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Homeowner Forum / Construction / March 2006Lowe's
Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. Just a heads up on quality. I bought a leaf blower, new, from Lowe's a couple years ago, used probably 15 hours and it refused to start this spring. Wasn't getting gas (plug was dry) and after checking as much as possible outside, I pulled the carburetor open. No obstructions I could see but found a couple gaskets that must been stuck to the body that fell off onto the table and for the life of me, I can't figure out where they came from. I'm not even sure they came from the blower Anyway, I can't get a small engine shop to touch it, they say it is a throw away item. They say the labor would be more than buying a new one. Three turned me down so I will junk it. I called the general manager at Lowe's awhile ago telling him about it and he in essence said tough s***. Be aware they may have good prices but they sell junk too. It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan >Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but I'm >spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > >It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan So if I understand you correctly you bought a cheap blower, used it for a couple of years, then when it wouldn't start (I'm guessing you left gas in it during the offseason?) you took it apart and when you couldn't fix it you took it back expecting a refund? See anything wrong with this picture? BTW - my suggestion whenever you have that problem is to pour a little Berrymans in the gas, pull the cord a few times and let it sit for awhile - it will dissolve the gunk in the carb usually and allow it to start. > So if I understand you correctly you bought a cheap blower, used it > for a couple of years, then when it wouldn't start (I'm guessing you [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > times and let it sit for awhile - it will dissolve the gunk in the > carb usually and allow it to start. Guess you don't understand me. I didn't take it back, I merely told the manager that they were selling junk. It was obstructed from something, even ether wouldn't go through and I did let it set. Tried over a period of 2 months. Then pulled the carb off. Three small engine shops told me it was junk and they won't touch it and I thought the manager should be aware of that. This might keep some other person from getting bit by bad merchandise. >> So if I understand you correctly you bought a cheap blower, used it >> for a couple of years, then when it wouldn't start (I'm guessing you [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > thought the manager should be aware of that. This might keep some other > person from getting bit by bad merchandise. Maybe the repair shops recognized you as a PITA and blew you off. >>> So if I understand you correctly you bought a cheap blower, used it >>> for a couple of years, then when it wouldn't start (I'm guessing you [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Maybe the repair shops recognized you as a PITA and blew you off. The blind will never see. You must own stock in weed eater. I called three shops, mentioned I had a weed eater and that was as far as I got. They were not blind, just experienced. > "Chas Hurst" <hurst1@comcast.not> wrote in message >> Maybe the repair shops recognized you as a PITA and blew you off. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I called three shops, mentioned I had a weed eater and that was as far as > I got. They were not blind, just experienced. Boy, are you naive; two of three shops will fix it even if it's a Yugo. >Guess you don't understand me. I didn't take it back, I merely told the >manager that they were selling junk. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >thought the manager should be aware of that. This might keep some other >person from getting bit by bad merchandise. The comments by the shops are subject to some scrutiny. I owned a tool repair shop (for industrial tools) and we frequently had customers bring in cheap tools for repair. The problem is that shop rates run around $45-65 bucks/hour plus parts so it's likely you'll wind up with a bill of $50 -100 bucks or more for a tool that costs less than $100. This doesn't necessarily make them junk. I had a Stihl weedeater that lasted 6-8 years and was repaired several times. Lately, I've been buying reconditioned Ryobi weedeaters from Harbor Freight for around $49-59. I usually get about 3, maybe 4 years out of them then throw them away and buy a new one. I do have a cheap small engine mechanic that works out of his garage and can sometimes fix minor problems for $5-10. I give him the old ones for parts and everybody is happy. They are not as powerful as the Stihl but suitable for my purposes. I also have a Stihl Chain saw as well as a Stihl Pole Saw and the chain saw is head and shoulders above the Poulan that I had but you need more power with a chain saw than a weedeater or blower. I wouldn't expect anyone to discontinue a line because someone thinks they're junk. If a whole bunch of them fail in the first month or two - that's a different story. Heh, not anymore it won't.... BTW, can also use Marvel Mystery oil, does the same thing. "> wrong with this picture? BTW - my suggestion whenever you have that > problem is to pour a little Berrymans in the gas, pull the cord a few > times and let it sit for awhile - it will dissolve the gunk in the > carb usually and allow it to start. Since you are retired I guess I can safely assume you have been around the block a couple of times. You should have learned by now that if something has a motor they usually require service or parts. You don't find those sort of things at the big box stores. When was the last time that you saw a counter that read service department in Lowe's. The big box stores sell to week-end warriors. Anyone with