Starting Small Engine Repair Gig

[gregkl]

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>

When I was a junior in high school diesel mechanics, the teacher told us when you work under the hood of a car and do, say a plug or filter change, wipe off the valve covers and air cleaner lid.

That way the owner knows someone actually did do something! I guess I took that to heart.

Such an impressionable yute!

 

[Leo]

I worked in a dealership in 1978 and one of the guys was a scam artist. He would take a car that came in for annual maintenance and test drive it, If it ran fine he would change the air cleaner, take it to the wash rack, and clean under the hood. The other 4 hours of work would go undone. People were impressed at "what a good job Bob did". I would do all the scheduled work, every car every time. I would set the valves to spec even if they were quiet. The schedule said change the brake fluid, so I did, etc. Bob would get 4.5 hours flat rate pay for 20 minutes, I would get 4.5 hours of flat rate pay for 5.5 hours of actual work. Once I left a dirty thumb print on a fender, the customer complained, and the boss chewed my butt.

I guess it takes mechanical dedication AND polish.

 

[Sigblitz]

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!

I put a 2 cycle prime bulb in the carb port and duck tape on the muffler to keep the water out.

 

[Sigblitz]

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

It's all non adjustable jets now.
A low speed jet that's too big can also cause it to hunt. Remove the air cleaner. Sometimes this will level it out and you have to trim out the plastic circle in the air box, or get a smaller low speed jet.
It it smooths out by blocking air, drill out the low speed jet.
Adjust governor to 3000 push mowers, 3200 riding mowers.

 

[gregkl]

I have my first challenge. rebuilt the carb. Couldn’t get it to hold pressure when I tested the needle and seat. Tried again. No go. Ordered a factory B&G carb, same issue out of the box, won’t hold pressure. Tried it anyway. Engine still surges. Checked intake manifold. No leaks. Checked carb to intake connection. No leaks. I’ve ordered another carb to see if I just got a bad one. I’d like to think its a spring worn, but everything I research says a surge is carb related.

The last couple carbs I worked on all hold 5psi or so when I test them and those run great.

Sig, if you have any thoughts, I’d be happy to hear them.

 

[gregkl]

I have my first challenge. rebuilt the carb. Couldn’t get it to hold pressure when I tested the needle and seat. Tried again. No go. Ordered a factory B&G carb, same issue out of the box, won’t hold pressure. Tried it anyway. Engine still surges. Checked intake manifold. No leaks. Checked carb to intake connection. No leaks. I’ve ordered another carb to see if I just got a bad one. I’d like to think its a spring worn, but everything I research says a surge is carb related.

The last couple carbs I worked on all hold 5psi or so when I test them and those run great.

Sig, if you have any thoughts, I’d be happy to hear them.

I think this one may defeat me. I have put now the third carb on and it still surges. I'm not taking the block apart to get to the governor. I was doing a favor on this one for my son who got the mower from his FIL. He doesn't want to use it anyway since he has an electric mower so I may end up taking it back unrepaired. I already have a fair amount of time and money in this thing that I won't get back. It sat for probably a dozen years. Maybe it has some deeper issues, lol.

The other mower I currently have I diagnosed a bad armature/magneto and was correct. That mower has sat for a couple years for it's owner. I cleaned the carb, put a new magneto on it and if came back to life! I'll cut my grass with it tomorrow to make sure it's all good and take it back to the guy.

 

[WebSnyper]

I think this one may defeat me. I have put now the third carb on and it still surges. I'm not taking the block apart to get to the governor. I was doing a favor on this one for my son who got the mower from his FIL. He doesn't want to use it anyway since he has an electric mower so I may end up taking it back unrepaired. I already have a fair amount of time and money in this thing that I won't get back. It sat for probably a dozen years. Maybe it has some deeper issues, lol.

Sounds like a possible parts machine to me, since he has another mower anyway.

