Recent content by Tiger Small Engine

Look at the engine itself. Forget the manuals. Look at the base of the engine for a drain plug with a flashlight.

Honda quit making push and self-propelled mowers about 2 years ago. This mower just purchased must be new old stock. It is still under warranty, so take it to an authorized Honda warranty shop to get it checked out. No, it is not normal at all for a Honda GCV170 to smoke a little or a lot. Great...

Gator line (has a thin metal wire that runs the it in the middle). Vortex line (black in color and is great stuff). Any line that has twists, corners, and is not totally round cuts better.

Well, the only part you have not changed is the belt. As long as all pulleys, spindles, alignment, etc. are good, it should be good with a new belt. Old belts that get twisted sometimes don’t work once they are compromised.

The Kohler Courage is a dog. It has several problems and you can read about them online. Keep oil in it and run it.

I love working on Stihl equipment! Stihl is the most common handheld equipment in my area. My success rate for getting Stihl equipment starting and running well is very high as long as there is good compression.

Most newer riding mowers that aren’t ultra cheap have foot pedal forward and reverse control.

Take a heat gun and run it around the two halves of engine case where gasket is.

Anyone that sends back $10 parts that don’t work for a refund needs to seriously reevaluate life.

The Kawasaki FH engines were and are great engines! No flaws that I am aware of. You spent enough time and money on this mower to probably buy two used mowers. At least you know your mower pretty well now.

I had an old Yard Machines mower I recently sold with a 13.5 hp Briggs engine doing the same thing. Tried OEM carburetor three different times after cleaning and messing with intake gaskets, replaced with another old carburetor I had after cleaning, same thing, only run right on choke. Bought a...

Always replace both coils, keep the one good one, and replace the next one that goes bad years from now.

Does the engine die suddenly like you turned the key off (electrical), or kind of chug a bit and come to a halt (fuel)?

Artificial intelligence gives answers based on what a person has fed the program with information. Artificial intelligence is already annoying and it is relatively new.

Some part of your deck isn’t right. Double check the size of belt to be so it is correct. How is the belt tension on deck belt when it is engaged? Double check all the spindles and pulleys for free movement and being on a level plane with each other.

Stens is a distributor that has been around for years. 8ten is a newer distributor that has aggressively marketed parts. I have bought from both with good results. Neither manufactures any parts, just stock and sell them.

Many of these mowers, last 15 years let’s say, that have mulching spring loaded covers on right side of deck, install an exit chute for grass if possible. Mulching never works as well as letting the grass fly out.

Glysophate and Pramatol is what I use for long term killing weeds in gravel.

Never have seen, or heard of this “one way check valve.” Just saying.

Soldering gun and some similar plastic.

Those types of customers usually have several red flags before the work even starts. The signs are there not to be ignored. I know this only from past experiences. There is too much good business out there to be chasing the bad or borderline.

Either new fuel pump is bad, you have fuel pump hooked up incorrectly, or fuel line running back to fuel tank is clogged.

Do not spray carburetor cleaner in a 2-stroke to start it. Use a bottle with pre-mix fuel.

At $52/hour in late 1970’s for shop rate and you making $3.25/hour, you were only making 6% of hourly rate. Today’s mechanics typically make 25%-33% of hourly rate. $52/hour seems high and $3.25/hour is low. Around here $100/hour shop rate labor for small engines is average. There are a couple...

It isn’t uncommon for mowers to develop slop in the push handlebars over time. Without welding and modification, there isn’t much you can do.

Fill plug is often on the inside near very top on many serviceable transaxles, not on the top.