experience knows enough to go to a good dealer with a service department to buy things that have engines ( chainsaws, mowers, generators, etc, ) or they have the capacity to fix things themselves. You should now be educated and most likely will not make this mistake again...............right. > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but > I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan You would think so. I used all Porter Cable, Skil and Milwaukee tools but I was just browsing, saw the piece of junk and bought it. Never seen a engine I couldn't fix before so this one threw me. Going to get a Stihl like my weed eater's brand. I'm just trying to stop others from making the same mistake. :) > Since you are retired I guess I can safely assume you have been > around the block a couple of times. You should have learned by now [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] >> >> It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan You should be aware that a Stihl is likely to have the *exact* same problem with the carb after 2-3 years. The big difference will be that it will probably be worth a $70 repair bill. Most all of the carbs on those hand-held units are made by Walbro and are very finicky after a couple of years. If you buy and use a fuel stabilizer you can usually avoid these problems. > You would think so. I used all Porter Cable, Skil and Milwaukee tools > but I was just browsing, saw the piece of junk and bought it. Never [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] >>> It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan >  SignatureArt I think we should vote for more Republicans and more Democrats. They'll save us. <%= Clinton Gallagher > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but > I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan journalists will fix everything after the politicians are finished. >I think we should vote for more Republicans and more Democrats. > They'll save us. [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] >> >> It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan > journalists will fix everything after the politicians are finished. But who will fix things after the journalists are finished? >> journalists will fix everything after the politicians are finished. > > But who will fix things after the journalists are finished? The Seabees. >>> journalists will fix everything after the politicians are finished. >> >> But who will fix things after the journalists are finished? > > The Seabees. 55 years ago I was a Seabee. >>>> journalists will fix everything after the politicians are finished. >>> [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > 55 years ago I was a Seabee. 50 years ago, I was a Heavy Cruiser SFM (Shipfitter Metalsmith). I think I am on-topic. :-) SignatureBill In Hamptonburgh, NY 60 years ago my dad was a tool and die maker SRU - ship repair unit. Apparently this would have been highly related. ______________________________ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) dgriff237@7cox.net >>>>> journalists will fix everything after the politicians are >>>>> finished. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > 50 years ago, I was a Heavy Cruiser SFM (Shipfitter Metalsmith). > I think I am on-topic. :-) 60 years ago I was 2. > 60 years ago my dad was a tool and die maker SRU - ship repair unit. > Apparently this would have been highly related. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >> 50 years ago, I was a Heavy Cruiser SFM (Shipfitter Metalsmith). >> I think I am on-topic. :-) >>> journalists will fix everything after the politicians are finished. >> >> But who will fix things after the journalists are finished? > > The Seabees. Ok, I can buy that. (considering going back in the reserves as an EA. Be a hell of a transition from being an MM, but what the hell). You probably spent less than $100 on it. For a shop to work on it they would put a carb kit in it (about $10) and an hour labor (about $60) and then hand you a bill for over $70. And that's if everything goes smoothly. If the carb kit doesn't do it then add in a new carb (at around another $50) and you've way exceeded the cost of the machine. You really can't blame Lowes for selling it. You should have done your homework before buying it and you would have known it was a disposable blower. > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but > I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan SignatureArt Here's what you do. I call it "Pulling a Wal-Mart". Go buy a new one just like it. Wait two weeks, take the old one back. Get money back. Done. Let the flaming begin. You can call me names all you want, but I'll still keep doing it. So save your fingers. SignatureSteve Barker > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but > I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan That is dishonest. Perhaps I need a spanking eh? Is building a piece of sh.t to begin with honest? SignatureSteve Barker > That is dishonest. > Perhaps I need a spanking eh? Is building a piece of sh.t to begin > with honest? If you price it like a piece of sh.t, it is. I wouldn't do that but I was trying to get them to discontinue the piece of junk. I sent the exact email to Lowe's and they don't even answer it so you may have a point. > Here's what you do. I call it "Pulling a Wal-Mart". Go buy a new one > just like it. Wait two weeks, take the old one back. Get money back. [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] >> >> It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan President Bush had a former aide arrested for doing something similiar. > Here's what you do. I call it "Pulling a Wal-Mart". Go buy a new one just > like it. Wait two weeks, take the old one back. Get money back. Done. [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > > > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan Oh, really? Got