Starting Small Engine Repair Gig

[gregkl]

Hubby did this for a while until he got so busy that he never had time for himself....fishing and motorcycle time just never happened and people constantly brought stuff that they needed right away. He finally started saying no and quit doing it.

Carbs and carb kits (and many other parts) are cheap on Ebay and Amazon. I have several other sites I used regularly to order parts that were way cheaper than buying at any of the local stores. Weed trimmers, mowers, chain saws, tillers, leaf blowers....so many things that were brought to him. We came home one day to a 30 foot boat parked in the driveway that was dropped off...that we were not expecting.

Yeah, I can see this thing taking off more than I can handle so I will have to be careful.

I am not retired yet, so “right away” jobs are not going to happen. I do have extra push mowers and string trimmers that I thought about offering as a loaner.

Right now a week would be the shortest timeframe I can do by the time I diagnose , wait for the parts to come in, do the repairs and test.

I am interested in any sites you have used. I want to stick with OEM parts and some are getting hard to find. I currently have four items going back to Amazon due to poor quality control.

 

[Jaybird1980]

I am a firm believer in rebuilding OEM stuff whenever possible. I have had trouble with cheap replacement carbs especially. Crap quality, oversized ports or elongated ports so that they can fit multiple applications, ports don't match gaskets.

A couple sites I use when I don't buy local are.

OEM Parts for Small Engines and Trailers

OEM Parts Store - Save up to 40% off local prices on OEM and Replacement lawn mower parts, trailer parts, generators, engines, chainsaws and more. Offering a full line of briggs and stratton, kohler, tecumseh, mtd, dexter, kodiak, torsion, flexride, wesbar, and hayes parts.

www.theoempartsstore.com

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/equipment/small-engine

Parts For Lawnmowers | Small Engine Parts Diagrams - ProPartsDirect

Lawn Mower & Small Engine parts for Toro, Walker, Wright, Ariens, Simplicity, MTD, Echo & Cub Cadet. Belts, Skid Shoes, Blades & Filters. One-stop for Parts

www.propartsdirect.net

I think the tools I used the most besides basic hand tools are.

MOTOALL 11 PCS Carburetor Adjustment Tool Carb Adjusting Kit with ZT-1 500-13 Metering Lever Tool for Poulan Husqvarna STIHL Echo Trimmer Weedeater Chainsaw 2-Cycle Small Engine https://a.co/d/7aFo12Z

Mityvac MV8510 Silverline Elite Hand Pump Vacuum/Pressure Brake and Clutch Bleeding Evacuation Kit https://a.co/d/gOWBpBJ
(Doesn't need to be this really, just a pump that can produce around 10 psi and monitor it.)

A good tachometer. I like my echo one, but a good wireless one would be nice.

I wish you luck Greg.

 

[Pepi]

The last four gas engines I've worked on all had the great 'Hunting' problem. Had to open up the jet so the dam engine could get a little gas to run on. EPA standards SMH

 

[gregkl]

I am a firm believer in rebuilding OEM stuff whenever possible. I have had trouble with cheap replacement carbs especially. Crap quality, oversized ports or elongated ports so that they can fit multiple applications, ports don't match gaskets.

A couple sites I use when I don't buy local are.

OEM Parts for Small Engines and Trailers

OEM Parts Store - Save up to 40% off local prices on OEM and Replacement lawn mower parts, trailer parts, generators, engines, chainsaws and more. Offering a full line of briggs and stratton, kohler, tecumseh, mtd, dexter, kodiak, torsion, flexride, wesbar, and hayes parts.

www.theoempartsstore.com

https://www.jackssmallengines.com/equipment/small-engine

Parts For Lawnmowers | Small Engine Parts Diagrams - ProPartsDirect

Lawn Mower & Small Engine parts for Toro, Walker, Wright, Ariens, Simplicity, MTD, Echo & Cub Cadet. Belts, Skid Shoes, Blades & Filters. One-stop for Parts

www.propartsdirect.net

I think the tools I used the most besides basic hand tools are.

MOTOALL 11 PCS Carburetor Adjustment Tool Carb Adjusting Kit with ZT-1 500-13 Metering Lever Tool for Poulan Husqvarna STIHL Echo Trimmer Weedeater Chainsaw 2-Cycle Small Engine https://a.co/d/7aFo12Z

Mityvac MV8510 Silverline Elite Hand Pump Vacuum/Pressure Brake and Clutch Bleeding Evacuation Kit https://a.co/d/gOWBpBJ
(Doesn't need to be this really, just a pump that can produce around 10 psi and monitor it.)

A good tachometer. I like my echo one, but a good wireless one would be nice.

I wish you luck Greg.

Thanks. I have come across Jacks. I’ll try them next time. Of course Briggs has a site for OEM stuff so I could use them.

I have the mityvac pressure/vacuum tester.

