardless.

Customer has 90 days from date of invoice and notification that their equipment is ready to pick up from my shop. I have a sign clearly posted also. Doesn’t happen often at all that they don’t pick it up, but when it does, I sell the equipment.