Vanguard carb backorder saga continues.

[ILENGINE]

Do you remember how Tecumseh failure did us?

In my case it started with McCulloch and their bankruptcy and then they claimed that products on authorized dealer would be fully warrantied until they had the warehouse sale in California which required that all products sold at the sale was supposed to be "sold as is no warranty" and those products ended up on the shelves at K-Mart. And the response was since they could tell the difference between dealer products and K-Mart products they voided the warranty on dealer stock. Several thousand in saws on the shelf has to sell as is no warranty at cost or below.

The Murray bankruptcy that killed any pending warranty claims and started us down the path of Powermore engines by MTD because MTD saw Briggs as a mower competitor at that point and MTD refused to purchase Briggs engines for a few years.

And the Tecumseh bankruptcy that they claimed there would be parts available for 10 years and six months later parts were becoming NLA. Sticking dealers with a few hundred to a couple thousands dollars in parts that basically became worthless.


And now the Briggs fiasco that everybody claims is due to the bankruptcy but in reality started in 2017 when parts started backordering and they tried to blame it on everything from software update issues, to the changing customer environment. But is doesn't help that Briggs has outsourced product support for every consumer products sold at big box stores. Brute made by Amerisun, Pulsar, and Ardisam. Murray which when it came back was made by MTD and Husqvarna but is now made and serviced by an Chinese company with no dealer network, and an email to enquire about parts or service,


And after 24 years I am considering giving it up. Still enjoy working on stuff, but just don't have the drive anymore.

 

[StarTech]

Well I haven't been in lawn care business that long (started 2009) so I didn't know all the facts about McCulloch dropping out of the market other than they just disappeared. We had a couple nice McCulloch saws that I had to ran the last ten years of their useful life using a manual oiler. It sorta like why I had given up on Homelite chainsaws when they got sold out the JD, just couldn't get parts.

You can see how well that worked for Kmart. Kmart and their parent company Sears are just about completely gone now too. Amazon and Walmart have really hurt them and that not allowing for places like eBay that also hit them. All these companies going under is quite disheartening to mechanic that prides himself on doing quality workmanship.

As for Briggs I knew something was amidst when parts were starting to get hard to get which was why I started ordering extras for more common repairs. Now those stock items are running thin ice too.

In the 40+ yrs that I have been repairman I have learned never trust a company's spin on things. I was once at a supply conference in Dayton where the company that I work for said absolutely they could get what I was trying to sell so I went out and got the orders to only look like a fool when they couldn't deliver the products. I cornered the company rep and he simply ever saying it. Really the only person you can trust is yourself.

It seems every repair industry I gotten into has died off due all the cheap Chinese crap coming into the country. Personally I just trying to make to 65 (2-1/2 years away and counting down) so I have at least have medical insurance and a small monthly check. Probably will still do repairs but at least then I won't have to lose sleep over it. There are plenty of headaches running a company for sure. I have been known to walk out back and just scream as loud as I can over trying to deal some of the distributors. Just be my luck that when I start fishing again that either the rivers all be dried up or there is no healthy fish to be caught.

 

[ILENGINE]

My plan is similar to yours but I am planning to take the reduced SS amount at 62. In my case I have 8 years to go. But due to progressing minor to moderate spondylosis with nitrogen gas formation at L1-L5 and increasing stenosis at the L5-S1, working to 62 may be a fantasy.

 

[StarTech]

Even at 65 I having to take reduced benefits. I don't qualify for full retirement benefits until 66 yrs 10 months but I will not able to make it there so it is reduced benefits. Considering that you got eight years to go that means full retirement benefits wouldn't be until you reach 67.

The way things are going we be lucky if anything is available when we try to get it.

As for the Spondylosis my mother had something very similar. She had three discs completely missing. She was in constant pain but it was Demetria that finally took her out. She couldn't do housework because of it. Her specialist said the only thing could be done was medicate for the pain.