Looking at tachs now. Will check the adjustment kit.

I bought a hydraulic table this past weekend so I could set mowers at a comfortable height to work on.

 

[Jaybird1980]

Thanks. I have come across Jacks. I’ll try them next time. Of course Briggs has a site for OEM stuff so I could use them.

I have the mityvac pressure/vacuum tester.

Looking at tachs now. Will check the adjustment kit.

I bought a hydraulic table this past weekend so I could set mowers at a comfortable height to work on.

There is another Walbro metering gauge besides the one that is in the kit I linked. I haven't needed it yet, so I don't have it.

 

[Mounty09]

I would think an ultrasonic cleaner would be another good tool to have.

 

[Brian Ski]

I have a new policy; a customer will either get a rebuild or OEM parts. The off brand stuff just doesn't meet my standards for quality.

I have heard that a lot with the cheap off brand stuff. Other problem is the OEM stuff can be stupid expensive. Over $100 easy. Then not worth the cost of a repair.

 

[Mounty09]

I have heard that a lot with the cheap off brand stuff. Other problem is the OEM stuff can be stupid expensive. Over $100 easy. Then not worth the cost of a repair.

I would also worry when the customer leaves gas in it over the winter and the same thing happens in the spring.

 

[Brian Ski]

I would also worry when the customer leaves gas in it over the winter and the same thing happens in the spring.

That's is why I pop off the float bowl and blow it out with carb cleaner. Most of the time I don't even need to take off the carburetor. Don't waste a lot of time on a light plug. Now the one above was quite nasty. Might have sat for several years or water contamination.

Worse ones are snow blowers and generators. Things that get fuel and then sit for a Long time. Mowers usually get enough run time to keep the fuel fresh enough season to season.

 

[Leo]

I have been working on my own stuff for most of my life but recently have stepped up my education and am learning to properly diagnose and test small engine systems to determine exactly what is wrong and then proceed to repair it properly.

I have been looking at extra income now and especially when I retire in a few years. I have done some "handyman" type work but the variety of work complicates things and I have to travel for each job and maintain a large compliment of tools and equipment. I am currently mowing grass for one customer. I really like cutting grass and my plan is to get 5-6 yards while I am still working and increase that to around 10 in retirement.

However, lately I have been had the opportunities to do small engine repair. Apparently there is a lot of equipment out there in various forms of disrepair. Last week I repaired three push lawnmowers and a string trimmer. Currently I have another push mower in my garage getting a carb rebuild.

I bought a string trimmer for a $1 at a yard sale(wouldn't start), was given a backpack leaf blower that wouldn't start and a coworker gave me a "dead" string trimmer a few weeks before that. All are running like brand new, and due to my OCD tendencies, look new.

Short story long and the gist of this posting is I am looking for folks who have small engine equipment that are in disrepair that they just want out of their home. I could be opening up a can of worms so I do want to keep the area to central and southern Indiana primarily and I am not looking for salvage yard condition stuff. I'm looking for stuff that can be brought back to life or provide parts for me to start building up some inventory. Better brand name stuff. I am mostly looking for "free to a good home" pricing, though I am willing to spend a little money for the right stuff.

Lastly, I haven't come up with my pricing strategy yet and I'm still doing my due diligence on rebuild vs replace but if you have something you would like to keep if it was running good, I'm willing to take a look at it.

Thanks!

One of the obstacles to the small engine business is being able to quickly say yes or no. A lot of home owner grade equipment is relatively cheap to replace, and parts are a nightmare for the 3rd world asia stuff. You probably remember that I started training for radio / TV repair in the 70's. When a TV set cost a week's wages, people would get them repaired. When the throw away TV sets from asia stared coming in for $135, people started just buying new. Suddenly my work was worth nothing. The quality sets that were worth repair still took the same parts and labor cost. Say I would do a solid job on fitting and aligning a new defection yoke. The part cost $55, there was shipping and ordering costs on top of the price.. I would spend at least an hour doing a great job. I would charge $80 and the people acted like I was a thief, since they could get a portable at Kmart for $135.

It was the same story with the chinese motor scooters.

As a hobby business, mower repair could be fun, I do not know if you can make serious money without new sales.

 

[mom45]

We found that more expensive didn't mean better quality. Often, it was the exact same part...made in China.

We have ordered a fair amount from Jack's as well.

 

[indyblue]

Most of the newer carbs are now all plastic. My Craftsman power washer had one and it became defective, it would not prime. I tried just replacing the primer bulb but it did not work, I think there was a hairline crack in the plastic venturi somewhere. Found a new replacement plastic carb for 9.99 on amazon, runs great now.

Then the pump died. I would have bought new parts for it (expensive) and just repaired but the housing was so oxidized/corroded I opted for a $79 replacement pump.

