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.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.
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 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.
That's what my Dad preached & having common sense was important as well..You will have the underlying mindset of wanting to know how things work, and that is not something that can be taught.
Which invariably will happenYou 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.
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 othersI 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.
cheap aftermarket chinese parts have made alot of "part swappers" but I bet none of them could yell How or why or what the specific issue was.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%.
Since I was young, I have always wanted to know “why”. I have always been thirsty for knowledge. The DIY mindset I got from my Dad, but didn’t exercise it for many years because a job and life got in the way.Yesterday a guy brought in an older water pump with a 5hp briggs that wouldn't start. Nobody else would work on it. Turns out the points plunger was stuck so no spark. Fixed it in about 20 mins. He told one of the shops what was wrong and they told him it didn't have points.
Had a stihl string trimmer a shop said was burned up and bad compression. Cleaned the spark arrestor and good as new.
Had one where another shop changed starter, ignition switch and battery and still won't start. Turns out the ground cable was bad.
There is a difference between a parts changer and a diagnostic technician. You would be suprised how many technicians really don't know how to do real electrical trouble shooting. Asked a tech at a dealership if he did a voltage drop test and got the blank stare.
I think in todays world, many places don't care anymore.. Used to be a Pride in workmanship.believe some shops just don’t want to take the time to figure things out on some equipment, so they say they are too busy, say it is “low on compression “ without knowing, or throw parts at it. Everything doesn’t actually need a carburetor cleaned or replaced. Take pride in yourself and the work you do. Show respect to your customers.
Several years ago my local community college taught a small engine and mower repair course. The only prerequisite was you had to be an inmate at the local state prison.Nobody getting into OPE repair and working at a dealership is going to get rich. Tractor dealer near me just had their old 40+ year mechanic retire. He was the highest paid guy at the dealership. They won't work on anything more than a few years old now. They can't keep good new help because they don't pay well.
Young guys ask me what schools I went to to learn to fix small engines and equipment. I just kinda laugh to myself.
Pretty sure I saw Scrub in the back row.Several years ago my local community college taught a small engine and mower repair course. The only prerequisite was you had to be an inmate at the local state prison.
The main trouble with cheap Chinese parts is that the OEM manufacturers are using them. I bought a new garage chest freezer recently. A Frigidaire. Made in China. Refrigerant? Isobutane/propane.cheap aftermarket chinese parts have made alot of "part swappers" but I bet none of them could yell How or why or what the specific issue was.
I had a vision that goes something like this....You professionals on here need to fill a bucket full of old parts, carbs, bearings,etc and when someone comes in with a problem mower, throw this aforementioned bucket of (small) parts at the mower. Then, when that doesn't fix the problem, say well, your way didn't work. Now we'll try it my way!There's some people whose idea of "troubleshooting" is to just "shotgun" in new parts until the problem goes away, then charge you for all the unnecessary parts along the way.
The trick is how to avoid these types.
There is an 867 exchange in the 315 area code... How many others know about the song?You've gotten her number wrong. It's 867-5309. I forgot the area code.
Love the custom exhaust! Lowe's special!!!View attachment 69033
Another starter generator/voltage regulator problem. Third one this month. Maybe I should throw some parts at it.
What normally happens with my customers is they don’t even try, or try very little to repair their equipment. They don’t fire the parts cannon, and neither do I.I had a vision that goes something like this....You professionals on here need to fill a bucket full of old parts, carbs, bearings,etc and when someone comes in with a problem mower, throw this aforementioned bucket of (small) parts at the mower. Then, when that doesn't fix the problem, say well, your way didn't work. Now we'll try it my way!
Yes there is a lot of dealers with less than shade tree mechanics.
What about the poor SOB who had to buy new equipment due to the incompetence? They are probably pissed!I notice the shops don't really open up the item to accurately diagnose the problem. Some of the best is a Kawasaki ignition came loose and jammed the flywheel. Moved it back and done... if they just turned it by hand and noticed something is hitting something else and it is not inside the motor. Just remove the cover and they would have found the problem and be done in less than 10 minutes.
Stuff like that.
Then again, I got a lot of my toys from shops because of them. Their incompetence fuel my guilty pleasure....
Business liability insurance doesn't cover customer items. And tools, inventory, real estate is a separate rider. Don't know of any business liabiltiy that covers customer items left at the dealership.We had a shop burn down a few years ago
Massive fire destroys Neff’s Lawn Equipment in Germantown; cause still under investigation
Fire has destroyed Neff's Lawn Equipment in Germantown on Wednesday night. The cause is under investigation, the German Twp. police chief said.www.whio.com
Had more than one new customer tell me they had equipment there and their equipment wasn't insured, only the building and tools not customer equipment. I don't know the whole story but there are still bad feelings with some folks.
Those fires are tough to put out. They also pretty much destroy everything.We had a shop burn down a few years ago
Massive fire destroys Neff’s Lawn Equipment in Germantown; cause still under investigation
Fire has destroyed Neff's Lawn Equipment in Germantown on Wednesday night. The cause is under investigation, the German Twp. police chief said.www.whio.com
Had more than one new customer tell me they had equipment there and their equipment wasn't insured, only the building and tools not customer equipment. I don't know the whole story but there are still bad feelings with some folks.
Still better than your whole home and memories! I have personally had that happen to me.A guy had a new $20k mower in for service that burned. He was just out $20k
I'm sure they would be, if they knew...They are probably pissed!
