I have a 2-year-old Mantis mini-tiller with the 2-stroke engine.
I can't get it to run! It starts easily, and can idle forever, but as soon as I give it throttle, it dies.
I've replaced the fuel filter, checked the air filter, it has fresh gas, proper mix ratio.
What else can I do? This is the latest I've ever planted.
I also went through the carb adjustment procedure per the manual.
I had the same problem several years ago and gave the !@#$%^ thing to the local thrift store and went out and bought a Troybilt Pony. Never had a problem again.
George
Yep, I regret the purchase. I was going for compact. I may do a carb rebuild myself , but I'm not going to throw good money after bad by paying someone $90 to do it.
Looks like I'll be using a hoe this year.
The main jet passageways in the carb are most likely blocked. If you can find a gasket kit for the carb, take it apart, soak in some carb cleaner, blow out the passageways with compressed air, and put it back together. If you don't have the means to do this, take to a lawn mower shop and have them fix it.
Plan B: replace the carb.
Plan C: give it to charity and go buy another tiller.
Assuming you don't trample your garden and compact the soil, there's no reason to use a tiller each year. The soil exists in distinct layers which have a purpose, and it takes time for those layers to establish themselves properly. Turning it over wrecks the process.
Drag a claw tool through the top 4-6 inches, and smooth with a rake if necessary. End of job. Plant seeds. Have a beer.
Unassailable advice. In his terseness JoeSpareBedroom left out the mulch part. The mulch keeps out the weeds, keeps in the moisture, and roll-out the welcome mat to earthworms.
Make mine a pils.
- Bill Coloribus gustibus non disputatum (mostly)
OH YES they are over advertised, cheap build peaces of junk. You can get a good one for the same money or less. I have a tiller head that fits on my Steil weed whacker that works great.
From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley
True, but I thought it best to keep the advice simple and see what happened.
Have two pils.
You might try a big shot of carb cleaner additive in the gas. Someone suggested this last year for my Lawnboy and solved problem I was having in taking annually to the shop. It was also most important to use their brand 2-cycle oil. Small engine repair shops are backed up this time of year. I got my mower running 3 weeks before I needed to use it because of this. Frank
It needs a new carburetor. They only last one year no matter how well you take care of it, winterize it, etc; just long enough for the warranty to expire. I finally threw my Mantis tiller away and bought a little Honda tiller a couple of years ago. It always starts on the second pull. I don't have trouble with any of my other 2-cycle equipment, just the Mantis.
Sorry for the bad news.
Bob
zxcvbob expounded:
I'm going to disagree with this. I had a regular Mantis for seven years, kept it in the cellar over the winter, and it started every single spring. Maybe mine was made on a Monday, I dunno. It got crushed two years ago when a tree fell on my shed. I've got the Honda engined one now, it's also troublefree.
Hmmm, I'd like to give that a try. I have something called Gumout, but it's for cleaning carbs and fuel filters. I don't think it's meant as an additive.
Do you know any product names I can look for?
Have you taken a good look at the exhaust/muffler? Especially if you live in area prone to mud wasps. Quite often the exhaust port is a small pipe about the diameter of a lead pencil and they find this to be an excellent spot for one of their mud nests. If the exhaust is restricted by any amount it won't run properly...
This is a very common problem with power equipment stored in an area where mud wasps can get to it.
I wasted a lot of time messing around with the carburetor before figuring this out, much like you are doing :)
Just another idea/thing to check.
Yeah, that was one of the first things I checked.
I pulled the plastic stops off of the carb adjustment screws. By backing them out about 1 1/2 turns (WAY more than the stops allowed), I was able to get it to run. It still won't go full throttle, and I had to keep massaging the throttle to keep it from dying, but I was able to move some dirt around.
I guess I'll take the carb apart over the Winter.
If you got it running, buy a gallon of Premium gasoline, like Amoco Gold. It will run better in a clogged up carburetor, and it will remove some of the gum and varnish build-up as you run it.
I buy 92 octane for my lawnmower and chain saws for the first tank every years, then switch back to 89 octane next time I buy fuel.
It'll only cost you an extra 20¢ to try it. :-)
Bob
Well it was worth a shot :)
I suspect these are almost identical to the weed whacker motor/carbs. If so there isn't much to them at all. Two screws/bolts remove it from the intake/jug. Maybe 4 screws allow it to be split in two. Just be really careful not to damage the gasket. It is more than just a gasket. It has little flapping check valves and such which are part of it. Take a good look at both the hoses too. One comes from the tank and the other is a return line. They can cause some weird troubles too if cracked or loose where they enter the tank. You would probably have noticed fuel leaking though and it isn't old enough for them to have really deteriorated too much.
From what you have said/done so far I doubt it will give you any problem. I just carefully blow them out good with compressed air and put'em back together.
It may just settle down after you run some gas through it. If so you will probably have to set the adjustments back like they were, or close to the same.
My Mantis is 2004, and last few years has been a nightmare--and continues f or 2015. I never really bought the "new gas" scenario, but after trying th is last weekend and having it barely run--I did the new gas Monday AM (used regular, though). Got it started and it ran like a dynamo for about 20 min
--so now I am a believer in new gas! Shut it off for few minutes of raking, and then could not get it started. Rest of week same scenario, mess with C arb, changed filter, checked spark arrest screen, checked plug, used carb c leaner on "L" jet(rebuilt carb last year)--run's fine for 5-10 min--and the n quits. Talked to Mantis twice this week--little help, except comments on bad gas these day. Am ready to burn it in town square in Cary, NC.
Replace the fuel filter.
Whatever gas you use in whatever small engine you must use an enzymatic fue l treatment such as StarTron. If you don't you can kiss your carberator goo dby. The ethanol in the gas destroys plastics and plugs up passages when it evaporates. It also will absorb water. Death to any small engine, 2 or 4 s troke
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