Kohler head gaskets

[StarTech]

I beginning to see that my decision was good. As I figure these companies are all wanting us to do their work for nearly free. These companies needs to pay an honest rate for making them look good to the customers.

A few years ago as a customer I was told by Kohler that two ignition coils were bad and take them to a local dealer and have them made up. Well none of the dealers would even do it. Kohler at the time was paying retail for the parts that were sent for replacement. I had a discuss with my customer at the time about it stating the refusals I got from the local Kohler dealers. We worked out a deal where I did labor for free and the customer paid cost for the coils. Now he comes to my shop for all his repairs and pays what ever I charge. I still treat him just as fair as the rest of customers.

IL you know about type of twin coil failure I referring to where the bad coil is shutting the good coil but coil is still operating. Steering diode problems. Kohler said to replace both coils.

 

[ILENGINE]

I beginning to see that my decision was good. As I figure these companies are all wanting us to do their work for nearly free. These companies needs to pay an honest rate for making them look good to the customers.

A few years ago as a customer I was told by Kohler that two ignition coils were bad and take them to a local dealer and have them made up. Well none of the dealers would even do it. Kohler at the time was paying retail for the parts that were sent for replacement. I had a discuss with my customer at the time about it stating the refusals I got from the local Kohler dealers. We worked out a deal where I did labor for free and the customer paid cost for the coils. Now he comes to my shop for all his repairs and pays what ever I charge. I still treat him just as fair as the rest of customers.

IL you know about type of twin coil failure I referring to where the bad coil is shutting the good coil but coil is still operating. Steering diode problems. Kohler said to replace both coils.

I basically make it a point to just replace both coils when I do coil replacements. Too many cases of replace one coil and the other coil fails within a short period, and in some cases as soon as the engine is put back into service. Had a Kohler a few years back that you had to R & R the engine tor replace the coils, so replaced on coil and reinstalled engine and the other coil failed on startup. Some of the new coils on Kohler are high voltage kill were the old coils were low voltage. So a new coil will fry the old coil on first start. Kawasaki tend to get moisure sensitive due to cracking in the epoxy around the kill tab connection. So won't fire after being exposed to rain, fog or high humidity. Engine will come in with running on one cylinder and if you do the ground one plug to check to see if it will run on the other will either die or won't start and run on one cylinder and it doesn't matter which one you ground.

 

[VegetiveSteam]

Kohler warranty pays 1.8 Hours for both gaskets. Don't just replace the gaskets plane the heads as well. This is on verticle engines. Just did one that had to take the engine mounting bolts out and lift the engine up to get the muffler off. Clean up and all that 6 to 8 hours

For what it's worth. The 1.8 hours is just for replacing the head gaskets. If you have to R&R the engine, add 1.5 hours so 3.3 total in that case.

If it's on a Toro Dingo, Kohler will pay the 1.8 for the head gasket replacements plus 8 hours R&R of the engine. If you have a difficult application and explain that on the warranty claim, Kohler will pay more than flat rate. You just have to ask for it and give a reasonable explanation. You may not get exactly what you asked for, but you will get more than flat rate if you can show a difficult application that took more time than the flat rate manual calls for. Don't be afraid to ask.

They won't pay for your education though. I had a dealer send in a warranty claim once asking for more labor time because his so-called technician was new and didn't really know what he was doing.

 

[StarTech]

I had a local JD dealer to try that on a customer when I was dealing with my mother's dementia. They charged the customer 8 hrs for a 30 minutes hydro fan replacement. I went to bat for the customer after he came to my shop about. I knew the local manager that just lived down the street from me. I got him to refund the customer 6 hrs of the labor because they has a new doing the work.

I had that manager to come by my shop and I showed how easy the fan was to replace. Not cunting time to get the tools out it all of 15 minutes. The manager jaw hit the shop floor.

Now most fans are not that easy but this one was.

