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.

Mitch wrote:

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 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

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.


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.

On May 17, 11:41 am, Mitch Mitch@... wrote:
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.

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.

"Mitch" Mitch@... wrote in message
...
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.


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.

In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

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





http://community.webtv.net/MelKelly/TheKids

"William Rose" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote:

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


True, but I thought it best to keep the advice simple and see what happened.

Have two pils.

On May 17, 2:41 pm, Mitch Mitch@... wrote:
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.


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

Mitch wrote:
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.


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:

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'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.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

On 17 May 2007 15:47:29 -0700, Frank wrote:

You might try a big shot of carb cleaner additive in the gas.

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?

On Thu, 17 May 2007 18:41:08 GMT, Mitch Mitch@... wrote:

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.


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.

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
Remove no.spam for email

Have you taken a good look at the exhaust/muffler?

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.