# small engine school



## lawnboy (Jun 18, 2005)

im 15 and i want to take a small engine course online dose anyone know where you can do this i dont have that much many so is there any cheap course i could take


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## scrench (Dec 8, 2004)

probally the best school you can take is going to be the school of hard knocks , just learn from trial and error if its in ya it will come out and listen alot of mechanics i know think they know it all and wont listen and do it one way i've turned wrenches for about 15 to 18 years and i still learn something new every day thats what makes this profession fun , just do it to it , i would recommend to anyone starting out learn how to organize everything keep your tools in one place and clean and neat just make it a habbit it will make things run alot smoother for you and i dont care how long you do something dont be afraid to look in a book or ask someone that knows what they are talking about oh yea the most important you have this site read and learn and listen and ask , and always remember the best part of a lawn mower or any other tool is the one thats using it good luck


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## lawnboy (Jun 18, 2005)

wheres the hard knocks


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## scrench (Dec 8, 2004)

lawnboy said:


> wheres the hard knocks


 
dude thats just a saying ,,, that means tryal and error


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## dji (Feb 11, 2005)

Some community colleges offer small engine repair classes at night. If you can find one in your area it would be the way to go, not that much money. Also check the yellow pages and do a web search on small engine training... Like Scrench said the best way to learn is by doing it..Trial and error.. find equipment that isn't working and try fixing it.. Good luck


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## systemfoxtrott (Jun 20, 2005)

Lookm in your phonebook for any LTI schools and if not most ccs offer non credit corses on this.


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## repair_guy (May 9, 2004)

Hey there :wave: :thumbsup: and welcome abord.Small Engine Repair is a great business to get into.I don't know about online courses but I took a 15 month long course in it at a local college back in 1973-4.When I gredurated I thought that I was ready for anything,I could fix anything.Well,it didn't take 2 minutes out in the field to realize that I didn't know it all.And I still don't.The best way to learn is on the job training.Dive in with both feet and don't look back.And don't be afread to ask questions.RENEMBER-'there's no such thing as a dumb question-just as long as the one doing the asking really doesn't know the answer.

Listen to the other mechanics & what the equipment is doing...and trying to tell you.Yes I said that the equipment talks.Maybe not as we do but listen to it and most of the time it will let you know what is wrong with it.
Like for enstance the pull rope yanks out of your hand>eather the shear key is sheared throwing the engine out of time or the blade is lose.

Learn it well and good luck.


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## steider (Aug 1, 2005)

www.educationdirect.com has a online small engine repair program for $600.00


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## lmt23 (Aug 23, 2005)

Hi, I live in Garden Grove, Orange County California. They have ROP (regional occupation programs) where they offer class for adults as well as high school students to learn new skills and get new jobs. They best things about the classes is hand on training and FREE. It only good if you're living in OC. Good luck. 
PS: Or be a self taught mechanic. I learn to fix my car from repair manuals and by reading it lots of time learn secretly from my mechanic by watching as he fixing my car. It has been almost 2 years since I've seen him for the broken timing belt (he really hated me now). Because I fix my car on my own now. :dude: I'm a newbies in small engine too. Good luck. again.


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## ranger_dood (Sep 4, 2005)

I took my Small Engine Repair class my senior year in HS. Was a really cool learning experience. Plus I didn't have to pay for it.

Briggs shipped us two pallets of motors, one of horizontal shaft, one of vertical shaft, for free. They were all "factory rejects", but for stupid stuff like a cooling fin broken or stuff like that.

Our course consisted of starting a fresh engine, to make sure that it worked to begin with. Then we tore the engine completely down (I think they were 5.5hp Intek horizontals, dunno about the verticals), and put it all back together, having to measure all the tolerances along the way, and compare them with the Briggs repair manual. At the end, we had to fire it up and make sure it still worked.


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## free spirit (Aug 4, 2005)

i dont know if lawnboy gave up ,but if others ask .im female .and i did the small engine course at night school just for the fun of it .and you guys are right you learn by doing ,and asking questions .my husband got tired of talking safety when working around are old project cars ,and keeping the tools neat and organized ,so he said take the course and learn something ive been trying to tell you for a long time l.o.l i also took the welding course .its handy to know the theory for a two stroke or four stroke engine . because it dont matter if its a car or big rig the theory is the same .just a lot more parts and solid state circuits ,computers etc .if you dont know the theory you aint gonna fix it l.o.l i didnt take the course to work on lawnmowers or chain saws etc.
it was to just prove i could do it and learn something at the same time .we go to a car show and guys are allways talking engine modifications or rear axle ratios ,or hammer welding when they chop the roof and weld it back together well i can at least know what they are talking about .because a 4 stroke lawnmower has a cam ,liffters ,crank piston.s rods .carb ,etc and a v 8 car engine is just a bigger version with a different ignition or fuel system .and when im stuck for an answer i ask ,i think its a good thing for kids to learn something usefull .it gives them the confidence to do things on their own .and when your stuck for a answer just ask or look it up on a computer or book .


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## cleancutinc (Jul 18, 2006)

I Myself Have Been Working On Engines Since I Was 13 Years Old Started With Mowers Moved On To Autos And Dabbled In Big Outboard Boat Engines Upto 250 Horsepower, And As A Dinasour At 44 Years Old I Can Tell You For Fact Books And Patients,are The Best Teacher,but Patients Is A Must With Out It You Should Bail Out The Idea Of Mechanical Repair,go To The Library And Study Repair Manuals As They Are Indeed Machanical Bibles....


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## peppy (Jul 19, 2006)

Best bet... start going to your local library or bookstore. Thats what I did when I got into the field of automotive and it helped.


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