I replaced an engine on a Craftsman 7.0 walk behind with a 5.0. Mower is back in action, replaced flywheel key in several mowers this week and rebuilt a Poulan 245A. Fixed a Craftsman 33" 8 HP as well. Sold a Murray push mower for $50.00
how many of you repair small engines as a hobby? $$
- Thread starter twinfords
- Start date
worked on a Husqvarna Royal 48 last weekend, the guy saw my ad for the Royal 53S and gave me a call, Job well done, he is happy. I took a quick pic of the two mowers together (fiberglass decks), I am working on a Poulan 5200 and 245A saws currently.
Grassbandit
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Re: return customers due to running their mowers intot the ground.
I know exactly what you mean. The customers are their own worst enemy if you know what I mean. Here's one I just dealt with.....and the other is a brand new craftsman trimmer with a bad clutch. Replaced the springs and its good to go again.
I know exactly what you mean. The customers are their own worst enemy if you know what I mean. Here's one I just dealt with.....and the other is a brand new craftsman trimmer with a bad clutch. Replaced the springs and its good to go again.
bertsmobile1
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People say that because there is a little pimple on the cam that allows the engine to decompress just enough to let the motor start.
Too much clearence and the pimple will not open the valve at all while not enough clearance allows too much compression to escape.
There is a critical range of speeds over which your engine will fire, too fast or too slow and it will not start, may fire a few times but just won't run.
If all you get for $65 is a filter & oil change, you are gong to the wrong shop.
I used to do mowers as a side line & now it is my full time business.
The usual service for a known customer takes a bit over 2 hours becaue I go all over the mower and there are always loose/ missing fasteners, cables need to be lubed & blades need to be sharpened / replaced.
Wheels need to come off and have a few drops of lube ( even nylon bushed ones ) poped on then as does the height adjusters. Handle bar bolts oft need a slightly thicker washer under them , a touch of the wire brush and a smear of grease if not a little rub over with a die nut. Cowels have to come off to clean out the cooling fins & the brakes alway need a lube if not an adjustment. Petrol tanks come off & get drained properly and filters back flushed. Then there is the big clean up, degrease and wash so it goes back to the customer looking and more importantly working like new. For this I charge a flat $ 65 labour + parts ( note not sundry items , just parts ).
As for your plug, increased cylinder pressure will eventually extinguish the spark due to incresing resistance across the gap.
Back in the old days we had plug testers which were simply a chamber with a window in it, a trembler coil connected to a viriac to generate a spark and an air pump to presurize the cylinder.
A plug looked like a light globe at 20 psi but by 180 psi very few could manage a spark more than 20% of the time.
I always keep the old plug because there are always smart arses who tell me their plug was fine and even better are the twits that mark their old plug. Funny enough most end up leaving with my new plug in their engines , their old plug in the bin and their mower running like a clock.
Repairs for customers who do not get their equipment serviced get charge out at actual hours so if it takes me 4 hours to find a problem they get a $ 240 bill + parts.
I once got so fed up with a customer I pulled out a C note & bet him $ 100 the trouble was his "almost new" plug.
It was an oldish engine & I had been running 2 grades hotter plugs ( +1 for ULP + another 1 for worn rings & carb ). The idiot owner had looked up the manual, fitted the correct grade plug for old real petrol & f course it worked beautifully , for around 20 hrs then would not start.
So his "correct plug" went into the vice and got cooked with th oxy torch till the crud built up inside finally ignited.
Turned off the heat & it burned for better than 10 minutes. Popped it back into the engine & it started first pull, He left $ 100 lighter but I did throw in two plugs, two grades hotter.
