Mandelon
Coffee makes me poop.
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2007
- Messages
- 14,632
- Reaction score
- 20,323
So I had a project where we finished up an incomplete bocce ball court up in Carlsbad. The owner didn't quite finish and they were putting the place up for sale. We took care of the last 10% and made it look nice. The seller had purchased a plate compactor just for the job. It was on site, was super clean but did not start. He ended up giving it to me. Simply because he didn't want to hassle with it and we did a nice job for him. He moved to Florida.
So now I have it. We have a duplex rehab in Cardiff by the Sea. Part of that job is blowing out the old cracked concrete patio and walkways. Then laying a DG base and installing paver bricks. If the soil settles, the bricks don't crack. Being on a hillside settling isn't uncommon. So I figured I would spend a bit of time and try to get this compactor working. I took the carb apart and cleaned it all up, blasted it out. Put in fresh gas. Reinstalled the carb ( which was clean inside, no varnish at all) and just about had a coronary pulling that starter rope 2,386 times. Tried starter fluid, pulled the spark plug. This thing has maybe three hours run time on it. Briggs and Stratton 950 engine. The oil is still amber and new looking.
I couldn't get it to fire up. My tech was planning on using it today. I was supposed to have it ready. He didn't ask me, he just picked up the machine from the shop and took it to the job today. LOL He's got 1,324 pulls on that rope so far. "Boss, we can't get it to start!" "Me neither" I replied.
He has two strong young helpers. I suggested they just pick it up and compact the soil manually....by dropping this boat anchor on the dirt. "Mr George, the new guy, he's no good." He's gonna go and rent one.
Its a Vevor. Seems like a cheap brand, but the Briggs and Stratton motor ought to be decent. At least the price was right. I guess I will have to spend some time on Youtube to see what could be wrong. Small motors are supposed to be easy.
So now I have it. We have a duplex rehab in Cardiff by the Sea. Part of that job is blowing out the old cracked concrete patio and walkways. Then laying a DG base and installing paver bricks. If the soil settles, the bricks don't crack. Being on a hillside settling isn't uncommon. So I figured I would spend a bit of time and try to get this compactor working. I took the carb apart and cleaned it all up, blasted it out. Put in fresh gas. Reinstalled the carb ( which was clean inside, no varnish at all) and just about had a coronary pulling that starter rope 2,386 times. Tried starter fluid, pulled the spark plug. This thing has maybe three hours run time on it. Briggs and Stratton 950 engine. The oil is still amber and new looking.
I couldn't get it to fire up. My tech was planning on using it today. I was supposed to have it ready. He didn't ask me, he just picked up the machine from the shop and took it to the job today. LOL He's got 1,324 pulls on that rope so far. "Boss, we can't get it to start!" "Me neither" I replied.
He has two strong young helpers. I suggested they just pick it up and compact the soil manually....by dropping this boat anchor on the dirt. "Mr George, the new guy, he's no good." He's gonna go and rent one.
Its a Vevor. Seems like a cheap brand, but the Briggs and Stratton motor ought to be decent. At least the price was right. I guess I will have to spend some time on Youtube to see what could be wrong. Small motors are supposed to be easy.