 

[Tiger Small Engine]

I had a local JD dealer to try that on a customer when I was dealing with my mother's dementia. They charged the customer 8 hrs for a 30 minutes hydro fan replacement. I went to bat for the customer after he came to my shop about. I knew the local manager that just lived down the street from me. I got him to refund the customer 6 hrs of the labor because they has a new doing the work.

I had that manager to come by my shop and I showed how easy the fan was to replace. Not cunting time to get the tools out it all of 15 minutes. The manager jaw hit the shop floor.

Now most fans are not that easy but this one was.

Yes, always replace ignition coils in pairs, just like shock absorbers on cars.

Any dealer that would charge eight hours labor on a hydro fan replacement not only needs to be held accountable, but also needs some bad reviews and a good lecture in common sense and unethical business practices.

 

[TobyU]

I have been asked by several companies to do warranty work and I turned them all down.
I think Sears wanted flat rate or $48 per repair but they provided any parts you needed. You "could" ever up with a lot of parts (new and used) in stock but still not worth it when I have people lined up and waiting for me to fix their stuff.
Kohler command twin head gasket depends on what is on but on easy one let's say craftsman rider where you lift hood of in 7 seconds and it's all their there....I can do them in 1hr 10mins - 1hr 15mins and could prob do them in an hr flat if I was in a hurry but rushing isn't smart.

 

[TobyU]

They approached me also Seems like they were going to supply all the warranty parts with no income from the parts installed, and pay like $28/hr when my shop rate was like $50.

I have an email from Sears somewhere. They would provide all parts and wanted be to do the handheld items trimmers, blowers, chainsaws for flat rate of $48 each.
Not terrible for someone on a hobby basis but I have people lined up waiting for me to fix their stuff as do most all other shops.
More importantly in this discussion.....
WHAT is your average profit on each repair you do?
It seems with Sears it would have been $48.

 

[ILENGINE]

I have an email from Sears somewhere. They would provide all parts and wanted be to do the handheld items trimmers, blowers, chainsaws for flat rate of $48 each.
Not terrible for someone on a hobby basis but I have people lined up waiting for me to fix their stuff as do most all other shops.
More importantly in this discussion.....
WHAT is your average profit on each repair you do?
It seems with Sears it would have been $48.

Was that $48 plus mileage for the on site mobile repairs, and did that include a second $48 for returning to install the parts. Or did you have to pay vehicle maintenance and gas out of that $48.

 

[StarTech]

Good questions IL. Some think would think $48 is all profit but it is only gross profit before expenses. I once had a customer when I was working for the other guy to say to me don't make all of that $110/hr labor? I just looked at him and said that I got $12.50/hr before taxes which was more like $10/hr after taxes and I still had to provide my own meals, clothes, and other items.

And when you are self employed you really got to sit down and go through the figures to see what the bottom line is going to be. And don't forget in the US the 15.3% self employment taxes on the net profit.

I think about this I grossed a little over $23,000 and then with all expenses this last I netted $1395 and the IRS wants another $197 out that measly sum. Of this last year me and the IRS were still fighting over getting my IRS account straighten out so had a big effect on my sales. But the year before I netted $5647 and the IRS got $859 more. And this will be at operating at a lost as refuse to send the IRS another penny until they get my account straighten out. It is now screwed up for nearly five years,

So the more you net the more you pay at the end of the year until get to the stage that they want quarterly payments. And as a self employed you don't to use the standard deduction either so they are taxing you on every penny of net profit.

And I did have a bad year otherwise with the truck transmission going out (completely self destructed internally, no rebuilding it) and insurance going up nearly 15%. In the last ten year the insurance has doubled.

But of the general public think we are making a killing overall. Personally I would rather work for the other man and let him deal with all the financial headaches.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

Years ago I was offered a job as an independent contractor installing and settling up internet at hotel properties. Would pay over $150k a year. After self employment tax, fica, health insurance etc and being on the road 5 days a week living out of a suitcase and only home on weekends the hourly rate is like $10 an hour. I told them double it and I would think about it LOL.

I knew a fellow about 30 years ago who quit working at a mower shop to start a business doing mobile mower warranty work for Sears. He lasted less than a year.