Monday, August 12, 2019

EMBARRASSED


A couple of months ago I bought a new riding mower as my 15 year old model just quit.  I took a chance buying a Craftsman because Sears is so shaky these days. The home town stores are supposedly privately owned and this is a small town so there are few choices.

The new mower has done a decent job and while there are things I don't like, there are also things I really do like.

The turning radius is awesome compared to my old one however the dip stick is really hidden under immovable objects and it will be a bear adding oil.  I am thinking of getting a small turkey baster to do the job.  It was that concern that had me checking the mower on a non-mow day.

However as I walked up behind it, something popped out at me that I had never noticed before. Usually I just climb aboard from the left side and off we go but this time as I approached from the back I noticed the engine was sitting at an odd angle.




I gently tried to straighten it but it didn't budge. I didn't dare to try to start it. First I checked the store to see if they had the same model on the floor so I could compare. They had sold out and had no ideas to explain my crooked engine.  They suggested I call the repair service I had paid extra for. The appointment was set up and I waited.

The repair man called me on the assigned date. I told him my concerns and he said he was on the way but since he was coming from Little Rock that it would be at least two plus hours.

The very nice repair man arrived before lunch and examined my mower.  

"The motor mount bolts are all there, none are broken and there is nothing wrong with it."  He said with a smile. 

I didn't believe him but sure enough, the engine was solid if cockeyed. 

He said they off set the engine to keep the exhaust from cooking the plastic.  Then he added apologetically as if it would answer any further questions I had, "These engines are made in China."

I was feeling a bit like the person who buys a computer and swears it doesn't work till they are shown the "on" button.  Yes, I was quite embarrassed. 

Luckily he had other repairs in this area so I wasn't a total waste of his time and he did show me some neat stuff.

After he left it mowed my property just fine. 

You ever convinced you needed a repair only to find out there was nothing wrong?

42 comments :

  1. You still have a Sears store? Canada's went under years ago. As a matter of fact, just this spring I asked to have my Toyota's rusted muffler strap replaced. The shop told me that my model wasn't made with that piece and that the four exhaust hangers were adequate. Fine then!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Out to Pasture,
      We have what are called Sears Hometown stores. They are owned by individuals. I haven't seen a big Sears in a while though I think a few are left.
      Hum? Adequate??

      Delete
  2. Glad to hear it was all right and not broken. I thought maybe it was so you could get to the oil pan easier. Oh well, live and learn, huh? :-)

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    Replies
    1. Djan,
      I wish there was a way to get to it easier. The repair just shrugged when I mentioned adding oil.

      Delete
  3. I did that with a numbered keypad lock on my front door. $300 lock that I was convinced wasn't working right. It was fine, I was having one of my dyslexia days and it cost me a %50 to find that out. Never told anyone until now. LOL

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    Replies
    1. Jean,
      OUCH!!! That had to have hurt. I promise I won't tell anyone:)

      Delete
  4. I'm glad it was okay. I can't think of anything that needed repairing that didn't, it's normally the opposite. Like I try to convince myself the brake pads on my jeep don't need replacing as they squeal every time I slow down.

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    Replies
    1. Joey,
      Been there, done that. It is called avoidance. Better get it fixed. We care what happens to you.

      Delete
  5. Glad that it was not broken and in need of repairs. I think we need a photo of you on that riding mower, Patti!

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    Replies
    1. robin,
      Ha ha, maybe someday though this post would have been a good one for it.

      Delete
  6. Glad the mower was fine - I would have questioned the placement too.

    Just recently, I thought the thermostat in my house was broken because the reading was showing high temp beyond what I knew it to be. Tried resetting it, called my brother asked him to help me replace it. Went to the store to buy a new one and brought it home, only to find the original had somehow reset itself while I was gone! Glad it had as I took the new one back to the store and got my refund of $130.

    Note to self - be careful when washing walls. I think it might have gotten a bit of water in the thermostat and it took a bit of time to dry out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Eileen,
      Oh my, that could have been worse if you had installed it. So glad you got your money back. I'll keep that in mind when I wash my walls.

      Delete
    2. Anybody wanna come and wash my walls?

      Delete
  7. oh boy that was a learning experience. Glad nothing was wrong and you got your lawn mowed. Time to relax today

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    Replies
    1. Margaret,
      Yes it was and fortunately it cost me nothing. The repair man said not to worry. For him "it all pays the same."

      Delete
  8. I bet you aren't the only buyer to be concerned about the crooked engine. Bravo. You are still independently accomplishing a major task caring for your home. I am impressed.

