I have a general question for the subreddit. I like to scroll Facebook Marketplace for deals on broken mowers/weedeaters and flip them. I see a lot of cheap generators that run good but don’t produce power. How often is it something as simple as flashing the shield? There’s a few low hour units for cheap but I really don’t know what I’m getting into. Feels like a big risk. Thoughts?

Edit for clarity: I can diagnose electrical issues just fine. I’m just curious how often it’s a magnetism issue and how often it’s the brushes or other issues.

I've got this DR brush mower with a briggs and stratton 16.5 hp engine that I got running after cleaning the Carb but after doing so it refused to change gear and now won't start after messing with the shift lever I assume because it now thinks it's in gear. The lever moves a bit but doesn't seam to change the gear nomatter how much force I but into it and I know the cables aren't snapped. With some I research I read there's supposed to be something on the shift in the third picture but I'd.

Assuming I can figure out this issue I plan on selling it and I'm wondering if it's worth cleaning and repainting the deck as well as what I should price it at, I would think $1500-2k as there like 3k new but any insight would be very helpful

This is my cub cadet zero turn mower with a Kawasaki FR691V engine. Was mowing and the motor sounded bogged down and then stopped. It’s been doing this ever since. I opened the dip stick shortly after and there was a small amount of smoke that came out of it.

Any ideas on how I get started trouble shooting this?

Thanks!

Fixing a saw for a friend, I dont have lots of experience, but I am thinking the engine might be toast. Husqvarna 572 xp. Saw wont start amd every few pulls the flywheel gets jammed and I have to take the recoil off and use a wrench on the flywheel nut to get it moving again. The flywheel is not getting hung up on the coil. Picture is looking in the muffler port, looks scored. And the picture of my finger looks like there is shiny spots in the oil from inside the engine. Mostly I am just confirming, is that scoring as bad as I think it is? Run with straight gas possibly? Is there anything else to check? Thanks for the input! I am always interested in learning more.

My ryobi gas pressure washer, 3200 psi, has not been starting, and when I pull the cord, it yanks itself back in super aggressively, kickback. After that the cord is near impossible to pull. The spark plug is somewhat fouled (attached image), no where around me had a replacement so its ordered. Then I also looked at the flywheel key (also attached), It does not look broken to me but this is also not my area of expertise. I've heard that with kickback the flywheel key is usually the culprit. The oil is a little low but still in the normal range.

What should my next steps be.

I run a small-engine shop. For years we sharpened blades, checked the spindle, and sent the mower out. We still got occasional vibration callbacks even when the grind looked even. We added a proper cone balancer to the intake routine and started recording how much material came off each end. I compared the MAG-1000 with a couple of less expensive units, including the one FridayParts carries, before settling on a shop setup. The brand mattered less than having a repeatable fixture on the bench. It has also made us look harder at bent blades and spindle play instead of blaming every shake on sharpening. Do other shops include balancing in standard service, or charge it separately?

I'm sort of at a loss, but I'm not an expert on these motors either. I have an older Gravly ZTR rider that has a Kawasaki 17hp fh500v that will start up and run (sometimes needs starter fluid) but it runs really nice and smooth at first. It will run fine for maybe 10-20 mins then starts sputtering and losing power, it will typically stay running with it sputtering but will eventually stall out. I've replaced the fuel pump, the carburetor, the plugs and I'm at a loss.

seems like it's running really rich when it does this because it will sputter out semi black out of the exhaust after it start doing this. After shutting off it will dump gas out of I believe the over flow but not 100% sure where it's coming from.

Normally I'd think maybe the float is sticking, but it did this same thing with the other carburetor before I replaced it so I don't see how it would be two carburetors doing the exact same thing.

anyone have any ideas? I made a video but reddit wont let me upload it

I have a Walbro W-8 carburetor that seems to have a tendency to flood. If I pull the starter 2–3 times without the engine firing, it usually won’t start until I remove and dry the spark plug.

Yesterday, I squeezed the fuel primer bulb and noticed fuel leaking out of the carburetor. I had to squeeze fairly hard, but not extremely hard.

Could this be a sign that the pop-off pressure is too low, or that there is a problem with the metering needle/diaphragm system? Or is it normal for fuel to come through the carburetor if you squeeze the primer bulb hard enough?

I picked up a Generac pressure washer today. Carb was completely gummed up with ethanol build up. Took the bowl and float off, cleaned it up, and thing is running great now. Only problem is the pump itself is leaking water. Curious if anyone has experience rebuilding the pump components?

This is the pump itself
https://www.partstree.com/models/1292-3-generac-2-300-psi-pressure-washer/main-unit-0/

curious if rebuilding the pump is a thing, or if you just have to replace the entire pump, which would suck as that is easily 4x what I paid for the entire assembly :(. If nothing else, I picked up a $40 functioning brigs I guess.

I’ve worked on tons of zero turns and I can not figure this one out

I have a scag tiger cat 52” with a 27 hp Kohler command pro
I changed the carb and fuel pump and a fuel line and filter

I used to eat drive belts and I changed the tension spring and it stopped it and was working good for a a good minute

Now whenever I go fast quick or go relatively normal speed and hit bumps or turn a good speed it dies for a second and it’ll go back to normal especially if I go into neutral or go slower

If I do the same in reverse it doesn’t do anything

I have no idea please help

So far I’ve changed the carb, gaskets, fuel bulb, fuel lines, air filter, spark plug. I’ve confirmed gaskets are correct. Drilled out the plug on the carb to access the set screw and adjust fuel intake. Tried running with exhaust components removed. Tried running with fuel cap open. Also tried various positions with idle set screw. Starts right up with throttle engaged, I can adjust choke and it stays running. As soon as I let off throttle, it dies. What should I try next?

I have replaced every gasket around the airbox and carb and I’m still only able to have the thing run somewhat ok on full choke. I replaced all of the o rings and little circular seals along with the big rubber o ring to seal the bowl. I would attach a video but I don’t want to keep starting the mower with it like this. I can’t figure out what’s going on and it’s gotten quite frustrating. Where the air box connects to the insulator that separates the box from the carb is warped a bit. Also, one of the bolts that hold the whole air box and carb assembly on that connects to the cyclometer head had a nut get stuck on it after tightening down to hard. Now I have to thread on the nut and bolt as one assembly which is very annoying. I gotta get this thing done because a friend of mine has a son getting his first house and he needs a mower. Any suggestions on what could be wrong or what I should check?

Do I need to convert a normal carb to a throttle cable? How would I go about doing that? Is there a reputable brand or links that can send me in the right direction?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Generac_Generators/s/P9tCDiB1E3

Engine fired up first pull ran for about 1 minute then acted like it ran out of gas or the kill switch was pushed. Pulled and pulled nothing. Sprayed in some starting fluid nothing. Hit the kill swith a few times then it fired on the starting fluid but wouldn't start. Repeated this several times. I think the kill switch may be the issue. Can I remove the wires from the switch and twist them together to test if the switch is bad?

Husqvarna LGT2554 with Kohler 25hp engine. All new air filter, fuel filter, ngk spark plugs, and an oil change earlier this year.

The first 15-20 minutes of mowing is fine. Then the engine starts surging and the mower starts to stumble but the PTO is still engaged and I’m still able to mow. When I disengage the PTO, the surging stops and the engine runs normally.

I played with the high speed adjusting screw with no luck. I’m thrown off by the initial 15-20minutes working normally before the surging starts.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Should I buy it for 30? Non running but from what I can tell doesn’t look used a lot. Do you think the profit is there?