Grassbandit
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![DSC_0141[1].jpg](https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/data/attachments/16/16543-6926f65bd081fbee187d2c894d646dc8.jpg "DSC_0141[1].jpg")
![DSC_0142[1].jpg](https://www.lawnmowerforum.com/data/attachments/16/16548-716c051c0e5da3b09966a7803c78e871.jpg "DSC_0142[1].jpg")
Solo backpack blower/sprayer.....agricultural use. Would start but not stay running. Cleaned carb and its good to go.
natenkiki2004
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After a 2 year hiatus, I am starting to get back into small engine repair, for flipping. I've got a good stash of a dozen or so mowers and few other things as I can't resist picking them up but haven't gotten up the nerve to work on them or find time between my own projects. But now, I could use a few extra bucks and I'm getting the itch to do it and it feels good. Plus, this thread is incredibly inspiring and that helps. So here's my first contribution, hopefully with more to follow.
It's a 1992 Craftsman 5.0HP 22" Eager 1 mower. Hardly any use on it, had the original spark plug and blade which had never been sharpened and didn't really have any chips in it. Just needed a good carb cleaning, minor valve adjusting and cleaned out the carbon from the head. New fuel line, new drive belt, new air filter & spark plug, cleaned & lubed the wheels. Runs and idles fantastically. I haven't had a chance to pretty it up with some Armor-All or anything, just took pictures of it all reassembled so I can list it.
It's a 1992 Craftsman 5.0HP 22" Eager 1 mower. Hardly any use on it, had the original spark plug and blade which had never been sharpened and didn't really have any chips in it. Just needed a good carb cleaning, minor valve adjusting and cleaned out the carbon from the head. New fuel line, new drive belt, new air filter & spark plug, cleaned & lubed the wheels. Runs and idles fantastically. I haven't had a chance to pretty it up with some Armor-All or anything, just took pictures of it all reassembled so I can list it.
grumpygrizzly
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I ran it pretty hard as a hobby for about 7 months last year, enjoyed every minute of it. Plug my Kindle Fire in and play my Pandora app to whatever stations I've created for music. I have a 'Bread Van' I'm been slowly converting into a mobile Small Engine Rescue van so I can go to a clients house and it'll be my shop on wheels. Trying to make sure I have all the tools in there that I also have in my home shop.
The wife isn't a big supporter of it as I've got over 30 years of engineering experience and she likes that big pay check. I can't stand working in a cubicle, looking at a pair of monitors, and taking orders from some kid that went to college and now thinks he knows everything I learned over the years.
I post ads on CL and below is what I'll put out there when I'm looking for more units to work on:
Looking For Small Engines
I'm looking for those weedeaters, leaf blowers, portable generators, chain saws, anything small engine that needs help to get back to it's glory days of yard work. No electric or battery powered. Gas, 2 stroke or four stroke..
You know the ones.. "It started fine last year..." or the "I haven't used it in 5 years but, it should fire right up..". Guess what, most of them won't and you'll end up tossing them into a metal recycle bin and hoping some of it makes it to a recycle center.
I've got books, tools, and a shop in my yard and actually enjoy the challenge of getting them back to running like a well oiled machine. If you take them to a Lawn Mower Repair shop, most of them will tell you they're made to be thrown away when they quit running. It'll cost you more than it's worth to fix it... etc.. etc..
I want to fix them. Once I get them going again, I'll sell them to get them back out there and if I make any money, it'll be to pay for small engine repair schools online (That's like an $800 bill all day long). I'm also working on putting a mobile small engine repair van together and getting things I need for it.
I can come by and pick them up, maybe even offer you a little cash but, if you're looking to get rich off what's in the back of your shed, I'm not your guy.
This is a hobby for me and maybe some day I'll be able to make it my own business to get out of this rat race of the corporate world.
Drop me an email with what you have, if you want anything for it, anything else you can tell me about it (name, engine size, last time it ran, etc..) and how you want me to contact you. I can meet you somewhere of your choosing or you can come by my place or I'll come by your place. Any of these options are fine with me so whatever makes you comfortable..
To the spammers, I'm not selling anything here so if you want to buy something, perhaps I can send you a box full of parts I can't repair picked randomly from boxes in my shop. Send your shipper out with cash and I'll fill his truck up.