 

[Sigblitz]

I have my first challenge. rebuilt the carb. Couldn’t get it to hold pressure when I tested the needle and seat. Tried again. No go. Ordered a factory B&G carb, same issue out of the box, won’t hold pressure. Tried it anyway. Engine still surges. Checked intake manifold. No leaks. Checked carb to intake connection. No leaks. I’ve ordered another carb to see if I just got a bad one. I’d like to think its a spring worn, but everything I research says a surge is carb related.

The last couple carbs I worked on all hold 5psi or so when I test them and those run great.

Sig, if you have any thoughts, I’d be happy to hear them.

I haven't been on in a few days. Look at post 44. It does sound like the gas air ratio is not right.
All I can add, work the governor by hand. If ramping down the governor smooths it out, the low speed jet is too big. If ramping up the governor smonths it out, it's too small and can be drilled out.

 

[Sigblitz]

Remove the air cleaner housing, tighten the carburetor down, using spacers where the housing was. Is it better? Or block off some air and see if it gets better.
It's a new carburetor, so it's clean.
If it needs more air, port out the housing or get a smaller jet.

 

[gregkl]

Remove the air cleaner housing, tighten the carburetor down, using spacers where the housing was. Is it better? Or block off some air and see if it gets better.
It's a new carburetor, so it's clean.
If it needs more air, port out the housing or get a smaller jet.

I finally got rid of the surge. Put the original carb back on and it's running pretty good. I'll mow my yard with it this weekend to confirm its good to go.

 

[NHT3]

Greg worked magic on my mower as well as returning it looking cosmetically nearly NEW for what I considered a very reasonable price. Great job and very much appreciated.. The old Snapper lives again and I like it much better that the new mower I bought when the Snapper expired.. +11 for Greg and his expertise.

 

[gregkl]

I finally got rid of the surge. Put the original carb back on and it's running pretty good. I'll mow my yard with it this weekend to confirm its good to go.

It cut fine. Starts right up. Wish it was a tad smoother but that might just be me.

 

[bwframe]

Hopefully, this video is a nice bump for your thread promoting your new biz? An interesting turn for a lady that puts out decent content about the subject matter for years. Please let me know if this isn't appropriate for the thread and I'll change it to just a witty comment from me.

 

[gregkl]

Hopefully, this video is a nice bump for your thread promoting your new biz? An interesting turn for a lady that puts out decent content about the subject matter for years. Please let me know if this isn't appropriate for the thread and I'll change it to just a witty comment from me.

I have been subscribed to her for awhile. I may even see her at the equipment show next week. I learned a few things from her. It sounds like she may not be out for good, just until she gets her husband whole again.

 

[Sigblitz]

I was bored a tackled a mower before dinner. Briggs and Stratton L head.
It was popping out the exhaust and surging. Choking off the air didn't smooth it out, so it was getting gas.

The motor blows on an air vane that pivots back and forth. When the mower is running, the air vane opens the choke. And the air vane springs back when you shut it off.
There's a lever by the exhaust that's on a coil. It sits between the air vane and the engine. When the engine is hot, it holds the air vane off choke so the choke isn't on when you shut it off and restart it.

Here's why it was surging. The return spring was gone, so someone looped the vane over the lever. It never went completely off choke and was running too rich, bogging down the motor. The governor would open the throttle, it would speed up and bog down again.
I ordered a 10 pack of air vane springs for $6, so I'll fix the surging problem for 60 cents.

So the other problem, popping out the exhaust. I pulled off the head and couldn't spin the exhaust valve. I took the valve out and ground the stem to get 10 thousandth clearance. I don't have a spring compressor, so I zip tied the spring down to get the keeper on and cut the zip ties. The head gasket was fine so I put the head on Sig tight. I have a torque wrench, but it's just a lawnmower. They always come loose at 165 inch pounds anyway. I ran it, still rich until the spring gets here. No more popping.

I have a free snowblower that needed a $7 governor spring. $12 with shipping. Now I have a 60 cent mower.

 

[gregkl]

I was bored a tackled a mower before dinner. Briggs and Stratton L head.
It was popping out the exhaust and surging. Choking off the air didn't smooth it out, so it was getting gas.