a link? Good thing I'm not a presidential aid eh? SignatureSteve > President Bush had a former aide arrested for doing something similiar. >> Here's what you do. I call it "Pulling a Wal-Mart". Go buy a new one [quoted text clipped - 35 lines] >> > >> > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan If you haven't thrown it way, you can replace the carb off Ebay for $19. http://cgi.ebay.com/WALBRO-CARBURETOR-WA-217-POULAN-WEED-EATER-530035262_W0QQite mZ7754232666QQcategoryZ71278QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem (URL is cross sevral lines, will need to cut-n-paste; or just do search on Ebay for "carburetor Weed Eater leaf blower") Reason you didn't see anything wrong inside the carb it that the tiny passages (usually deep inside) were probably cloged. (Old gas is most common reason.) Always run lawn equipment dry at end of season; or use gas treated with Sta-bil Fuel Stabilizer. BTW, you were wrong to call the manager and complain after using the product without problems for TWO years. That no one would work on it is not much of a mystery, a new carb is inder $20, why would you even ask anyone to? > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but > I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products but > I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan First off .. Lowe's didn't build it, they just sold it - along with all the other higher-priced units they stock. You bought cheap, you possibly/probably neglected it, you got a couple of seasons out of it, it's shot. What did Lowe's do wrong here ?? Would you feel better if you bought it from Big Lots for the same money. I don't understand your complaint at all. > Being a retired contractor I thought Lowe's would have good products > but I'm spreading the word now about a piece of junk they sell. [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > > It was a Weed Eater brand. AKA Poulan Many things said already but here's my .02 which is worth .002 by this point. - Box stores sell sh.t (and good stuff). - People who make sh.t want their sh.t in box stores because... - People who are looking for sh.t (cheap with nice packages) go to box stores. - People who leave box store with pretty packaged cheap sh.t leave the store with stupid grin like Bob on that TV pecker enhancement commercial. Joe average homeowner goes to say HD for a cordless tool kit. He sees 450- 500 price tag for 5 lousey pieces and thinks gee that's stupid. I can get this Ryobi one with 763,456 pieces for a hundred and fifty bucks. Probably an appropriate choice for the usage/application. Contractors and retired contractors know what to expect and choose for their usage. Right? I've got a Rigid set and have a single Ryobi drill for light/med-light indoor use. Even at light use I know the Ryobi will croak in a year or two. I'll throw it out and be happy with the usage I got. I have a 10 buck Walmart watch I wear that gets physically beat to crap, painted, roof cemented, etc. I'll toss that too and be happy. OK, enough of the "messages" and on to your particulars. Someone gave me a Weedeater gas lawn edger. Said it wouldn't run and was sitting in their shed a couple of years. I try to start it and NG. Plug is dry like yours. I toss some gas in the cylinder with a straw and it kicks/runs for a second. Take very top off of carb and it gooped up of course. Got hold of an exploded carb diagram for the Walbro carb. Went to local power equip shop to get a rebuild kit. Guy says they don't stock them because they go on throw away units they don't even repair (always would exceed cost of unit) but he will order me a kit. I get it, rebuild and get it started and adjusted. Runs fine. Shut it off. Restarts fine. Unit cools to ambient and it is a #&$%*! to start. Once it does finally starts again and I get shoulder back in socket, runs fine. Did some online reading. MANY MANY comments about this same Poulan/Walbro/starting issue. One thing I noted that in the exploded diagram it shows two different configurations/parts for the carb head going on the same body. One has a primer and the other not. Mine has no primer. I've wondered if all the folks who have had this problem nave the non-primer version. Bottom line of acceptance is when I start it up from cold. pop the plug and toss some gas in -or- toss it out. > I get it, rebuild and get it started and adjusted. Runs fine. Shut it > off. Restarts fine. Unit cools to ambient and it is a #&$%*! to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > has a primer and the other not. Mine has no primer. I've wondered if > all the folks who have had this problem have the non-primer version. The only reason I bought it was because it *did* have a bulb primer and figured that would do it. I doubt it set more than 6 weeks and that wouldn't screw it up that bad. After all, I let my Stehl weedeater sit all winter and have for 6 years now and it always start on the second pull. One misconception was that I tore the carb apart. All I did was remove it from the machine removing 2 long screws. I still don't believe the diagram and *weird* gasket came from that location and that is the only connection I had open. BTW this carb as no adjustments on it of any kind and that is even stated in the manual that came with it. My trash guys have always been good to me, bringing my cans back to the house etc where they leave others in the street and I have given them things. I think I'll give it to them to fix and sell or use them selves. >> I get it, rebuild and get it started and adjusted. Runs fine. Shut it >> off. Restarts fine. Unit cools to ambient and it is a #&$%*! to [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > them things. I think I'll give it to them to fix and sell or use them > selves. > The only reason I bought it was because it *did* have a bulb primer Thanks for the feedback...really. |
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