OK, so reply to this message if you have anything I'm looking for or even think it might be something I'm looking for. I'll also take your small equipment in on trade for some of the stuff I have running. I've got a few ads up and running right now but, I was pretty slammed over the last week so I'm looking for more projects.
Preferably 2 stroke small engines, 4 stroke is ok as well. Doesn't hurt to ask.
NO TEXT MESSAGES PLEASE, I won't answer them. Too many spammers use them on here.
If you call and I don't answer, PLEASE leave a message. I won't return a call unless there's a message due to the spammers out there.
Tecumseh, briggs and stratton, homelite, poulan, stihl, ryobi, craftsman, leaf blower, weed eater, edger, trimmer, chainsaw, generator,
It's a little long but, it gets noticed.
When I go to sell something back on CL, I'll put up an add like this:
I've got a Yard Machines 5hp mower for sale. Great shape, easy starting, sharpened blade. This one has the larger wheels in the back which make it a lot easier to turn than the models that have the same sized wheels all around. Makes moving the yard a LOT easier. So easy, my wife actually has been known to cut the yard on occasion.
There's no bag with it but, I might be able to come up with one out of a pile that I have.
I buy these units all over the place and go through them, fix what needs fixing, drain that old gas that's been in there who knows how long, and get them running in the best condition I can.
My goal is to make a little profit on these so I can afford to pay for a small engine repair course. I've been doing engineering work for 30 years and I can't tolerate the cubicle world anymore.
Give me a call by clicking on the contact information above and let me know if you're interested. I have several other pieces of equipment for sale from push mowers to weed eaters if you're interested.
I love to barter so if you have any small engine yard equipment that's not working, I can take it as partial trade.
NO TEXT MESSAGES!! I just won't reply. Too many spammers.
PLEASE leave a detailed message. A lot of times I'm either driving or my hands are covered with gas and I won't answer my phone. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Show me an Active or Retired Military ID Card, and I'll knock 10% off the price. I'm retired military as well and believe in helping others out.
Even after those ads post, I still get text messages. I can live without that business so I just ignore them.
Usually whenever I sell something, they bring something else in to trade and I usually knock $10 off the price.
It's always amazing when I pick something up from a yard sale, I can get it for $10-20, take it home, dump the gas, clean the plug and it fires right up.. Some cleaning, sharpening here and there, maybe $.50 in new gas line and it's ready to go again.
I've got a few Stihl pieces and those are like taking bananas from monkeys. Folks don't like to sell them.
As for you guys doing it out of your house, be careful with the tax man.. Also lawyers. If you repair someones mower or whatever and it causes them any damage or they think they've been ripped off, they might try to sue you. If the tax man comes around or a neighbor complains about traffic, you're in for another jam.
That's why I'm trying to go mobile. Sure I'll still work on things in my garage but, I'll go and pick up the units or work on them at the customers place.
If one of the local lawn mower shops figure out what you're up to, they'll definitely make waves as you're cutting into thier business... unless you're licensed and insured.
One more thing.. I always carry a small 'GO' toolbag in my truck to help me take a look at a unit when I'm out garage or yard saling. I've even been paid by folks just for helping them get their mower or whatever running.. Usually on a barter system though..
I don't take anything in for repairs unless they're a regular customer and I don't have a lot of them.
The wife isn't a big supporter of it as I've got over 30 years of engineering experience and she likes that big pay check. I can't stand working in a cubicle, looking at a pair of monitors, and taking orders from some kid that went to college and now thinks he knows everything I learned over the years.
I post ads on CL and below is what I'll put out there when I'm looking for more units to work on:
Looking For Small Engines
I'm looking for those weedeaters, leaf blowers, portable generators, chain saws, anything small engine that needs help to get back to it's glory days of yard work. No electric or battery powered. Gas, 2 stroke or four stroke..
You know the ones.. "It started fine last year..." or the "I haven't used it in 5 years but, it should fire right up..". Guess what, most of them won't and you'll end up tossing them into a metal recycle bin and hoping some of it makes it to a recycle center.