So many 'mechanics' (paid or shade tree) ignore the KISS principle - jump to conclusions without observing and testing adequately. I worked on my own motorcycles for many years and small engines as needed. Probably 95% or more of the problems are the easiest, simplest, cheapest thing to fix but you have to understand each system and how they interact as part of the whole.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.
The KISS method works most of the time when the failed component is the cause of the failure. KISS method doesn't apply to electrical because a simple solution is normally part of a complex problem. The KISS method of electrical is you have to understand and work the system, and you can't jump into the middle and swim your way out most of the time.So many 'mechanics' (paid or shade tree) ignore the KISS principle - jump to conclusions without observing and testing adequately. I worked on my own motorcycles for many years and small engines as needed. Probably 95% or more of the problems are the easiest, simplest, cheapest thing to fix but you have to understand each system and how they interact as part of the whole.
The tarp doesn't help because the screw sees it on the way down, aims for your foot and bounces 10 feet away.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.
Not quite as bad... big dealer/shop bankruptcy. I used to live in Springfield VA and took my mower and snowblower to a place off Backlick Road, where I bought the snowblower (in 2003). December of 2013 I picked up my snowblower and dropped off the mower for repair and winter storage (only room enough in garage for one or other). In late February I called them to say I needed my mower. I called for several days in a row over the next few days. Nothing. So Saturday I drove my truck over there to find about 20 other customers (immigrant lawn service guys mostly) and a sign saying the dealer has been in bankruptcy since November! Since I was the only one who could both read and write well in English I collect names, phone numbers, e-mails and for a list of everyone's missing equipment. I e-mail the trustee. Turns out this person is 100 miles away in Richmond and has never seen anything more than a piece of paper from the court telling her she'd been appointed trustee. This person seems like the public defender of bankruptcy law. This happens the first week of March. None of us saw our equipment until Memorial Day, when we all got a number and time to pick up our stuff. There were hundreds of mowers, trimmers, snowblowers in their storage building and it took days to empty it. And if you didn't have your drop off receipt, you were screwed. No mower for you. The landscaping dudes (spanish speaking to a man) were f-ing pissed. The hilarious part was they decided to sue. My neighbor was really tired of me borrowing his pusher. I was really tired of cutting 3/4 acre of hills with a push mower.Business liability insurance doesn't cover customer items. And tools, inventory, real estate is a separate rider. Don't know of any business liabiltiy that covers customer items left at the dealership.
Where are you getting a real $20 carb that's not a Chinese knockoff these days?????One aspect I haven't seen mentioned here is the economics of it. Labor rates are very expensive. A replacement carb is cheap. Why pay someone to take a carb apart, rebuild it, then put it back on when a new carb is $20 and can be replaced in 20 minutes?
That the OP had an experience where the carb was replaced and still had a problem is the result of a cheap China (Taiwan?) carb. Perhaps the shop should have known not to use such a cheap carb, but he also didn't mention whether he took it back to the shop to have it fixed properly.
It's possible they done that way to scam people. I had fair share of dealership ripoffs my dad's hustlerturf raptor SD. They charged him $1400 for a new PTO and figured out the engine shakes. I have rebuilt metal and plastic carburetors. I will never run E10 or above fuels for the plastic only E0. E0 to E10 is for the metal carburetors.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?
I don't think it was done that way to be a scam. I suspect that it was assumed that the no start was due to a carb or fuel issue, which in a very large portion of no starts would be a true statement. Now basing on that statement the fix would be a new carb due to time and cost considerations. Depending on how the engine was disassembled to install the new carb the issue of the choke not being closed for a cold start may of be overlooked because when certain parts were removed it would of allowed the stuck choke to close, and unless it was noticed that the choke was stuck open would of resulted in a faulty diagnosis, Since the choke would of closed on disassembly I suspect after replacing the carb the mower started on the first pull, but the allowed the choke to open and then get stuck again, which at that time they considered the issue resolved.It's possible they done that way to scam people. I had fair share of dealership ripoffs my dad's hustlerturf raptor SD. They charged him $1400 for a new PTO and figured out the engine shakes. I have rebuilt metal and plastic carburetors. I will never run E10 or above fuels for the plastic only E0. E0 to E10 is for the metal carburetors.
That's like rewarding criminals.....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'm certainly not making excuses for the repair shop (especially if they are selling FX1000 for $4K) but, as I'm sure you know, low compression isn't always as simple as a blown head gasket. Their "techs" are getting paid pretty well and anything beyond a very minor repair runs the risk of running up quite a bill. The risk is too high when many shops can make more $$ with oil changes and spark plugs, especially during busy season. For guys like you who are comfortable opening an engine up, and know what to do once in there, it's a great deal for all involved.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.
Sometimes those videos help refresh my memory on stuff I can do for myself. Nothing wrong with that.Welcome to the new generation of YouTube graduates. Yes, skip through a few videos from clown shows, old Couger flaunting her wrinkled cleavage or drunks in ye ole mower saloon and you become a professional at anything you desire.
JD, I'm assuming the shop does not know wtf they are doing. Only taking peoples money. They can bend the auto-choke linkage when putting the shroud on.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?
I read time after time where "I replaced this and that and also this and, yes, that part and my mower still will not start!What normally happens with my customers is they don’t even try, or try very little to repair their equipment. They don’t fire the parts cannon, and neither do I.