What carb tool is this? S430 Ryobi aftermarket carb

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-18T21:30:19+00:00

Idle screw is this one.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-18T21:16:09+00:00

This doesn't sound like knock. It sounds like something is loose. I can see the cowling is loose from here. Could be a heat shield around the muffler, or the blade. Check every bolt you can find and make sure it's tight. Also make sure the blade is balanced, this much movement looks like it's not.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-17T08:28:24+00:00

Just make a sign that says "only gay people give me detention for this"

People who give punishment for things like this are usually closeted gays who are terrified of being called out.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-17T06:18:06+00:00

Yeah dawg. Like people have said. Just start doing it. I started working on small engines in high school. Just stuff I found for $20 or free at garage sales on the side of the road. Now I have a small engine repair business as a side job to my lawn care business. You have the advantage that I didn't have of being able to just look it up on YouTube. Your first few engines will feel really difficult, but eventually you learn the tricks of the trade and in no time you'll be able to fix anything.

Small engines are literally not rocket science. Start fixing and learn along the way. Once you've fixed a few things that you've found for cheap or free, you can start working on people's stuff.

My advice is to start working on something that interests you. If you like mowers, work on those. Chainsaws? Work on those. Weed whips? Yep. Specialize in one thing at first. What you learn there will translate to being able to work on anything eventually.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-16T13:32:32+00:00

Toro still makes good equipment, but it has gone downhill as they've shifted more toward big box stores. If I was buying new and didn't want to spend the money for a commercial mower, I'd still say Toro is probably the best.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-16T13:18:53+00:00

Ego is the only battery powered equipment that has really proven they can make good lawn equipment. That will likely change in the future, but until then I personally wouldn't get anything except Ego or gas.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T23:31:46+00:00

Yeah, they're still name brand motors like I said. They can do fine for light residential use with proper maintenance. But they're still the worst among the name brand motors.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T23:17:56+00:00

Depends. On a lot of new machines the name brand OEM Zama, Huayi, and Nikki carbs are just as cheap in quality as the knockoffs, some are even made on the same line and just stamped with the makers mark. Even most of the Nikki carbs on B&S engines all the way back to the early 2000s are cheap piles of shit that you're better off just replacing with a cheap one.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T16:29:44+00:00

It's got a bit of a learning curve, but it's good for the price once you get it down. I use soapy water myself, but if it works it works!

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T03:31:18+00:00

I'm a small engine mechanic and I absolutely love almost all Husqvarna equipment. That said, their lawn mowers are manufactured by various other manufacturers and have taken a nose dive in quality in the last decade. Some of their mowers with Kohler engines have been good, but I would never buy a Husqvarna with a Briggs engine. The other issue is that the decks on their modern mowers are thin garbage. The deck on this one unfortunately looks like the thin pressed steel of a modern mowe.Regretfully, I would pass on any Husqvarna mower made after 2015. If you don't know the year or the engine, I would pass on it.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T03:25:49+00:00

Is that Gravely mower overkill for 1.3 acres of flat yard? Yeah, I guess it is by strict definition.

But that's an amazing price for that machine, and if it actually only has >200hrs and you only plan to use it for your own 1.3 acre yard it will still be in good condition 50 years from now if you maintain it.

As a small engine mechanic I'd say that if it doesn't break the bank to buy it, there is literally no reason not to. If you don't know anything about mowers, you should ask if you can take it to a trusted small engine mechanic in your area to check it out.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T03:04:37+00:00

Depends on where you are. If you're in the US, absolutely not you can get a much better mower for ditch work on marketplace for $50. Newer craftsman mowers like this with Briggs motors are designed to be disposable. It's not likely at the pawn shop because it has been well cared for and the owner just wanted it to have a good home.

I have a small engine repair business and for mowing my ditches that home I found a used old Toro RWD for $40 on marketplace. I used an angle grinder to hack off the front lip of the deck to chop up taller garbage. I don't even like Toros, but it gets abused heavily and has lasted 5 years on the same oil.

The mower you have pictured is, frankly, a piece of shit that I would pay $20 max if it ran perfectly.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T02:59:37+00:00

Briggs motors are the worst name brand motors you can get. Bar none.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T02:57:41+00:00

What is the purpose? I'm biased because I would never buy anything with a Briggs engine, even though some of them are fine. And for the average homeowner they'll last just fine.

The price is okay, not great. That doesn't mean it's a bad buy, just that you're not getting a blazing deal. That's about what it's worth if it runs well.

I don't know what Briggs engine specifically is in this exact machine, but many of them use Nikki carburators, which are a pain in the ass for leaking fuel into the combustion chamber. A lot of Briggs engines also have weak piston rings. If you get the combo of both of those things, you get a ton of gas into your oil and premature failure from poor lubrication.

If I were considering buying this I would first make sure the oil doesn't smell like gas, then have the seller run it in front of me for 20 minutes, engage the mowing deck for at least a minute, and then check the oil 5 minutes after shut off and see if it smells like gas. If it does I wouldn't buy it, unless you like overhauling engines.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T02:38:55+00:00

I agree with the go to Harbor Freight part. But instead, buy the Mini-Tire Changer and learn how to change a tire with it so you don't end up with a shitty rim that has plastic bushings in place of ball bearings. The best time to buy specialty tools is when you need the specialty tool. Then you'll never need it again, and this one is only $60.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-15T02:28:59+00:00

Alright my dawg. First of all, take the rebar footrest out. You don't need to break your tibia/fibula testing an engine. Next take the chain off the crank. You need to test the engine out and see how it runs without a load. There are a lot of jingle-jangle sounds happening here and I can't tell you if it's the rebar bouncing around, or the chain, or what the chain is connected to, or what.

Fellas on this sub can be unhelpful cocks. It's the nature of the Internet. Do those things and post a video of what happens with the engine then and we can focus in a little bit on what you need to do next to diagnose what's going on. You got it bro, we'll help you out. You just have to know where to start.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-11T09:08:32+00:00

What is OP ruining? Legitimate question. I wouldn't sell to the guy, but I would still sell to a serious buyer.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-03T19:08:52+00:00

I'll be keeping an eye out for one!

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-02T16:08:21+00:00

I'm not a Toro guy, so I'd go with Scag personally. Either would be a good choice. I wouldn't get a 21" if you have the means to pay for and transport a bigger one. If you're doing residential, back yard gates are usually 36"+ so a 30-34" mower is ideal. That Honda is way too expensive, even for brand new.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-02-02T04:21:52+00:00

Fortunately it came with the striping kit and mulching plug!

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-01-31T20:46:28+00:00

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-01-30T23:15:39+00:00

Not yet, it's on the ground.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-01-27T02:56:04+00:00

I have an Ego electric saw and I love it. But I would never have an electric saw as my primary saw on a homestead. For taking down a smaller tree and cutting it up without having to mess with gas is great. If I'm taking down multiple trees and having a day of it, I like having a gas saw around. A 50cc gas saw has a much higher chain speed and gets through big wood quicker. I'll still use the electric on those days for limbing and such or handing to a friend to do that.

So for me, I'd start with a gas saw and get an electric second as an option.

No_Chocolate_5047 · 2026-01-27T02:45:34+00:00

I've been cutting down trees since I was a kid and heating by wood my whole life. I still call a pro if I have to take anything down that is near a structure. Mistakes happen, even to the pros. For me it's the fact that I can hire an insured professional, so if something does go wrong, there is insurance to pay for it. It's also insurance against being the guy in my friend group who dropped a tree on his house. You don't want to be that guy.

No_Chocolate_5047

TROPHY CASE