# Small Engine Mechanic's



## bsman (Jan 22, 2006)

Just figured I would start this to see how many Mechanics are out there that do this for a living? Doesn't matter if your self employed or work at a dealer ship. Just to see who you are and shoot the shit about the trade.

My Name is Tyler. Im a 18 year old senior, and i have been working at a Dealership for about 2 1/2 years. We are a Simplicity/ Snapper dealer but also distribute Maryama and Dolmar. We service all major brands. I have learned so much, but feel like can never learn enough :freak:. 

One thing is for sure, I have not seen a dip in available work! We have stayed busy for about 10/12 months with little down time. Job security is the best feeling!


Happy Wrenching! :dude:


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

This is one business where you can never know enough. Doctors work on two models: male and female. We work on anything and everything.
Welcome.
Paul


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## phillipmc (Jan 27, 2008)

I worked at a toro/husky chainsaw dealership from the age of 15 - 16 (they went out of buisness) They where in trouble with money before i started working there so it was only a matter of time. But I learned a whole lot when i did work there Im going on 26 now and still do it as side work Ill mess with anything from outboard boat engines to weed eaters and lawnmowers. Im also a volunteer fire fighter and do all the small engine repairs there.


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

Having done this for too long, I can tell you homeowners don't want to pay for repairs to equipment that they consider "work related." If you were talking about their boat, motorcycle, or putting mirrors on their bedroom ceiling (we all need a laugh) it'd be different. I work almost exclusively with commercial and professional customers, and while some balk they are happy in the long run to have reliably repaired equipment and keep coming back.


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## paulr44 (Oct 14, 2008)

P.S. Don't mean to slight "homeowners." Many are understanding, especially after discovering the poor quality of the box-store equipment.
And I quote: "The bitterness of poor quality is long remembered after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten."


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## pyro_maniac69 (Aug 12, 2007)

been working at ace hardware, 3 years in may


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## 30yearTech (Sep 14, 2006)

*A pretty long time*

Going on 36 years this season. I do both residential and commercial customers, and you can never stop learning as equipment keeps evolving and changing.


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## golftech (Jan 3, 2009)

I'm going on 23 years as an equipt tech at a private country club,and NO,I don't work on golf carts. Never have,never will. They are leased. :tongue:
Other then the few rotary mowers used for the "hard to get to" areas,most everything I repair and maintain are in the 20 to 60K range, a mix of Toros,Jacobsens,and probably some brands you never heard of. The engines go from Briggs,Hondas,Kawasakis,Susukis,to Kubota and Mitsubishi diesels,with John Deere,Ford,Case,and a few trucks thrown into the mix. I have hydraulics and hydrostatics to deal with every day too,along with keeping reels and blades sharp. My days are NEVER boring!! :freak:


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## bser (Jan 8, 2009)

I've been fixing lawn mowers,tractors,string trimmers, and snowblowers for 16yrs.Mostly residential but some comm. customers. Business is slow in Jan-Feb.but picks up when snow starts to melt, and people start thinking about mowing again.This is a great business where you can meet alot of great people.
If you knew everything about SE how boring would that be. I have two good friends in the business that I can call on if I have questions and they call me too. This website is very helpful with all the experienced mechanics.


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## light mechanic (Jul 18, 2008)

I started working on mower when they were called "Power Mowers" when they had cast decks, Clinton engins, Lawson engines, we had the push reel mower then we went to the trash pile one day and there we several power mowers there that someone had junked asked my Dad if we could bring them home so I could fix them, I was 10 what a mechanic, got a few of them going to my suprise, so for several years did repairs for side line money, then opened a mower shop, sold Toro, Snapper and Dixon, did that for six years and the crunch in the mid 80's and was going to take everything that I made back so I closed, did not do any repairs but for myself layed low for about 20 years, moved to a different place and have helped a mower shop out in the summer months on the weekend, they sell several lines was able to pick up a nice Scag mower, after all these years they have become a little easier to work on but are a lot cheaper made, still learning and really enjoy this group, good to be involved, thanks, Light Mechanic


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## [email protected] (Apr 10, 2009)

I have a Pulsar Blower which wil stall if I try to increase the throttle. I think there is dirt in the lines but don't know how to fix the problem.

Jack-Seaford NY ( Long Island)


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## scrench (Dec 8, 2004)

"The bitterness of poor quality is long remembered after the sweetness of a low price is forgotten."


nice one .. opening my shop this month over 15 years making someone else money . my turn now ...


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## bgbass (Jan 11, 2008)

Hi ive been working on small engines for about 27 years commercial and homeowner. There has been a lot of change over the years things are for sure made more cheap they dont hold up as well as years ago.The customers I have are all pretty understanding when i tell them the cost to repair some do wine a little but they come around in the long run.The biggest is i wont even rebuild a engine any more by the time you get done with parts and labor you can buy a new motor for close to the same price.


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## ossaguy (Dec 3, 2008)

Hi,I've been at my job as an outdoor power tech for over 25 years now,serving mostly commercial customers.I've taken the EETC tests,and have 5 of the certifications.Being a Toro MSD,it's required this year to have passed 4 of them.It's great that I can go to work everyday,and always learn something more.I just love this industry.I enjoy the update seminars held every winter/spring too.Tool collecting,and even having to invent a few is the a fun part of it,too.
I really enjoy readng Hobby Talk,it's a great site!
Steve


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## rotti1968 (Apr 26, 2009)

I have about 16 years of turning wrenches on outdoor power equipment,both commercial and homeowners. 11 of those 16 years was with 2 private country clubs as the equipment manager . Gold certified stihl, along with honda,robin subaru,kawasaki,wacker rammers ,plates,pumps and rollers. I also service dewalt,bosch,etc electrical equipment.


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## Gocart (Mar 28, 2008)

I am a maintenance electrician, I work on plc's, robots and networks. I like to buy non-working small engine equipment and fix it and resale it. It is a form of stress relief for me. I love tinkering with this stuff. I am kind of a perfectionist, so if I were to figure the time that I spend on cleaning up and repairing the equipment, I probably could make more money working at burgerking, but I just enjoy doing it. Thanks for all the great tech support that you guys have given me over the past couple years.


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## smallengineguru (Jul 12, 2009)

been in the game for about 25 years. my uncle gave me my first engine (i was 10 years old)....was a locally made "villiers" engine. about 4 hp 4 stroke. from there it was onto bigger and better things like the tractors/bikes/haymaking machinery we used on my other uncles HUGE grazing property.

over the years i have worked on a huge variety of engines and machines. the most memorable was the aircraft engineering course i did. i came 3rd out of a class of 35. during this course i got to play with old wardbirds like t-28 trojans.....basically a huge radial engine with wings!!!.

after many years of working hard physically i discovered (in a rather painful way) i have a common genetic defect in my lower back called a pars defect. basically its a weak bone that can (and has!!) be broken VERY easily. these days i work for a most understanding and generous boss who is ever helpful with my condition...i love the job and the variety of work everyday, its great and i won't be changing jobs/employers for many many years.

cheers


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