Gambling On Small Engine Repairs! Unforeseen Expenses of "Free" Mowers.
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- Опубліковано 27 кві 2024
- Are you a "gambling man" when it comes to your small engine repairs? Be careful, because the house always wins! Today we diagnose a customers "FREE" Troy-bilt Mustang Zero Turn that won't start. Let's dig in and see how much it will cost to fix this "mystery mower".
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My name is Bre. I took two years of small engine repair at the local college. When I left school, I fell into a wonderful job at a local small engine shop where I worked the counter for a couple years. In 2010 my husband and I opened up our own small engine shop in central Arkansas where I am able to work alongside my family and best friends. We saw over 2,000 pieces of small engine equipment every year, and answer 1,000's of small engine questions. We specialize in brands such as Briggs and Stratton, Kohler, Echo and Shindaiwa, but work everyday on MANY other brands like Stihl, Husqvarna, Honda, Craftsman, Remington, Red Max, Troy Bilt, Scag, Bad Boy, Hustler, World Lawn, Poulan, Mantis, Etc.. Hopefully, my experience I share, will save you Time, Money and Frustration in the future!
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue to provide you with free content each week!
Although very informative, these videos are for entertainment purposes. Please use all possible safety precautions when repairing and operating your small engine equipment. - Навчання та стиль
Thanks for watching Ya'll! Find all the tools I use and helpful parts HERE! www.amazon.com/shop/chickanic?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsfshop_aipsfchickanic_BZ0GTXE53XZCWM17HX3H
I'm looking for an engine shroud with fuel tank for a Yard machine with the 21 inch cut 140cc power more engine. Help!
I might be wort it
Ship it
You're sound is really good...first time watching w/ headphones. Like REALLY effin good sound.👍👍👍
Let's keep it honest, young lady. You brag about you're making a fortune over 'trash to treasure' machines, and then you complain in this instance. Why? Walk away if it doesn't turn over! Or, take the chance, win or lose.
Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug....
A preacher was out in front of the church, and saw a young boy pushing a mower. The preacher thought 'We sure could use a mower here, and someone donated a bicycle, I wonder if this boy would like to trade...' So, he waves the boy over, and says "Son, we could use a mower here at the church, and I've got a pretty nice bicycle, you want to trade?" The boy said "You've got yourself a deal Preacher." So, the boy takes the bike, and the preacher checks the gas and oil, and gets ready to try it out. He pulls the rope a few times, and nothing. So, he sees the boy riding up and down the street on the bike, and waves him over. He said " Son, I can't get this mower to start. Is there some sort of trick I'm missing?" The boy says "Yeah Preacher, you have to cuss it to get it started." The preacher says "But I'm a preacher, I wouldn't know where to start or what to say to cuss this mower...." The boy says "Just keep pulling that rope and it'll come to you Preacher...." 😉
Well, Praise the Lord 😂😂😂😊,
What we like most about you and your videos is that your a straight shooter. I've learned many tips from you and got some great tools along the way. You Are Appreciated 🙏👍
Love the safety flipflops
I got a free Troy Built Lawn mower. After 20 bucks and watching your channel I put a new carb on it and Tadaaa! works. Now I am not a small engine repair guy but you did save me time money and a few curse words. So far the mower is working flawlessly. Thank you for your content!!
I work on cars and I normally ask customers when they drag stuff like that in is; “What number in your mind is too much to fix it?” and when they give some ridiculously low number, I say “It’s going to cost at least 3 times that much.” That normally shoots most of that down. Love the channel and hello from down the street in Texarkana!
It will be interesting to see how the preacher reacts to getting an estimate, let alone a bill. Don't be shocked if you discover that he expects you to "donate" your time, money, frustration, and parts to get the free mower running for his church.
Yep they expect it for free most of the time 😢
I was a pastor (& electrician) & never ever expected "free" from vendors.
I was a sawmiller and firewood contractor and all of my church customers expected me to give away my products/time.
If you "Donate" your time & supplies...then check with your accountant... I expense everything I donate at the maximum labor rate...
Ya I got one of those free mowers a RX73 john deer found out why it wasn't running exhaust valve had a little piece of plastic stuck between the valve and the seat now I am trying to find a discontinued head gasket for a 1980's 9hp kawasaki anyone have one lol
Looking forward to part 2.
I have a customer with that mower and it has been a money pit. Since I'm mobile, I've started doing a diagnostic visit on any repairs before I agree to take them for that reason. Some folks are willing to spend the money to keep the mower, but some are shocked that a neglected mower will cost money to run. That diagnostic trip saves us both time, money, and frustration.
