bad experience with a repair shop (wanring long p

He took it to Crossroads Mower Center. They said it had a loose valve seat. They tried to peen the block to hold the seat in place but said it wouldn't seal and the engine (a B&S 16 HP twin) couldn't be repaired. They said they could get a short block and wanted $800 for a new engine. When my friend said no, he didn't want to put that much into the old tractor, they offered to apply the cost of the repair to a used Scotts they had available for sale. I can't remember the exact numbers but the Scotts was a couple years old and they wanted over $2,000! Does Scotts even make a tractor that sells for over $2K new?

My friend brought my old tractor back to my house and I finally had time to work on it this weekend. I took the head off and could see the valve wasn't seating correctly. I called the shop and sked if they had tried to lap the valve or do anything else to it after peening it in place. Guy I talked to on the phone said no, there was nothing they could do to fix it and get it running. I asked him a few more questions (some of them very basic) trying to understand exactly what they did and why it couldn't be fixed. Guy on the phone said he wasn't sure exactly what the mechanic did and the mechanic wouldn't remember if he asked him. Toward the end he started to get very condescending and said "why am I asking questions about something I don't understand". Pretty nice way to treat a customer? At that point, I could tell we were getting nothing accomplished so the conversation ended.

I went down to the garage and started working on the valve. Originally I thought the valve seat might be canted and not allowing the valve to seat fully around the perimeter but it didn't look like the valve was making any contact with the seat. I checked the valve and it had no clearance so I removed it, shortened the stem, and reinstalled. When I put everything back together, the engine the shop said couldn't be repaired fired right up and ran. I put the deck on mowed my yard with no problems.

I called the shop back today and the same guy answered. I asked if he was the owner of the shop and he said yes. I asked him if he remembered our conversation from Sat. and he said yes. I told him I didn't appreciate his attitude and thought it was rather rude. I agreed that I don't know a great deal about small engines but I am an engineer and have worked on cars for most of my life. He said, that cars and lawnmowers are different and he wouldn't hire a car mechanic to repair mowers. I said that is true, but the basic concept is the same. I told him that it took me less than 2 hours to repair the engine that his "professional" mechanic said couldn't be fixed. I said it is pretty funny that a guy who you insulted can fix something that his mechanic couldn't fix. At that point, he asked the name and what type of tractor it was so he could find the invoice and see exactly what was done. He came back on a minute later and siad he talked to the mechanic and the mechanic remembered the tractor clearly. ***He had alreay told me the mechanic wouldn't remember the tractor*** He said they could have fixed it ***this contradicts him clearly saying it couldn't be fixed*** but they couldn't guarantee the repair. Funny how his story changed!

I mentioned that I bought spark plugs, filters, and similar items from him despite the fact I could get them considerably cheaper other places as a way of trying to help his small business and didn't appreciate being treated that way. He argued at first but then said why don't I come down in person, he doesn't like talking over the phone. I said that is my point, "with the way you have treated me I'm not sure I ever want to come in your store again. At that point, he HUNG UP !

Make your own decision, but in my opinion the prices are high, the skills/knowledge of the service department are questionable, and the customer service skills of the owner stink! I'll never go back and I'll warn everyone I know.

It is Crossroads Mower Center, Inc.
McMurray, PA

The mower shop was right. Even if they RIGGED it for you, and quite clearly stated, in writing, that it was not a factory approved repair, they would stand to loose the price of the short block it would take to fix the problem.

I'm with the mower shop 100%, better risk loosing your business and anyone who you tell, than to do shoddy work, and risk loosing reputation that way, and still be out the price of the the new short block.

They probably looked at it and said the customer is gonna be pissed when we tell him about this one. And you were, and they did about the only thing they could do, grin and bear it. your fix might just work, but that doesn't mean it's factory, and it doesn't mean that a shop can do it and get away with it.

I'm not sure if you understood correctly, the shop DID try to fix the valve seat (by peening it back in) and they charged a fee. After they peened the seat back in, they didn't bother adjusting the clearance they just said it can't be fixed. How do they know if the seat repair worked or not when the valve couldn't close enough to make contact with the seat?

I might agree with what you are saying if the shop said from the start that they couldn't fix it. Once they were willing to start the repair and charge for their services, shouldn't they be obligated to complete the repair properly?

Iowa,

I did try to talk to him about it. The first time I called, he basically told me that I was asking questions about something that I knew nothing about. He clearly stated that there was nothing they could do to fix the engine and get it running. When I called again and told him that I got it running, his story changed from they couldn't get it running to they couldn't perform a repair that we could stand behind and warranty. From the earlier replies in this thread it is pretty clear that peening a valve seat to hold it in place is a very "risky" repair at best. If they only wanted to do a repair that they could stand behind and warranty, why would they attempt to seat the valve in the first place? The shop owner ended the second call by hanging up on me. Is it okay for a business owner to insult customers and hang up on them when they have questions/complaints?

That is a good point. If the shop owner knew he could have fixed the problem but the repair may not last, he should tell a customer that instead of telling them it CAN'T be fixed. All he would have to do is make it clear the repair could not be guaranteed, write that on the invoice, and have the customer sign it acknowledging that he understood.

He stated flat out several times it couldn't be fixed and only switched his story after I said that I had fixed it. It put up a red flag to me when he tried to switch my friend to a used tractor that was significantly overpriced. Seemed like he knew he would make more $$$ selling the tractor than messing with a repair. He had also told him that short blocks weren't available for the B&S 16 HP twin and I found that a little hard to believe considering how many of these engines are out there. Does anybody know for sure if they are available or is the only option a complete new engine?

Repair issue aside, I don't think a business owner who chooses to insult his customers and handle their questions/complaints in such a poor manner deserves any more business.

I only finished the job. The shop peened the valve seat and charged for working on it. If peening a valve seat has such a low success rate and they were worried about only making a repair that they could guarantee why would they try it in the first place? See the inconsistency?