I've got books, tools, and a shop in my yard and actually enjoy the challenge of getting them back to running like a well oiled machine. If you take them to a Lawn Mower Repair shop, most of them will tell you they're made to be thrown away when they quit running. It'll cost you more than it's worth to fix it... etc.. etc..
I want to fix them. Once I get them going again, I'll sell them to get them back out there and if I make any money, it'll be to pay for small engine repair schools online (That's like an $800 bill all day long). I'm also working on putting a mobile small engine repair van together and getting things I need for it.
I can come by and pick them up, maybe even offer you a little cash but, if you're looking to get rich off what's in the back of your shed, I'm not your guy.
This is a hobby for me and maybe some day I'll be able to make it my own business to get out of this rat race of the corporate world.
Drop me an email with what you have, if you want anything for it, anything else you can tell me about it (name, engine size, last time it ran, etc..) and how you want me to contact you. I can meet you somewhere of your choosing or you can come by my place or I'll come by your place. Any of these options are fine with me so whatever makes you comfortable..
To the spammers, I'm not selling anything here so if you want to buy something, perhaps I can send you a box full of parts I can't repair picked randomly from boxes in my shop. Send your shipper out with cash and I'll fill his truck up.
OK, so reply to this message if you have anything I'm looking for or even think it might be something I'm looking for. I'll also take your small equipment in on trade for some of the stuff I have running. I've got a few ads up and running right now but, I was pretty slammed over the last week so I'm looking for more projects.
Preferably 2 stroke small engines, 4 stroke is ok as well. Doesn't hurt to ask.
NO TEXT MESSAGES PLEASE, I won't answer them. Too many spammers use them on here.
If you call and I don't answer, PLEASE leave a message. I won't return a call unless there's a message due to the spammers out there.
Tecumseh, briggs and stratton, homelite, poulan, stihl, ryobi, craftsman, leaf blower, weed eater, edger, trimmer, chainsaw, generator,
It's a little long but, it gets noticed.
When I go to sell something back on CL, I'll put up an add like this:
I've got a Yard Machines 5hp mower for sale. Great shape, easy starting, sharpened blade. This one has the larger wheels in the back which make it a lot easier to turn than the models that have the same sized wheels all around. Makes moving the yard a LOT easier. So easy, my wife actually has been known to cut the yard on occasion.
There's no bag with it but, I might be able to come up with one out of a pile that I have.
I buy these units all over the place and go through them, fix what needs fixing, drain that old gas that's been in there who knows how long, and get them running in the best condition I can.
My goal is to make a little profit on these so I can afford to pay for a small engine repair course. I've been doing engineering work for 30 years and I can't tolerate the cubicle world anymore.
Give me a call by clicking on the contact information above and let me know if you're interested. I have several other pieces of equipment for sale from push mowers to weed eaters if you're interested.
I love to barter so if you have any small engine yard equipment that's not working, I can take it as partial trade.
NO TEXT MESSAGES!! I just won't reply. Too many spammers.
PLEASE leave a detailed message. A lot of times I'm either driving or my hands are covered with gas and I won't answer my phone. I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Show me an Active or Retired Military ID Card, and I'll knock 10% off the price. I'm retired military as well and believe in helping others out.
Even after those ads post, I still get text messages. I can live without that business so I just ignore them.
Usually whenever I sell something, they bring something else in to trade and I usually knock $10 off the price.
It's always amazing when I pick something up from a yard sale, I can get it for $10-20, take it home, dump the gas, clean the plug and it fires right up.. Some cleaning, sharpening here and there, maybe $.50 in new gas line and it's ready to go again.
I've got a few Stihl pieces and those are like taking bananas from monkeys. Folks don't like to sell them.
As for you guys doing it out of your house, be careful with the tax man.. Also lawyers. If you repair someones mower or whatever and it causes them any damage or they think they've been ripped off, they might try to sue you. If the tax man comes around or a neighbor complains about traffic, you're in for another jam.
That's why I'm trying to go mobile. Sure I'll still work on things in my garage but, I'll go and pick up the units or work on them at the customers place.
