9outof10mms
Enginerding, good coffee, and factual opinions.
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
Supporting Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
In a skit straight out of ironic shenaniganry, I'm experiencing the full idiocracy of the EPA "tamper resistant" carb screws--and I'd love to share my misery with you, too. (read: this is a rant)
I've got a 1-year old Echo back blower (PB-580T, middle of the line) that's worked like a champ so far. Until last week when I need it most for the tulip poplars that are barfing all over my freshly overseeded yard!!!
The damn thing bogs in full throttle. All the easy stuff is in perfect order--air filter is spotless, spark plug looks brand new, gas if good, gas filter is good. It's got to be the high setting on the carb just needs a little tweak.
In case you didn't know, your gubbermint has protected you from smelling out-of-compliance fumes from my lawn power tools by mandating these infuriating bullshit-tastic screws where there once was a just-fine slotted screw head. All because some stinking pinko unshavened hippie MF'er got the ear of a twit in the office of Environmental F#ckery and had a "law" made to prevent Joe Homeowner from maintaining his own damn tools/engines!!!
Did I mention that I'm mildly miffed about this?!
After examining every tool I own for a course of modification to allow me, a mere peasant of the land, to adjust the tool that I paid a solid $350 out of my bank account in exchange for a functioning and hopefully long-lasting device, I came to the conclusion that I own not such a device.
Taking to the great Amazon, I found a set of adjustment tools, fresh off the Chinese shipping container express boat. $12 and two days later, I thought I was going to conquer the evil "D" screw. I set up shop on my truck tailgate (editor's note: DON'T work on a backpack blower inside your shop--there's nothing like a 200MPH tornado of 2-stroke exhaust fumes finding every piece of paper and trash and swirling it all around you) and went to work. Exhibit A, for reference only--don't buy these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XD9JM7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lo-and-behold, I got what i paid for and the small D tool apparently just spins around the screw because it's not "D" enough!!!
At this point, I was barely able to resist the oncoming bout of Tourette's. I called the shop where I bought this now-useless piece of power toolery to ask about using that wonderful 5-year warranty that it came with. Of course, it's becoming their "busy season" and it may take a few weeks to get it back. FOR A SIMPLE MOTHER-HUMPING CARB ADJUSTMENT!!!
So now, I get to climb into my gas hog of a truck (I say that with pride, not with resentment), take time out of my batsh!t crazy schedule, drive many miles to the shop (polluting dear mother earf in the process), drop it off at the shop and waste their "busy season time" where they could be working on legitimately broken tools,drive home, wait a couple weeks, drive all the way back to pick it up, then drive all the way home. Just in time to not need the damn thing when the leaves stop.
If this isn't a textbook example of classic goobermint meddling and totally missing the mark, then I don't know what is. If I could bag all the exhaust from my truck that I'll spend driving to/from the shop to get my blower "repaired" and mail it to the EPA, I would.
Stand back...that dormant Tourette's is firing up...
I've got a 1-year old Echo back blower (PB-580T, middle of the line) that's worked like a champ so far. Until last week when I need it most for the tulip poplars that are barfing all over my freshly overseeded yard!!!
The damn thing bogs in full throttle. All the easy stuff is in perfect order--air filter is spotless, spark plug looks brand new, gas if good, gas filter is good. It's got to be the high setting on the carb just needs a little tweak.
In case you didn't know, your gubbermint has protected you from smelling out-of-compliance fumes from my lawn power tools by mandating these infuriating bullshit-tastic screws where there once was a just-fine slotted screw head. All because some stinking pinko unshavened hippie MF'er got the ear of a twit in the office of Environmental F#ckery and had a "law" made to prevent Joe Homeowner from maintaining his own damn tools/engines!!!
Did I mention that I'm mildly miffed about this?!
After examining every tool I own for a course of modification to allow me, a mere peasant of the land, to adjust the tool that I paid a solid $350 out of my bank account in exchange for a functioning and hopefully long-lasting device, I came to the conclusion that I own not such a device.
Taking to the great Amazon, I found a set of adjustment tools, fresh off the Chinese shipping container express boat. $12 and two days later, I thought I was going to conquer the evil "D" screw. I set up shop on my truck tailgate (editor's note: DON'T work on a backpack blower inside your shop--there's nothing like a 200MPH tornado of 2-stroke exhaust fumes finding every piece of paper and trash and swirling it all around you) and went to work. Exhibit A, for reference only--don't buy these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073XD9JM7/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lo-and-behold, I got what i paid for and the small D tool apparently just spins around the screw because it's not "D" enough!!!
At this point, I was barely able to resist the oncoming bout of Tourette's. I called the shop where I bought this now-useless piece of power toolery to ask about using that wonderful 5-year warranty that it came with. Of course, it's becoming their "busy season" and it may take a few weeks to get it back. FOR A SIMPLE MOTHER-HUMPING CARB ADJUSTMENT!!!
So now, I get to climb into my gas hog of a truck (I say that with pride, not with resentment), take time out of my batsh!t crazy schedule, drive many miles to the shop (polluting dear mother earf in the process), drop it off at the shop and waste their "busy season time" where they could be working on legitimately broken tools,drive home, wait a couple weeks, drive all the way back to pick it up, then drive all the way home. Just in time to not need the damn thing when the leaves stop.
If this isn't a textbook example of classic goobermint meddling and totally missing the mark, then I don't know what is. If I could bag all the exhaust from my truck that I'll spend driving to/from the shop to get my blower "repaired" and mail it to the EPA, I would.
Stand back...that dormant Tourette's is firing up...