I get quite a few engines (usualy 5 & 5.5 HP briggs) that have stuck intake valves. I always have pulled the head replaced both valves, cut the seats and lapped the valves. I replace the head gasket and manifold gaskets. I usualy charge the customer a couple of hours for doing it.

Yesterday I had a customer pickup his tiller and had a complete come apart because I had charged him for new valves and other parts. He claims he has to have the valves unstuck every couple of years, and no one had ever used new parts. They pull the head, twist the valve till it is free then replace the head and send him on his way. He said that no one has ever charged him more than 45 minutes time and my time was way out of whack. He said he would NEVER be back at my shop again. (hopefully)

I believe in fixing thing right and not piecing them back together. Am I right in what I am doing or do I need to lighten up and just get them by with as little as possible? Sorry for the rambling, this has realy got me. Nobody has complained about the valve work I have done in the past.

Thanks

How and why are they getting stuck?

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I believe in fixing thing right and not piecing them back together. Am I right in what I am doing or do I need to lighten up and just get them by with as little as possible? Sorry for the rambling, this has realy got me.


Don't let this one tight wad get to you, You did a professional job and charged accordingly. One thing I learned years ago was if your going to do something do it right, Doing a job half azzed can come back to bite you.

You have to make a choice, Have a customer complain every once in a while about price or have them complain it's broke again (piecing) and you end up repairing a second time out of pocket.

There's no possible way to satisfy every single customer.....

I have no problem at all showing PITA's the gate, The next shop is 47 miles one way to the east....:D

I deal with customers every day except with computers, some times we get customers who complain we are trying to rip them off but then they go somewhere like best buy or staples and get even more ripped off. Then about a week later they come back to are little shop complaining about how they brought it to staples and the tech messed up my computer even more. We then explain to the customer that we repair are computers correctly and we charge a fair about of money to do so if you pay any less don't expect much. Its because Customers don't know much about what they are bringing in to be fixed, they don't know the difference between a Hard Drive or Memory and you have to know how to explain it to them without making them feel stupied.

The valves are usualy covered with sticky gooey varnish from the gas. People who don't use stabilizer in thier fuel, or use old rotten gas. Almost always it is on the intake.

Thanks for all your replies and encouragement.