If one of the local lawn mower shops figure out what you're up to, they'll definitely make waves as you're cutting into thier business... unless you're licensed and insured.
One more thing.. I always carry a small 'GO' toolbag in my truck to help me take a look at a unit when I'm out garage or yard saling. I've even been paid by folks just for helping them get their mower or whatever running.. Usually on a barter system though..
I don't take anything in for repairs unless they're a regular customer and I don't have a lot of them.
Gerald007
Member
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- Apr 3, 2014
- Threads
- 3
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- 21
Hi All. I know this is a little late but this is an awesome thread. I have recently began doing this as a hobby myself. I was interested to learn the inner workings of a gas engine and understand how they operate. Garden/Yard equipment is a very affordable way to learn and each project will pay for itself. I took a basic small engine repair course and learned quite a bit and gained confidence i could take a dead mower and make it run again. I've really began to enjoy it a lot lately and has been more aggressive in pursuing projects. I've done about half a dozen lawn mowers and a few grass trimmers since i started at the very end of last season .
I sold my first item of the year today. It was a homelite grass trimmer. HLT-16 classic. got it for free and used parts i had left over from other jobs. Got $35 for it. Tonight i freshened up a mower i completed over the winter. I did an engine swap and took an eager 1 engine of a rotted craftsman deck and put it on a weed eater deck that i removed the blown engine from. will be sharpening the blade. It has fresh oil and i will be painting the handlebar, engine cover, and discharge shoot. I will probably get about $75 for it. If also got a couple of free grass trimmers that i will be combining to make one functional unit. I will probably package it together with a murray mower that i have for $100.00.
I'm considering taking trade-ins from people for a discount from the price of their purchase. I'm wondering if people will be less likely to buy from me if they know that i'm flipping them? I don't sell anything that i can't get running well. If its questionable i'll use parts and not sell it.
Sorry to ramble on. I've really enjoyed the thread. some of you guys really know your stuff and how to manage this whole hobby thing. Thanks for sharing everyone hopefully there will be more posts to come.
I sold my first item of the year today. It was a homelite grass trimmer. HLT-16 classic. got it for free and used parts i had left over from other jobs. Got $35 for it. Tonight i freshened up a mower i completed over the winter. I did an engine swap and took an eager 1 engine of a rotted craftsman deck and put it on a weed eater deck that i removed the blown engine from. will be sharpening the blade. It has fresh oil and i will be painting the handlebar, engine cover, and discharge shoot. I will probably get about $75 for it. If also got a couple of free grass trimmers that i will be combining to make one functional unit. I will probably package it together with a murray mower that i have for $100.00.
I'm considering taking trade-ins from people for a discount from the price of their purchase. I'm wondering if people will be less likely to buy from me if they know that i'm flipping them? I don't sell anything that i can't get running well. If its questionable i'll use parts and not sell it.
Sorry to ramble on. I've really enjoyed the thread. some of you guys really know your stuff and how to manage this whole hobby thing. Thanks for sharing everyone hopefully there will be more posts to come.
Gerald007
Member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2014
- Threads
- 3
- Messages
- 21
Hi All,
Good day today. I sold a murray mower; and picked up my next fixer upper. It's a 21" MTD missing the bag. Has good compression just doesn't fire. The guy i got it from said it ran when he dumped some gas in the carb. should hopefully be able to get that one going, if i do i will try and find a bag for it. Picking up another tomorrow. Its also a 21" MTD.
Tomorrow night i get to play in the garage all night. nothing else planned. Can't wait it will be hard to sleep tonight. Lol.
Good day today. I sold a murray mower; and picked up my next fixer upper. It's a 21" MTD missing the bag. Has good compression just doesn't fire. The guy i got it from said it ran when he dumped some gas in the carb. should hopefully be able to get that one going, if i do i will try and find a bag for it. Picking up another tomorrow. Its also a 21" MTD.
Tomorrow night i get to play in the garage all night. nothing else planned. Can't wait it will be hard to sleep tonight. Lol.