The motor blows on an air vane that pivots back and forth. When the mower is running, the air vane opens the choke. And the air vane springs back when you shut it off.
There's a lever by the exhaust that's on a coil. It sits between the air vane and the engine. When the engine is hot, it holds the air vane off choke so the choke isn't on when you shut it off and restart it.

Here's why it was surging. The return spring was gone, so someone looped the vane over the lever. It never went completely off choke and was running too rich, bogging down the motor. The governor would open the throttle, it would speed up and bog down again.
I ordered a 10 pack of air vane springs for $6, so I'll fix the surging problem for 60 cents.

So the other problem, popping out the exhaust. I pulled off the head and couldn't spin the exhaust valve. I took the valve out and ground the stem to get 10 thousandth clearance. I don't have a spring compressor, so I zip tied the spring down to get the keeper on and cut the zip ties. The head gasket was fine so I put the head on Sig tight. I have a torque wrench, but it's just a lawnmower. They always come loose at 165 inch pounds anyway. I ran it, still rich until the spring gets here. No more popping.

I have a free snowblower that needed a $7 governor spring. $12 with shipping. Now I have a 60 cent mower.

Yeah, that spring is more important than what a lot of people realize. Even if it was there, if it was weak, you would get surging. One of the mowers I worked on needed a new spring. Smoothed it right out.

The latest thing I have worked on is a leaf blower that was run with pure gas. The piston was shot, but I worked the cylinder with sandpaper to get the transfer off, then ran a 320 grit AO ball hone through it. It looks great now. Put it back together, fired up right away and runs great, maybe even better than it did previously.

Next up is a dead chainsaw my neighbor gave me. I will tear it down and check the piston and cylinder. If those are shot, it goes in the trash. It's a 16" Poulan and it's not worth putting money in it. If they are good, a new purge bulb is all I can see it needing.

 

[Brian Ski]

That is the problem with taking small engines to a shop at 60-70$ an hour (Maybe more), plus a few bucks in parts, the shop can't make any money on a small engine that may cost $100 new. (leaf blower, weed eater, chainsaw) But if you have some time you might fix something pretty cheap with some knowledge.

Chainsaw might need some fuel lines too. They disintegrate over time. I have cleaned up pistons before. Make sure rings are free and give it a try. Just can't see dropping $100 on a new piston and rings.

 

[Sigblitz]

Yeah, that spring is more important than what a lot of people realize. Even if it was there, if it was weak, you would get surging. One of the mowers I worked on needed a new spring. Smoothed it right out.

The latest thing I have worked on is a leaf blower that was run with pure gas. The piston was shot, but I worked the cylinder with sandpaper to get the transfer off, then ran a 320 grit AO ball hone through it. It looks great now. Put it back together, fired up right away and runs great, maybe even better than it did previously.

Next up is a dead chainsaw my neighbor gave me. I will tear it down and check the piston and cylinder. If those are shot, it goes in the trash. It's a 16" Poulan and it's not worth putting money in it. If they are good, a new purge bulb is all I can see it needing.

Muriatic acid will take aluminum transfer off.

The saw, the carb gaskets could be hard as a carp, not pulsing the fuel pump.

 

[gregkl]

Muriatic acid will take aluminum transfer off.

The saw, the carb gaskets could be hard as a carp, not pulsing the fuel pump.

I have heard that but, I try not to use muriatic acid if I don't need to. I can control what I'm doing better with sanding. Plus, then I don't have the acid sitting around.

The saw just needs a thorough inspection before I do anything. I'm not sure how "used" it is but I still want to get a look at the piston and cylinder.

I did see that the purge bulb is as hard as a rock,lol. And the carb is very clean, like maybe someone replaced it trying to fix it. We shall see. I'm willing to invest in a purge bulb if the rest checks out.

 

[gregkl]

Welp, cylinder and piston scored, flywheel keyway sheared (aluminum) and crank seals are leaking. I will save good parts, tag em so I know what they are and pitch the rest.