Engine How does my solenoid work? Unable to start.

[reynoldston]

Tell me how you test a Scag P/N 483029 electronic interlock module???
Tell me how you test a Scag P/N 483537 hour meter?
Tell me how you test a B&S P/N 797375 regulator?
Tell us that as a power equipment service technician that you have NEVER EVER used a new or serviceable part as a troubleshooting tool to diagnose a problem on a piece of equipment!!!!:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:

I have no idea how to test any of your little list and sure not going to try. I have nothing to prove to you or anyone else what I know or don't know. I am talking about working for a dealer and going into there parts department to try parts out. Maybe that is how dealers work around by you, but no dealer I ever worked for. As I recall this all started with going to a dealer and they will swap parts to try, not going to happen with any dealer I know. As I said I have worked for a large company and we could do just what you said swap parts but that was on all their own equipment and they watched the money very close. Swapping parts is a rare option to diagnose a problem for me, I have to trouble shoot my work. Also I enjoy doing electrical work which helps.

 

[Mad Mackie]

Hi reynoldston,
I'm a retired mech that still does selective work in my own shop, I'll do a road call now and then, but at 70 years old with a torn up right shoulder, I'm slowing down! Having been a flight engineer on military aircraft for a lot of years, knowledge of systems and the ability to diagnose their problems became my number one priority. I was part of a military aircraft ferrying crew and when I would climb aboard an unfamiliar aircraft that was supposed to be flown to anywhere in the US to include Alaska, Hawaii and Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, (check it out, it is a long ways over the Pacific from Hawaii) every nerve in my body would start moving. I had my own tool box packages for both rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft and I would evaluate the aircraft before I inspected the paperwork. There were pilots that I refused to fly with and pilots that I would fly thru Hell's front door with and still get away. I had pilots that would only have me as a crew chief or flight engineer on ferry flights. I could and should write a book!!!
As for the little list of specific parts that I posted, they are all non serviceable items, the answer to troubleshooting them is to replace them with new after a quick but systematic troubleshooting process has been performed, which includes using a new or serviceable part in the diagnostic process.
Bear in mind that I started at 12 years old in a motorcycle, bicycle and foreign car repair shop and retired from servicing private jets a few years back, I don't know everything, but those that do, ask me for advice!!!!! HaHa!!!!!:laughing::laughing:
Smile my friend, life it too damn short!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[reynoldston]

Hi reynoldston,
I'm a retired mech that still does selective work in my own shop, I'll do a road call now and then, but at 70 years old with a torn up right shoulder, I'm slowing down! Having been a flight engineer on military aircraft for a lot of years, knowledge of systems and the ability to diagnose their problems became my number one priority. I was part of a military aircraft ferrying crew and when I would climb aboard an unfamiliar aircraft that was supposed to be flown to anywhere in the US to include Alaska, Hawaii and Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, (check it out, it is a long ways over the Pacific from Hawaii) every nerve in my body would start moving. I had my own tool box packages for both rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft and I would evaluate the aircraft before I inspected the paperwork. There were pilots that I refused to fly with and pilots that I would fly thru Hell's front door with and still get away. I had pilots that would only have me as a crew chief or flight engineer on ferry flights. I could and should write a book!!!
As for the little list of specific parts that I posted, they are all non serviceable items, the answer to troubleshooting them is to replace them with new after a quick but systematic troubleshooting process has been performed, which includes using a new or serviceable part in the diagnostic process.
Bear in mind that I started at 12 years old in a motorcycle, bicycle and foreign car repair shop and retired from servicing private jets a few years back, I don't know everything, but those that do, ask me for advice!!!!! HaHa!!!!!:laughing::laughing:
Smile my friend, life it too damn short!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

I am not too far away from you in age it sounds like. Never worked on or rode in a airplane and never will. Don't like height. I started out working on sewing machines but through the many years. Just about anything mechanical from lawn mowers to dozers and a lot of thing in-between. I worked on electric fork trucks for 10 year and that is where I acquired my like for electrical work. Now back to dealers letting you go into their parts department to sample parts where you live, its not going to happen with any dealer that I know. Am I the only one that has worked for a dealer here that has a rule like that???

 

[Rivets]

You are not the only one who can't go to the parts department to get parts to swap out, but I guess I cheat when it comes to swapping during troubleshooting. Because I taught engine repair for so long and saw so many junk units brought in for "repair", we did a lot of scraping out. If we had an electrical part that we knew was good, it got labeled and put aside. Over the years I really have too many good used parts laying around. These are the parts I use to swap out when I cannot test a component. If i found a bad component, i would remove my test component and install a new one. Only installed these components when I was giving my time and parts to someone who needed help. When I went to work at my present dealership, one of my duties was to clean up the used units for resale or scrap. Started to put together a good supply of used parts very quickly. The owner adopted this procedure and it has been working fine for the last 5 years. We still go through the normal troubleshooting procedures, but now have a faster way of getting the unit running. The other techs come to me for parts a lot, have learned that if they fail to return the part it will cost them dearly. They have even started to add to my collection. When testing electrical problems we have all burned up a new component and this procedure cuts down on the $$$ out of pocket, plus saves our customers money.

