Customer Reviews

Repairing Your Outdoor Power Equipment (Trade)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I looked at several small engine repair manuals and I was unimpressed by them. (The Haynes book is particularly disappointing) This one goes into a nice level of explanation of how something (e.g. a carburetor) works, the various types available and then how to trouble shoot it. Knowing how something works is crucial to really trouble shoot an engine.

I am an engineer so I like how this book describes the items function. Obviously some level of technical understanding is necessary to really appreciate an engine manual. But if you don't have that appreciation - you probably aren't trying to fix your own engines. So if you are looking for such a book, I can easily recommend this one.

The knowledge I've gained from this book has also helped with larger pieces of equipment - like full-size tractors. The older tractors (like my John Deere 3010) use the same basic components.

I had completed the a small engine repair course via correspondence courses. I didn't want to invest the money in the education, but I spent the money anyway because I wanted to learn and I couldn't find a class in my area. After taking the class, I purchased this book and read it from cover to cover (and have done several times since). There is more useful information in this book and if I had purchased this book and studied it, I would have learned more than I did through the $700 course that I took. I can't say enough good things about this book and the value it will add to your library. The book covers all the main things that you need to learn to fix small engines. Excellent read.

This book starts out with the simplest 2-stroke engines, explaining different carburetor setups, and goes up through more complicated 4-stroke engines. This book would be a great basis for learning about gasoline engines in general... It also has advice on general maintenance and troubleshooting. Very informative book for learning HOW these things work so that you can fix them.

Last winter, when my snowblower engine began stalling and running erratically during successive 15" snowstorms, I finally got serious about learning how to do something when my power equipment acts up, other than drop it off at the repair shop. After looking at several books locally and on Amazon, I decided to try this one based on the reviews here. It has not disappointed.

This book explains all of the basic functions and components of small engines clearly, and with many illustrations. While the book's layout and some of the illustrations appear a little dated, both older and newer technologies are covered--for example, mechanical and electronic ignition systems, and several newer types of carburetors. The book also offers troubleshooting guides and tips for preventive maintenance.

I've not had a chance to read the entire book yet, but the chapters I've read have have been great. The explanation of two-cycle engine designs and operation is the best I've ever seen, and cleared up some points I've been confused about for years.

Highly recommended!

Although I had access to some books on small engine repair, I was not satisfied with them. After reading the reviews of a bunch of books on small engine repair I picked this and one other book (Small Gas Engine Repair by Paul Dempsey). The reviews were right on the money--Jay Webster's book is really excellent. It is very well illustrated and this is helpful to anyone working on small engines. I liked the good balance of theory and practical diagnosis strategies. I thought Webster did an especially good job in the sections of ignition systems and carburator systems.

The BEST manual for both beginners and experienced mechanics.
Absoluteely recommend for one book choice or a library.

I find the book to be very informative. Obviously it can't cover every make and model in detail, but it does a good job of explaining how each type of tool works in general. It's a great place to start for the beginning handyman (or woman).

the book is every thing that it claimed to be. It is an excellent book for someone who has a basic knowledge of power equipment but wants to know some of the more intricate details of how everything works. Very good book.

It is a nice book but it takes a lot to find what you need. First part is a text book then the other half is a maintenance book. Took me a lot of reading and time to find what I was looking for and it did not cover what I needed.
Like I stated it is a nice book but is more of a text book than a Fix IT book.
I ended up returning it and got another book that was more of what I needed.
Sometimes too much information is not good.

I ordered this book and looked forward to reading it based on other reviews, I was very disappointed after thumbing through it. It has a "section" on portable generator's. About 5 pages of coverage on portable generators, it kind of assumes there are only one or two things that can go wrong with a portable generator, this is the general theme of the entire book. It only gives very basic information and often tells the reader to refer to the equipment's service manual available from the equipment dealer.