Problems with Mantis tiller
Mitch
I can't get it to run! It starts easily, and can idle forever, but as
soon as I give it throttle, it dies.
I've replaced the fuel filter, checked the air filter, it has fresh
gas, proper mix ratio.
What else can I do? This is the latest I've ever planted.
Mitch
George Shirley
I had the same problem several years ago and gave the !@#$%^ thing to
the local thrift store and went out and bought a Troybilt Pony. Never
had a problem again.
George
Mitch
>
>I had the same problem several years ago and gave the !@#$%^ thing to
>the local thrift store and went out and bought a Troybilt Pony. Never
>had a problem again.
>
Yep, I regret the purchase. I was going for compact.
I may do a carb rebuild myself , but I'm not going to throw good money
after bad by paying someone $90 to do it.
Looks like I'll be using a hoe this year.
Ook
The main jet passageways in the carb are most likely blocked. If you
can find a gasket kit for the carb, take it apart, soak in some carb
cleaner, blow out the passageways with compressed air, and put it back
together. If you don't have the means to do this, take to a lawn mower
shop and have them fix it.
Plan B: replace the carb.
Plan C: give it to charity and go buy another tiller.
JoeSpareBedroom
news:fb8p43lgv1no783tj...@4ax.com...
Assuming you don't trample your garden and compact the soil, there's no
reason to use a tiller each year. The soil exists in distinct layers which
have a purpose, and it takes time for those layers to establish themselves
properly. Turning it over wrecks the process.
Drag a claw tool through the top 4-6 inches, and smooth with a rake if
necessary. End of job. Plant seeds. Have a beer.
William Rose
"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishbo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Assuming you don't trample your garden and compact the soil, there's no
> reason to use a tiller each year. The soil exists in distinct layers which
> have a purpose, and it takes time for those layers to establish themselves
> properly. Turning it over wrecks the process.
>
> Drag a claw tool through the top 4-6 inches, and smooth with a rake if
> necessary. End of job. Plant seeds. Have a beer.
Unassailable advice. In his terseness JoeSpareBedroom left out the mulch
part. The mulch keeps out the weeds, keeps in the moisture, and roll-out
the welcome mat to earthworms.
Make mine a pils.
- Bill
Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)
Mel M Kelly
a good one for the same money or less. I have a tiller head that fits on
my Steil weed whacker that works great.
From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley
JoeSpareBedroom
news:rosefam-9B0DBF...@cor8-ppp5025.per.dsl.connect.net.au...
True, but I thought it best to keep the advice simple and see what happened.
Have two pils.
Frank
You might try a big shot of carb cleaner additive in the gas. Someone
suggested this last year for my Lawnboy and solved problem I was
having in taking annually to the shop.
It was also most important to use their brand 2-cycle oil.
Small engine repair shops are backed up this time of year. I got my
mower running 3 weeks before I needed to use it because of this.
Frank
zxcvbob
It needs a new carburetor. They only last one year no matter how well
you take care of it, winterize it, etc; just long enough for the
warranty to expire. I finally threw my Mantis tiller away and bought a
little Honda tiller a couple of years ago. It always starts on the
second pull. I don't have trouble with any of my other 2-cycle
equipment, just the Mantis.
Sorry for the bad news.
Bob
Ann
>It needs a new carburetor. They only last one year no matter how well
>you take care of it, winterize it, etc; just long enough for the
>warranty to expire.
I'm going to disagree with this. I had a regular Mantis for seven
years, kept it in the cellar over the winter, and it started every
single spring. Maybe mine was made on a Monday, I dunno. It got
crushed two years ago when a tree fell on my shed. I've got the Honda
engined one now, it's also troublefree.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************
Mitch
>You might try a big shot of carb cleaner additive in the gas.
Hmmm, I'd like to give that a try. I have something called Gumout,
but it's for cleaning carbs and fuel filters. I don't think it's
meant as an additive.
Do you know any product names I can look for?
Leon Fisk
Have you taken a good look at the exhaust/muffler?
Especially if you live in area prone to mud wasps. Quite
often the exhaust port is a small pipe about the diameter of
a lead pencil and they find this to be an excellent spot for
one of their mud nests. If the exhaust is restricted by any
amount it won't run properly...
This is a very common problem with power equipment stored in
an area where mud wasps can get to it.
I wasted a lot of time messing around with the carburetor
before figuring this out, much like you are doing :)
Just another idea/thing to check.
--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email
Mitch
>
>Have you taken a good look at the exhaust/muffler?
Yeah, that was one of the first things I checked.
I pulled the plastic stops off of the carb adjustment screws.
By backing them out about 1 1/2 turns (WAY more than the stops
allowed), I was able to get it to run. It still won't go full
throttle, and I had to keep massaging the throttle to keep it from
dying, but I was able to move some dirt around.
I guess I'll take the carb apart over the Winter.
zxcvbob
If you got it running, buy a gallon of Premium gasoline, like Amoco
Gold. It will run better in a clogged up carburetor, and it will remove
some of the gum and varnish build-up as you run it.
I buy 92 octane for my lawnmower and chain saws for the first tank every
years, then switch back to 89 octane next time I buy fuel.
It'll only cost you an extra 20¢ to try it. :-)
Bob
Leon Fisk
Well it was worth a shot :)
I suspect these are almost identical to the weed whacker
motor/carbs. If so there isn't much to them at all. Two
screws/bolts remove it from the intake/jug. Maybe 4 screws
allow it to be split in two. Just be really careful not to
damage the gasket. It is more than just a gasket. It has
little flapping check valves and such which are part of it.
Take a good look at both the hoses too. One comes from the
tank and the other is a return line. They can cause some
weird troubles too if cracked or loose where they enter the
tank. You would probably have noticed fuel leaking though
and it isn't old enough for them to have really deteriorated
too much.
From what you have said/done so far I doubt it will give you
any problem. I just carefully blow them out good with
compressed air and put'em back together.
It may just settle down after you run some gas through it.
If so you will probably have to set the adjustments back
like they were, or close to the same.
trandre...@gmail.com
Brooklyn1
wrote:
>My Mantis is 2004, and last few years has been a nightmare--and continues for 2015. I never really bought the "new gas" scenario, but after trying this last weekend and having it barely run--I did the new gas Monday AM (used regular, though). Got it started and it ran like a dynamo for about 20 min--so now I am a believer in new gas! Shut it off for few minutes of raking, and then could not get it started. Rest of week same scenario, mess with Carb, changed filter, checked spark arrest screen, checked plug, used carb cleaner on "L" jet(rebuilt carb last year)--run's fine for 5-10 min--and then quits. Talked to Mantis twice this week--little help, except comments on bad gas these day. Am ready to burn it in town square in Cary, NC.
manchesterp...@gmail.com
J. Clarke
manchesterp...@gmail.com says...
> Whatever gas you use in whatever small engine you must use an enzymatic fuel treatment such as StarTron. If you don't you can kiss your carberator goodby. The ethanol in the gas destroys plastics and plugs up passages when it evaporates. It also will absorb water. Death to any small engine, 2 or 4 stroke
new today can't handle ethanol it's a piece of shit. The manufacturers
know the composition of the fuels that are available today and if the
engines won't run on them then the manufacturers have not done their
job.