 

[ILENGINE]

Correct Startech, 67 full retirement age. In my case the degenerative disc disease is causing mild sciatic and moderate low back pain, but mostly front of thigh numbness followed by flaming ice picks if I stand too long.. And on some occasions will have muscle spasms that will drop me on my knees and if I am lucky sometimes I will see stars.

 

[StarTech]

I understand some of the pain as I spent a lot years with a dislocated vertebra myself. It finally finally pop back in place about a year ago. When it did I thought I broke my back. Yet I still have very painful spells if I step wrong just walking flat surfaces. Now I get a lot hip pain where I can't walk much than a 1000 feet but because I got left hip joint that likes pops out every so often and that is very when it happens too. I just have to deal with these and known my limits. Yes looks crazy for me to picking 75-100 lb engines with a 2 ton engine lift but it is what keeps me moving and not of commission because severe pain.

Other than that my only major health problem is high blood pressure. A few years ago now I was having stroke like spells that put me in the horsepital for 3 days in ICU because my whole left was shutting down. Boy I was lucky to not be wheelchair bond. Blood pressure over 250/120 does it, now I am running around 130/95. Today it is a little low at 110/75. At least I don't have the migraines like I did, I still go though a lot Excedrin pills.

 

[ILENGINE]

Nothing like health issues to sideline you. In June 2014 I had gotten out of bed about 4:30 AM, had breakfast and then when and sit in my recliner and played on my laptop until around 5:30. Went back to the kitchen and went to pickup something off the kitchen counter and remember thinking that I don't feel good before I hit the floor. Came to and tried to push myself up with my hands and passed out again. Came to again and made it to my knees before passing out again. At this time my family was alerted to my struggles. Came to a fourth time and made it to my feet before passing out again. Finally was able to make it to my feet and had the sudden urge to use the bathroom, followed about 20 minutes later with pain in my left jaw, across my chest down my left arm and down both legs.

Ended up in the ER with a nitroglycerin patch on my left arm, two tubes of 2 mg of morphine in my system to stop the pain. All kinds of blood work, heart monitor, 5 EKG's and a cardiac stress test over my 2 day hospital stay all came back normal. Spend the next six months trying to regain enough strength to work more than 2 hours three days a week. Fought random shortness of breath that would come out of the blue and last about 30 seconds. And over a several month period realized that I had lost part of my memory. And then to get treated by the medical profession like it never happened.

 

[StarTech]

Sounds like you had one type of stroke.that was misdiagnosed. You were lucky to have family around.

And yes doctors at times don't seem to care or to listen to our problems. Right now I have been out of my regular blood meds for over a month [ran out December 1] now I having to wait for blood work to come back as the doctor insists on the test before he will renew my prescription even though I am having no problems other than out medicine. At least I was smart enough not to throw the pills the doctor change me off of. Now I back to that nagging cough but at least the pressure levels are fine.

For me I don't have anyone around any more so it up to me to act quickly when I can. I keep my cordless phone all the time now; cell phones don't work very well at all here]. This is really scary as I have had food poisoning 3 x since 2014. All caused by supermarket brought foods. The last was Bologna so I don't even buy it any more. I had food poisoning enough now that I can recognize the symptoms and can take some precautions to stop it. But boy not being to stand without passing out can really shake you up. Before that I had it twice from restaurant prepared foods.

 

[mechanic mark]

ILENGINE, I do not know if you overlooked my post regarding OEM carburetor being in stock on page 4 for $117 or you just decided to go with aftermarket carburetor. thanks, Mark

 

[StarTech]

ILENGINE, I do not know if you overlooked my post regarding OEM carburetor being in stock on page 4 for $117 or you just decided to go with aftermarket carburetor. thanks, Mark

Mark, A lot of the time those "In stock" Google are not accurate. I have learn to verify that item is actually in stock especially when Power Distributors and several other vendors are listing it as on back order. I gotten burned a few times before I learned my lesson about Google searches.