Leave no mower behind. Even a bad example can be a good example! THANK!
I just wanted to take the time to let you know you are a small engine genius. I thoroughly enjoy watching your shows and learning from you. You have helped me out more than once. Keep up the Great work.
There's always a reason why someone would give you something for free.
Often that's because they don't know how to fix it.
I have the coolest old push behind mower.
It's so old, it has a throttle.
It was too low to the ground so I grabbed some extra wheel attachments from another mower, kind of customized it with a couple extra...wheel attachments...sharpened the blade and didn't have to clean the spark plug because it hadn't been run much at all!
Just sat for a couple decades!
It too came from a church.
I'm still using it.
Throttle it up and it cuts thick grass!
Throttle it down and it cuts thin grass!
It feels so cool throttling it up and down like a maaaaan!
Thanks to your hints and advice, my rototiller, Deere riding mower, leaf vacuum/mulcher and chainsaw are all running perfectly as of this morning. Thank you, Bre!! ❤❤❤
Today I ran a Homelite 26g (Mantis type) Tiller. You saved me money, time and frustration!!! The tiller sat for about 20 years and now runs great! Cleaned fuel tank, carburetor, new primer bulb, new fuel filter and new fuel lines. The screen in the carburetor was solid covered with who knows what. An acetone soak fixed that!!!!!!!
Huge Thank you!!!😊😊
Haha a lot of people wonder why I don't work on their junk then they bash me behind my back lol!
Exactly! Oh well! 😆
I always enjoy watching your diagnostic skills. I've worked on several riders myself. Not nearly as many as you have but over a hundred. You definitely have done this many times!! LOL!!
I can hear the Preacher now when you give Him the news "OMG !" Thanks for the video !
Ask him to pray for it. Maybe it works! Well...
Ahhh yes, strings for springs! Works on vehicle drum/ emergency brake springs too!
I use a headlight spring tool. Have for several years. The rope works better for tight spots.
If you are mechanically inclined, then a “free” zero turn is worth the check out. Whoever worked on that mower last, did not have a good understanding of diagnosing and just started with the parts cannon. As a home DIY mower flipper, I would take a chance on this zero turn; worse case the the engine being good can go on something else or at least be sold after gone over for $300😊
I agree with new prices all 5 to 10k lawnmower way to high I got a bagger push new $390 at lawnmower and it not self propelled just good bagger. With a brings engine.
Great job as always...I'm thinking no on that mower...but you've dealt with worse...
Good afternoon Bre. It's good seeing you today. I had been waiting to see if you've run across what I've had twice in the last week. I got a Husqvarna the other day and the 48 inch deck had so much crud under it that I would have had to hammer and chisel for several hours to get the built up grass and mud from under it. It was so thick that grass had started to grow from it and there were rub marks in the dirt from scrapping the ground. I got a ZRT 50 inch pretty much the same way several days ago. The first one I came up with a solution and continued to the second one. I was looking for an easy way to clear it out and checking around my shop I spotted it. On the shelf I had a needle scaler. I put it to work and in less than 30 minutes it was done. I too have that wire crimper and it's been handy because I make wiring for cars too. It's been really handy. I also solder the wire at times using solder slugs and a torch. Now, here's hoping that the zero isn't hurting any more than what you've found so far. I dislike sending machines to the scrap pile. My very best to you and Ron and he isn't hurting too bad. I know about knees and back and other things. I was sitting on my porch the other day drinking coffee and it hit me. I'm going to be 70 this year. But I've survived to make three retirements. Mark
I run a one man shop. Girl I feel your pain. Been there too many times.
The muffler bolts coming loose on that model is common.
After watching this, I am so glad I quit working on mowers. I seen this many times in over 30 years of working on them. Haven't missed it yet. The fish are biting. Gotta run!
I love your work ethic.
As always, another fantastic video! Sometimes the cost of free gets pretty expensive! Look forward to the end result! Have a blessed week!
Very interesting! No clue those beasts could have so many faults!
Really? Pressed steel frames and decks.....lower tier motors, and plastic parts whenever possible....recipe for long-term disaster.
