Riding mower won't suck in any fuel

[sgkent]

1. Air to fuel ratio
2. Compression
3. spark at the right time

Which ever is missing is why something does not run right. It really is that simple.

 

[StarTech]

The op believes firmly that it is impossible to have a carburetor problem because he used so-called 100 pure gas. It might be ethanol free but is not without additives.

I give up trying to explain things. I haven't spent the last 13 yrs cleaning various carburetors just for my health. It like saying since I don't smoke so I cant get lung cancer.

I did quit using the toxic chemical cleaners in favor of soap and water.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

I give up trying to explain things. I haven't spent the last 13 yrs cleaning various carburetors just for my health. It like saying since I don't smoke so I cant get lung cancer.

I did quit using the toxic chemical cleaners in favor of soap and water.

If i had $40/hr for every customer who brought me a mower saying they cleaned the carb and it can't be the problem. Oh wait...i do. Especially the honda type carbs with the tiny pilot jets that take a micro drill to open them up that no amount of carb spray will fix. My weapon of choice is the ultrasonic cleaner. I love the utube vids where somone just sprays a little crappy carb cleaner through it and miraculously it is perfectly clean.

 

[StarTech]

It $55/hr here. What worst is the MTD carburetor that even the rebuild kits didn't fix as it burning too rich and I even used the smaller jets. I ended replacing the carburetor. Or the carburetor on the Honda generator that I having to replace due the plastic needle seat leaking and not replaceable. Hopefully the second carburetor is okay. At it is not broken like the first one.

YouTube is a joke at times.

 

[ILENGINE]

It $55/hr here. What worst is the MTD carburetor that even the rebuild kits didn't fix as it burning too rich and I even used the smaller jets. I ended replacing the carburetor. Or the carburetor on the Honda generator that I having to replace due the plastic needle seat leaking and not replaceable. Hopefully the second carburetor is okay. At it is not broken like the first one.

YouTube is a joke at times.

You mean you actually got the MTD carb kit to fit. Almost every one that I have had to install there is some part in the kit that is incorrect for the carb. Correct part number per IPL but the float valve is wrong, or the wrong bowl gasket, or some other part that you need but can't use.

And you guys are cheap with your labor. I am on the cheap side for my area at $70/hr. Most are in the $85-150/hr for the big dealers.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

All the dealers around me are right at $100 an hour. I do ok at $40 but i am considering going to $50. I have a lot less overhead than the dealers.

 

[sgkent]

All the dealers around me are right at $100 an hour. I do ok at $40 but i am considering going to $50. I have a lot less overhead than the dealers.

if you are full time and not a semi-hobby I would raise /hr price. Add up the hours you loose looking for parts, checking inventory, invoicing, keeping your books, doing your taxes etc..

 

[StarTech]

at least is higher than my brother insisted on charging for his work. He wanted to do at $10 /hr. He lost his shirt tail and 6K the first year. Started accusing me of stealing from him.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

if you are full time and not a semi-hobby I would raise /hr price. Add up the hours you loose looking for parts, checking inventory, invoicing, keeping your books, doing your taxes etc..

I am pretty much full time spring till fall. I retired at 61 a few years ago and took the shop full time. I had been doing it as a side hustle for 30+ years. My overhead is almost no existent and no mortgage and no debt. At $40/hr i actually clear more profit than dealers at $100/hr. I also run a one man consulting business so i have plenty of work. In fact my accountant told me to buy some more stuff that is deductible to help with taxes so i am really upgrading my woodworking tools.

 

[sgkent]

I dunno. Got named one time in a civil lawsuit back in the mid-80's in the all those other folks involved list because someone borrowed my office and desk to sign a business transaction that went south. I was on vacation and literally knew nothing about it nor had I been involved in any way. The plaintiff just saw my name plate on a credenza where the other guy set it while he was using my desk cause he was new and didn't have a permanent office yet. The million dollar plus lawsuit was finally discharged by the judge but for about a year there was always the possibility that I might have to hire an attorney to keep my name out of it otherwise. Since then I either make enough money to cover weird things like that if they happen, or I am not interested in the work. No way do I want to make $60,000 a year in a job someone in a hurry can damage their foot with a mower, and then say that I screwed up the controls working on it. But I understand that once retired the government takes a lot more back per dollar earned. State paid me roughly $10,000 they assessed themselves as a penalty for not properly paying my last pay check for months after I retired. I ended up losing about $8500 of that to additional taxes it caused on top of my retirement.