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    Replies
    1. LC,
      I know---that is what I thought and they could have told me they came that way when I went to the store. I guess they had to make sure I hadn't really broken the engine mounts.

      Delete
  9. I had a refrigerator repairman come to fix an unsettling noise from the freezer. Apparently someone had flipped the ice maker switch to on but the ice maker was not set up. The ice maker would be calling for water so it could make ice and no
    water arriving made it clatter. Duh.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Olga,
      My that ranks right up there but it sure wasn't your fault.

      Delete
  10. I always think anything to do with technology needs repair whether it does or not. I admire your confidence in using the mower. I very rarely can even start our push mower any longer, yet when my husband pulls the cord it starts up immediately. I just think I carry bad vibes around with me when it comes to operating anything. I hate that so many things are made in China. I just always expect things to be poorly made now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Snickelfritz,
      If I were you, I'd never learn how to pull start the mower. Anything you can do you will have to do.
      I think Annie hit on it about the engine made in China. The rest of the mower was made here and someone didn't measure right or think things through. Not sure whose fault it was.

      Delete
  11. Reminds me of a story about my dad...driving back from Nebraska to home (Colorado), car dash light came on -Check engine-. He got out opened the hood, engine still there...hood down...safe to go. If it were me, the car woulda stoped, dead ... but not my dad. 300+ miles, all the way with check engine light on!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dunno...maybe 'cause it was made in USA with China parts?

      Delete
    2. Annie,
      That is funny about your Dad. Hey it was still there. Those check engine lights come on for really dumb reasons and often all you need is a new gas cap or like it was for me--just to tighten the gas cap.
      Think you are right on about the China engine. The mowers are made here but parts do come from China and somehow someone measured wrong or didn't think it through.

      Delete
  12. Dear Patti, this happens to me all the time because I am so inept at technology and anything really that demands the use of hands to make it work. (It took me ages to learn to type while in high school.) Just the other day, I had to ask my oldest niece--who's also so willing to answer my calls for help--if she could come over and open a bottle for me of facial soap that had a plunger at the top. Of course, she could and explained the mechanism to me. I feel downright stupid much of the time! Peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dee,
      I had to smile at your typing experience as I had a similar one. I was such a bad typist in class that the instructor said he would pass me if I promised not to take Typing II next year. He gave up on me and I spent the rest of the year helping him grade papers.

      Delete
  13. I guess you had a red face to go with your green lawn. At least I assume it is green, since you seem to be mowing it frequently. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Linda,
      Ha ha. Yes thanks to all the rain, the grass is beautiful this year and quite healthy.

      Delete
  14. If I had a dollar for every time I thought something was wrong, I could probably take an overseas holiday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. River,
      I know the feeling. Google usually helps me get right most of the time.

      Delete
  15. I am so fortunate to have two hefty and knowledgeable sons within 20 minutes of me. I am a klutz when it comes to that stuff but I'm glad your conundrum was solved easily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ginnie,
      Wish I had someone on speed dial. I did talk to my brother who has a similar model. I talked to him again this week and he said his is the same and he never noticed it either.

      Delete
  16. Something with my first computer long, long ago. I too am glad that the problem was solved so easily.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mage,
      Join the club Mage, there are a bunch of us.

      Delete
  17. Happens to all of us at times. Something we've passed a dozen times suddenly seems out of place although it's always been just like that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Carolyn,
      I guess sometimes we are paying a bit more attention than the other times. I felt better when my brother with a similar model also failed to notice the obvious off kilter engine.

      Delete
  18. When I first got my laptop, many moons ago, I was happily typing away when it died. I phoned to get help and was asked if it was plugged in, which it wasn't. "But it was working fine until it just died," I said. "The very patient man on the end of the phone explained that laptops had batteries and mine had run out. I felt such a nitwit!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. well, it's a new toy for you. You can't really be blamed for not knowing about the battery thing. However, do it a second time...=)

      Delete
    2. AMKT,
      Don't feel badly. That is the classic example
      and I agree with Mittens, we are all entitled to a first time. It is part of the learning curve.

      Delete
  19. I certainly have done this. The great thing about getting old is you can play the old lady card when this happens. Hahaha.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Happens to me quite frequently, but it's usually Art who's telling me I'm doing something wrong. Tsk.

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  21. -giggles- Isn't this a usual occurrence, when we got older? maybe diff stuff. But there is a whole lot of... "OOOOPs, I guess I was mistaken." -grinnn-

    🍂🍁🎃🍁🍂

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