I was given a John Deere rider recently as a friend was moving out of his house and didn't need it. It's a small lawn tractor type and I was able to recover the battery, but has some issues with the starter, sometimes it doesn't engage (could be the bendix needs lubrication or there's something wrong with the bendix or ring gears (hopefully it's just a lube problem as I am not keen on spending at least CA$300 on a new starter or sourcing a flywheel or ring gear), the clutch sounds like it works but the engine to deck belt is either the wrong size or incredibly worn. It's powered with an older Kohler Command Pro 12.5 or 13 hp vertical shaft engine and I am fairly familiar with them as I own two Cub Cadet Series 2000 tractors with the horizontal shaft version. The transmission runs as well, so I am pretty lucky there. Besides the starter, I have yet to see if the mowing deck runs on this machine. Yes, freebie machines can have a bunch of surprises and sometimes the ones people abhor.
It was previously owned by a little old lady who just mowed her lawn every Sunday afternoon. Her backyard butted to the Amazon rainforest.
Cant wait for part 2
Hi ! It's not a gift ! It's a nightmare !
Have a nice day .
hello from France .
Love you Bre! thanks so much for the great tips and, time, money, and frustration
"Stuck like Chuck " Did you get a new favorite phrase? I counted 3 times you used it. I don't remember it from previous ones.
As always, thanks for sharing your wealth of experience with us.
That’s a nearly common phrase here in parts of Arkansas 😊
Wow just discovered your channel. I've been binge watching it! I'm a retired shop teacher and I think you are amazing at what you do. I've discovered the best content videos I find on UA-cam are made by women, Wonder why. Maybe I'm biased but I don't think so. Anyway, You're the best! Thanks!😀
Great lesson you are teaching Bre! Not everything "free" is worth a persons time, money & frustration! Thanks for breaking this unit down section by section, with a running "tab" of the costs. It adds up fast! Most parked machines had "issues" when parked & develop more problens the longer they sit!
Love the flip flops
Stuck like Chuck! nice...... thanks Bre
Hopefully that won't need much more than some extra TLC lol . Gonna wait to see part 2 .😊
Nah...it's a P.O.S.
10 years ago a lady fonated a 1999 white to our church either to fix and use or for our scrap collection fundraiser. Still using it. So far has needed a starter solenoid and electric pto switch. Briggs vtwin doesn't burn a drop of oil. One front tire was pretty much bald when we got it. Just tubed it.
I either fix it myself or buy a replacement of better quality with a better availability of parts for down the road.
Thanks for your videos, I get it, Time is Money for a Repair Shop, I have a good Job and I have time to work on my own stuff, so I can afford to take the time. I appreciate your videos! Keep em coming!
That preacher will forgive you, that’s a no go lol
I was on the board of a youth camp...it is amazing what people will donate to volunteer/not-for-profit organizations...lol. So giving a worn out mower to the Church (or Pastor) sounds about right...lol.
Hey! the IRS will allow it as a deduction for oh 1200 bucks
@@brucewelty7684 yeah CRA in Canada will allow charities to give "gift in kind" receipts for the actual value of donations...but if the donation is junk then the receipt is too...lol.
@@brucewelty7684 That is what I was thinking.
Give a piece of junk to a church or other place and charge it off as if it was new.
You are awesome! You have encouraged me to start up my business again after taking a 20 to 22 year break and worked at a few local dealerships
Thanks for sharing all your videos Has been very helpful learning a lot from your videos, and I have been in the business you learned something every day
Free isn't always better. Hopefully it won't be too bad of a money pit for them. Definitely got a great mechanic working on it.
i just got a free mantis 7222m tiller ,,,got it running in well 4 beers...love what people put on the side of the road needs air cleaner an cover ,,,still looks like new
Another great educational video.
The Rumsfeld Rule on knowns and unknowns come into play here.
Before knowing for sure if it’s a money pit you have to know what a similar riding mower would cost today. Most of us here have a fairly good idea but it would be nice to state that up front. 👍
Some people should not touch machinery. I'm retired and work on mowers for people when shops are overloaded, or they're on social security (older) and need a break. I tell them I won't just put a bandaid on the mower, also if I have to fix "jackleg" repairs that's additional labor. As always, appreciate your informative videos and your integrity......Al Scott
Thumps up waiting on part 2 dont leave me hanging to long.
Yes worth digging into.
Great video. These unknown mowers are a slippery slope. Thank you for sharing
I love your overalls and teaching us small engines!
Awww mannn!! Cliff hangar!! lol
Free, so they don't have to haul it off!
I would get it running enough to test the pto and transmission and go from there
I announced on Facebook that I am self teaching to work on small engine mowers, if someone has one to get rid of, I will pick it up. I got my 1st free mower today, a Husqvarna self propelled mower. I took the carb apart cleaned it and now runs like a brand new mower!!! I was so excited that I cut my lawn with it. Thank you for all your words of wisdom. ❤❤❤❤
Boy that needed a big birthday of a fix !!
love you Bre! thanks so much for the tips and tricks!