 

[Mad Mackie]

Hi Rivets,
You and I have a lot in common!! In the 70s I worked for a power equipment/boat dealer and I had accumulated some parts for the very same purpose. The company decided to get out of the power equipment business and go with boats. When things were slow, we did a cleanup and I took 3 truck loads of good stuff over to a local tech school and some of my stash went with there too. I labeled each part for part number, condition of part and what if anything was wrong with it, they loved it!!
I have always got along with the parts folk, treat them with respect and usually you get respect in return.
I still have some of my "rat hole" aircraft parts from both military and civilian aircraft. I did send some of it to an aircraft museum that still has the last round engine aircraft that I was assigned to in the Army. On Dec 31st of 1989 the US Army stopped funding AV Gas, so all the piston engine aircraft in the Army and Guard systems died that day, it broke my heart!!! Also at that time all Army fixed wing aircraft went to contract maintenance. I was in an MOS (military occupational skill) that became extinct and I had to reclassify which was helicopter armament systems and UH-60 helicopter, was never crazy about helicopters, but I flew a lot of hours in them.
I did get to fly with the US Army Golden Knights, but I still had a "thing" about jumping out of a perfectly fine aircraft in flight!!!!:confused2:
I apologize for hijacking this thread from the original poster, but we have had some great chat, hopefully he will get his Scag Turf Tiger running!!!!
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:

 

[reynoldston]

You are not the only one who can't go to the parts department to get parts to swap out, but I guess I cheat when it comes to swapping during troubleshooting. Because I taught engine repair for so long and saw so many junk units brought in for "repair", we did a lot of scraping out. If we had an electrical part that we knew was good, it got labeled and put aside. Over the years I really have too many good used parts laying around. These are the parts I use to swap out when I cannot test a component. If i found a bad component, i would remove my test component and install a new one. Only installed these components when I was giving my time and parts to someone who needed help. When I went to work at my present dealership, one of my duties was to clean up the used units for resale or scrap. Started to put together a good supply of used parts very quickly. The owner adopted this procedure and it has been working fine for the last 5 years. We still go through the normal troubleshooting procedures, but now have a faster way of getting the unit running. The other techs come to me for parts a lot, have learned that if they fail to return the part it will cost them dearly. They have even started to add to my collection. When testing electrical problems we have all burned up a new component and this procedure cuts down on the $$$ out of pocket, plus saves our customers money.

Now you have gone to something different, used parts. How can I get this in your head. New parts in a sealed box. Also I am not here to argue this. Just telling you what it was like when I worked at a dealer or buy parts at a dealer. Any dealer around here won't let you bring back a electrical part once you buy it. I guess it was a lot harder for me then you because I had to learn to trouble shoot and you could just swap parts till it was fixed. That is fine by me if it works for you no skin off my A@@. The parts department and service department were two different businesses. I worked for large dealers and they would never use a used part. I also guess I never seen a dealer out to save the customer money. That is one of the big reasons I quit working for dealers over 30 years ago now and one of the better moves I made.

 

[Mad Mackie]

Most of the small businesses that I worked for, the parts man was also the service manager, which was me at times, but I prefer to not have to deal directly with customers.
In the 70s Outboard Marine Corporation, the parent company of Johnson and Evinrude Outboard Engine companies had two strikes with union workers. Every strike was in the spring and would last for 90 days before any negotiations started as Illinois would pay strike benefits for 90 days. This would cause a serious parts and new engine problem to dealers. I think you know where I'm going with this, so no need to linger this topic.
With many parts being manufactured overseas nowadays, they are put in plastic bags to reduce the effects of corrosion as they spend a lot of time in a steel container which spends a lot of time on a ship on the ocean, many stateside manufacturers have adopted the same packaging policy.
Having worked for a local fixed base aircraft operation, when they took on a corp jet charter contract, I was tasked with setting up and stocking a separate parts department for this charter service. I bought the shelving from the shoe department of a local department store that had gone out of business. I moved all this stuff to the airport and setup and stocked this department. It took about 4 months to do this along with adding a Quick Books inventory system which was not a user friendly system. All told, the company spent 5 million dollars to set this up. Some of these parts were $50,000 plus a $20,000 core charge, just to have it on the shelf for a quick turnaround to get the aircraft back into revenue service ASAP. All aircraft parts both new and overhauled have to have paperwork even down to a #4 flat washer. The overhaul facilities must be FAA approved for specific components and their parts sources must be FAA approved, it never ends!!!
So opening up a plastic bag now and then and resealing it really is small potatoes to some of us.
Mad Mackie in CT:laughing::biggrin::smile:
Mad Mackie in CT is now OUT!!!!

 

[reynoldston]

Small potato's trouble shooting a lawn mower with mostly on and off switches compared to a modern car, don't know anything about airplanes and don't want to learn at this age. I won't go on my house roof much less a airplane, did I tell you I don't like height. Went out west when I was younger and had to go over a mountain in my pick up truck. I was so scared that my wife had to drive us off the mountain. Just looking over a cliff my legs turn to rubber. I am so bad I can't even watch it on TV anymore.

 

[Rivets]

Reynoldston
I guess I was not clear, when I talked about swapping parts. I would swap used parts when I got to a troubleshooting point where the component could not be tested. If I found that the used part solved the problem, would then install a new component. The only time I would leave the used part in, was when the customer was not able to afford the new part and a good will effort was more important than making money. That is only for those units which are repaired in my garage, not at a dealership. Every dealer I have worked for was in the business to make money, but not by charging the customer for parts they may not need. I call this saving the customer money, you may call it something else, but we've all done it. I think we are all on the same page here, just need a translator to understand what each of us is saying.

 

[Fish]

Small potato's trouble shooting a lawn mower with mostly on and off switches compared to a modern car, don't know anything about airplanes and don't want to learn at this age. I won't go on my house roof much less a airplane, did I tell you I don't like height. Went out west when I was younger and had to go over a mountain in my pick up truck. I was so scared that my wife had to drive us off the mountain. Just looking over a cliff my legs turn to rubber. I am so bad I can't even watch it on TV anymore.

Well, you keep stepping into this thread, saying that part swappers have no idea what they are doing and shouldn't be here. Have you made 1 post that might even
slightly help the original poster and his problem?

Any help with these "small potatoes"??????