For older aluminum carbs I like to soda blast, very effective and the casting finish looks brand new. Rinses completely with some water then compressed air dry.

 

[gregkl]

A lot of good points, thank you. I don't plan on replacing my full time job, just earn some pocket cash so I can sit around the coffee shop with my friends and drink a cup of coffee.

I also understand that we live in a throw away society. It is what it is. But if I can fix up what was originally a $400 mower for $80-100, it might be worth it to some folks. And some folks are all I need.

Also, a lot of us on this thread know how to work on stuff like this. They are not my customer. I'm looking for the customer that doesn't know the first thing about working on mechanical stuff and there are increasingly more and more of those.

Some of the stuff I have worked on look really nice, close to new after I give them a good cleaning. Which I do before I work on anything. I don't want the dirt coming in my shop so the equipment gets scrubbed up good!

 

[gregkl]

Most of the newer carbs are now all plastic. My Craftsman power washer had one and it became defective, it would not prime. I tried just replacing the primer bulb but it did not work, I think there was a hairline crack in the plastic venturi somewhere. Found a new replacement plastic carb for 9.99 on amazon, runs great now.

Then the pump died. I would have bought new parts for it (expensive) and just repaired but the housing was so oxidized/corroded I opted for a $79 replacement pump.

For older aluminum carbs I like to soda blast, very effective and the casting finish looks brand new. Rinses completely with some water then compressed air dry.

I have looked into soda blasting but I don't think I have enough compressor to run one.

 

[indyblue]

I have looked into soda blasting but I don't think I have enough compressor to run one.

My measly little old craftsman compressor has plenty of capacity for small jobs. Pressure blasters are much more efficient, but a suction blaster with the hose stuck into a bag of baking soda works just fine. If you run out of air you just have to stop for a few minutes while it rebuilds pressure.

 

[blain]

Thanks. I have come across Jacks. I’ll try them next time. Of course Briggs has a site for OEM stuff so I could use them.

If you order from Jack's, make sure the parts are in stock, if time is an issue.
Just because their web site says it's "in stock", doesn't necessarily mean that it is.
I ordered some parts from Jack's, but not everything listed as "in stock", really was.
I wasn't in a hurry, so I didn't bother cancelling my order over a couple of parts.
I was shipped the actual parts in stock fairly quickly. It took a little while for the others, but I wasn't charged extra shipping.

 

[gregkl]

My measly little old craftsman compressor has plenty of capacity for small jobs. Pressure blasters are much more efficient, but a suction blaster with the hose stuck into a bag of baking soda works just fine. If you run out of air you just have to stop for a few minutes while it rebuilds pressure.

Saw a guy on youtube that took a small air blowgun (which I have) stuck the tip into a piece of clear fuel line, stuck the other end of the fuel line in a tub of soda and did quite well with it.

 

[WebSnyper]

A lot of good points, thank you. I don't plan on replacing my full time job, just earn some pocket cash so I can sit around the coffee shop with my friends and drink a cup of coffee.

I also understand that we live in a throw away society. It is what it is. But if I can fix up what was originally a $400 mower for $80-100, it might be worth it to some folks. And some folks are all I need.

Also, a lot of us on this thread know how to work on stuff like this. They are not my customer. I'm looking for the customer that doesn't know the first thing about working on mechanical stuff and there are increasingly more and more of those.

Some of the stuff I have worked on look really nice, close to new after I give them a good cleaning. Which I do before I work on anything. I don't want the dirt coming in my shop so the equipment gets scrubbed up good!

Agreed, that's your customer (the guy who buys decent stuff, but doesn't know how to fix it) .

Also if you happen to have a mower or 2 in the wings that you basically have nothing but a few $ in parts just in case someone wants something quick and cheap but doesn't want theirs repaired, you could make a buck or 2 and tell them you'll take their old one off their hands as well (and then the cycle goes on).

I'd bet you can make a few bucks doing this as a side gig.

 

[gregkl]

Agreed, that's your customer (the guy who buys decent stuff, but doesn't know how to fix it) .

Also if you happen to have a mower or 2 in the wings that you basically have nothing but a few $ in parts just in case someone wants something quick and cheap but doesn't want theirs repaired, you could make a buck or 2 and tell them you'll take their old one off their hands as well (and then the cycle goes on).

I'd bet you can make a few bucks doing this as a side gig.

Thanks. That is a good idea. I'll look for some lower cost implements to do just that!

 

[Leo]

A lot of good points, thank you. I don't plan on replacing my full time job, just earn s
Some of the stuff I have worked on look really nice, close to new after I give them a good cleaning. Which I do before I work on anything. I don't want the dirt coming in my shop so the equipment gets scrubbed up good!

I have seen your cars, garage and workshop. You definitely know how to keep and make stuff look new. All my stuff runs fine, but maybe I'll bring it over for maintenance just to get it back clean <grin>