If you work on this mower, you are brave and if you get it running you’re a miracle worker! I don’t think it’s worth fixing!
It ran great when it was new. 🤣 Nice video, thanks.
After checking the unit out at the end of my driveway, the next step would have been a phone call " sorry but come and get it."
Hoo boy. I sold and serviced outdoor power equipment for several years, and I can unequivocally state that the number one thing I despised hearing was: "I got this give to me!"
Run. Run fast and run far. I laughed when I heard the connection to the preacher, because my standard response to the customer upon hearing about their "free" treasure, was to say " I don't care it it was given to you by your mother or your minister, neither one of us is going to be happy with how this shakes out!!"
Wow, I haven't done this line of work in several years now, but your video actually gives me that same, sick to my stomach feeling that I always got whenever it happened in my shop. Shudder.....
Keep preaching the gospel sister, you're exactly right!!
Thank You young Lady 👍
Old mowers are like old cars and trucks. They were never parked because they ran too good.
You're already at $400 parts/labor. Call the customer who dropped it off and tell him it might need another $500-2500, and does he want to continue or come pick it up?
Bear in mind, you'll probably get, _"It's for the church, can't you donate parts + labor?"_
Thanks for sharing.👍
Great video glad you bring everything out about repairing what if mower rebuild
Excellent.
I got to say, when you took the spring off I was amazed that you used a pull string rope.. thanks for the great idea.
Great video!!@ Looking forward to seeing next video
If I were the shop owner and someone dropped off this thing…. I would tell them don’t waste your money, this unit was not maintained and it is at best a parts unit.
I agree. Throw in the church aspect and you're going from one problem to another....who will pay, what is their limit/expectations, etc? The guy could very well say, "We can only spend $300 on a repair." And I would say, "Come get your mower."
@@TheReal1953 I'm with you. Nobody begins a transaction with who's equipment it is unless they are already attempting to lighten your pocket. From day one, the mower has not been maintained, in fact, it has been seriously abused. And for good measure, someone did lousy welding on it and ultimately burned the rear part of the mower, including the fuel tank. I would have given them until the next day to come get it.
Thank you!
Nice to see you have a Kohler engine to work on for once.
Ending on a cliffhanger! More content! I LOVE your videos, saving me time money and frustration! Literally have helped me as a professional landscaper with tons of things I run into everyday. Your tutorials are excellent and you yourself are engaging, entertaining, genuine and most importantly knowledgeable. Thank you so much, just can't get enough of chickanic!
I have seen many like this, I am retired now and I still see them on my door step that a repair shop sends me because they screwed it up worse than it was in the first place 😎😎
We have a place here in NY for mowers just like that one. It's called a landfill.
If all else fails you can strip it down and take it to a scrap metal recycler. Might as well get some money from it.
I thought NY was a landfill.
Find out about the carburetor and go from there I hope it don't turn out to be a money pit🇺🇸😎🇺🇸
Nothing is FREE! Really good eye opener. Thanks for another great video!
Looking forward to the follow-up video! 👍😊
Super genius, your the best.
Thank GOD it landed in your hands.
Hope the bad weather missed you
Never try to fool your mechanic, if theyre good like you....they ARE gonna know! LOL
That was a cool trick using the cord to release that spring.
Good deal free PU and delivery!
Wish you were in my neighborhood!
Great video ...can't wait for part 2!
Hope your having a good day love your content.
Thanks
Preacher may have to pass the collection plate around twice😮
THANK YOU FOR THE VIDEO
Love your channel .
interesting looked like a fire for sure
It's gonna take a whole tube of lip stick, to make that Pig look good!😅
good luck people . a lot of money already. "cloudy and a bit chilly here in westport wa state".
i love the detective work
Another great video !! I wouldn't be as scared of that mower if it hadn't been on fire or next to one !!!
I am now invested in getting this running
love your show so informative thanks
I love learning from you
I've been pretty lucky the last 19 years of getting free mowers and I've only gotten 3 mowers but just some basic maintenance on them I got them running fairly quick.The mower I have now was probably worse shape the air filter was oil soaked or gas soaked or both the engine was loose on the mower deck which at first I thought was engine knock but once I tightened up the mounting bolts for the engine it sounded great and I've been using it the last 14 years after the repairs without issue and from what i can gather it's nearly a 30 year old mower and of course it's a Toro with a briggs and stratton.
I enjoy your videos ! ❤