Everyone with a lawn or garden knows that the grass and plants within it have to be constantly looked after and maintained. What’s more, even the tools that take care of those plants need maintenance themselves! One essential tool that needs a good deal of maintenance is the tiller.
As handy as these machines are, they – like all other machines – are not faultless. Mechanical failures, user failures, things just go wrong with them sometimes, which can leave you wondering about what happened.
Well, no more wondering, because today’s topic is all about troubleshooting your tiller, and the repair and maintenance that goes with it. You’ll find out all the potential pitfalls and defects that can occur with tillers, along with the way to fix them.
Without further ado, let’s dive in!
Common Tiller Problems
We’re going to get into the weeds and tell you the nitty-gritty of how to fix each problem. Before that, however, let’s maintain this helicopter view for a second and string together a list of common issues found with tillers:
- The wheels aren’t turning, but the tines are
- The tines aren’t turning, but the wheels are
- Complete engine shutdown
- Problems turning the tiller on
- Inadequate tilling
After getting a general idea about the common problems, let’s now see how to troubleshoot your tiller to find the root cause of the issue.
How To Troubleshoot Your Tiller?
Don’t be too quick to seek professional help with your broken tiller, as you may spend an unnecessary amount of money. Try the following first!
Tune the Engine
Sometimes, all the moving parts will be in good shape, but they won’t work together as they should. You can identify this problem if you notice the tiller making a loud noise or not working as efficiently as it used to.
Here’s where tuning up the engine comes into play. You may only need to do simple things, like lubricating the engine or changing the oil. In some cases, however, there may be some parts that need replacing.
Replacing Tiller Parts
When a particular part stops working, it’ll manifest in a distinctive way, allowing you to zero in on what needs to be replaced. Notably, there are four parts that most commonly need replacement.
Transmission
Any mismatch between the wheels and tines can be easily attributed to an issue with the transmission. Whether it’s the wheels that are moving when the tines aren’t – or the reverse – it’s all the same.
The point is that the energy isn’t shifting from one part to the other; it isn’t getting transmitted. That should prompt you to examine the transmission and possibly switch it out for a new one.
Carburetor
If your tiller is old, it’s likely that there’s a problem with its carburetor. If that’s the case, you can tell by the tiller often refusing to turn on, or just shutting down suddenly.
The carburetor is what controls the flow of the fuel to the engine so the tiller can operate. However, sometimes gasoline residue builds up in old machines, blocking the pathway of the fuel. If this happens you may need a severe clean-up, or even a total replacement.
Recoil Starter
Although many people look straight at the engine when something goes wrong, a defect in the recoil starter is just as common. So, if your tiller has one of those, check it first. If the issue truly lies in the recoil starter, you can quickly fix or replace it a lot easier than an entire engine.
Tines
A problem with the tines may not be detected right away, as the tiller will appear to be working well on the surface. However, when you examine the results, you’ll see that the soil didn’t get the aeration it needs. That’s when you should look at the tines, as they may have gotten dull, chipped, or broken, and need replacement.
Maintenance Tips and Repair Schedule
Instead of waiting until something goes wrong, which can be costly both in terms of money and time, it’s better to be proactive and maintain your tiller correctly. So, let’s run through some good maintenance habits that keep your tiller in peak condition.
Check the Engine Oil
You should check the engine oil before each use. Remove the cap and see if the oil reaches at least the bottom of the filler neck. If not, add some oil, using a funnel, until it reaches the necessary level.
Clean the Air Filter
Remember when we said that the carburetor can suffer from grime and residue build-up, causing it to malfunction? Well, the air filter plays a vital role in preventing that from happening.
However, just as with any filter, it loses its filtering capacity over time. That’s why you should clean the air filter at least once every tilling season. This doesn’t apply to the paper air filters, though, as those should just be replaced. Only foam air filters can be cleaned and then put back in place.
Clean and Lubricate the Tines
Each time you finish using the tiller, make sure to clean the tines thoroughly with a hose, and apply a lubricant afterward to prevent them from rusting.
Check the Tires
You should periodically examine the tires for any damage, so you can replace them when needed. Also, with inflatable tires, make sure to check their pressure from time to time and fill them with air when necessary. You should find the appropriate pressure printed on the side of each tire.
Adjust the Cables
You can determine if the cables need adjustment by disengaging the clutch lever, then slowly pulling the rope slowly a few times. If the tines turn, that means the lines need adjustment.
To adjust the cable lines, begin by loosening the nut so you can unscrew the cable and add more slack in the wire. After that, tighten the nut back and test again.
Proper Storage Technique
As you’ll need to store your tiller often, including long-term over the winter, it’s essential to know how to do so correctly. First, unscrew the screws on the handlebar so you can fold the handles. This way, your tiller will fit in a smaller, more compact space.
Then, take the time to empty the tank, as stagnant fuel can cause severe issues with the carburetor. After that, start the engine a couple of times to make sure you’ve drained all the fuel and sucked all the air out.
Your tiller is now ready to be stored away; just make sure to keep it out of children’s reach. Also, just like all other fuel-powered machines, you’ll need to store the tiller in a dry place.
Conclusion
If and when your tiller needs repairing, it’s tempting to immediately rush and call a professional. However, more often than not you can troubleshoot your tiller and repair it yourself. Better yet, you can cultivate good tiller maintenance habits.
Routine tiller maintenance through simple stuff like cleaning the air filter or checking the engine oil can go a long way. So, make sure to maintain your tiller properly, and it’ll keep working wonders for your lawn and garden!