DIY or small engine repair

For those of you with busted mowers, etc. - when it comes time to fix it do you do the work yourself or hire a small engine business to do it for you? Most of the time I'm able to fix things myself.

I guess I have been around too long, I have always felt, I needed to know how to repair anything that I could own. And sometimes gave myself the luxury of hiring service work.

I quit hiring my service work done by others after seeing the type work that my friends were paying for and still not getting things done right.
That plus seeing most service repair places degrade their work to remove and replace until the problem goes away... Too many places do not repair they start by replacing...

If you have a good honest repair shop... you are definitely very LUCKY. but don't expect it to stay that way. It is really a different :frown:world. KennyV

PS... On the bright side ... it is a lovely day:smile::smile:

I cannot agree with you more about most shops becoming parts changers. The problem though is there is getting to be less and less diagnostics test procedures for several components on mowers or the testing takes longer to perform then it takes to intall and remove the possibly faulty part. One example that is came across was in a honda shop manual for testing a component on a atv. Step one install honda tester to test component. verify that the test readings are within spec. If not the tester may be bad. The other thing that I am finding is that it cost more to repair the component then to replace it. Another example is a starter solenoid for a Kohler engine is $171, the complete starter is $186. Or when you install a carb kit on certain engines, the carb kit is $13, the labor adds another $40-$60 and a new carb is $35.

I am starting to see more and more lawnmower mechanics seem to know less and less. I bought out another repair shop ten years ago and everytime a horizonal shaft briggs came in with carb problems and could tell that he worked on it because the fuel pump diaphragm spring was always on the wrong side of the diaphragm. And he was in business for 18 years.

I always do it myself, and I have a few customers who's mowers I repair and maintain. There is one shop that dominates repair around here and they SUCK. They charge $75/Hr labor and the minimum labor is $75. I ordered one part from them, they didn't have it in stock, they said they'd call me the next day, I called them three days later and they didn't pick up the phone. The scary part is they are the only Cub Cadet warranty dealer around! :/

I have also found that some of the manufacturers are not any better. Called electralux a few years back because I was having a technical issue and the lady on the phone asked me if I was Sears, when I told her no she hung up on me. Called them back an got someone different and they asked me if I was Sears and I said no I was a Poulan authorized service center and her reply was "We have service centers". I have found that most shops are getting too big and inpersonal and don't like to deals with customers one on one. I have a shop in my area that doesn't answer the phone during the busy part of the year. You have to leave a message and they will call you back. I deal with them as little as possible. I have another shop in my area that treats other dealers really crappy.

ILENGINE said:

I most shops are getting too big and impersonal and don't like to deals with customers one on one. I have a shop in my area that doesn't answer the phone during the busy part of the year. You have to leave a message and they will call you back. I deal with them as little as possible. I have another shop in my area that treats other dealers really crappy.

Click to expand...

That has happened all across the country. As places get started and grow becoming bigger and the population supports them, at some point the service part of doing business disappears. The owner of the larger shops may not even know the employees names let alone the customers names... all that sketchy business practice leaks its way downward toward the customer level. After a while you have staff with a costic attitude and in house management that no longer sees the value in dealing with customers.
The basic principals of business are the same as always... your business DEPENDS on the public... if you loose sight of that someone will eventually come along, start out small and grow into a giant to replace you...
Hope you keep track of how your business grows and continue to deal with all the people you encounter as if they could become one of your best customers.. :smile::smile: KennyV

If its something simple then sure why not, if I can learn something I am not too sure of early on to save a little money I will. Now when it comes to technical things those I would have to pass on.

Do it yourself... Most of these small engine issues aren't that difficult to fix if you have basic mechanical skills and know-how. I bought repair manuals for my engines and I ask a lot of questions when I have something I'm not sure about or isn't addressed in the repair manual. This year alone, I've re-done 4 gummed up carbs, re-worked and re-seated a valve seat on a briggs head that the manual says you have to replace ther head if the seat comes out, and numerous other small repair tasks I didn't want to tackle. At $75/hour labor, you can't afford to take it to a shop very often and you learn to do it yourself pretty quick. The only time I'll take a mower or equipment to the shop is if it's under warranty and the manufacture will take care of the bill.

I also pick up used equipment from friends that may not have been taken good care of so I'm getting lots more experience in going into these things and cleaning them up and making minor repairs to get them running.

My wife thinks I'm crazy buying all of this stuff but when she sees/hears it running, she's good with it.

By all means, do it yourself if you can.

Good to hear there are still hard workers in this world. Too often I hear of people wanting to pass off a simple job to someone else. I'd rather save my hard earned cash for better things.

can't agree with ya'll more -- save myself about $1500 by repairing a freebee 5K generator last week -- just needed a carb cleaning a little RTV on both sides of the gasket.